:00:23. > :00:30.It was a goal fest the last time County and United met. United won
:00:31. > :00:36.4-2. Terry Butcher will be looking for festive cheer as his side host
:00:37. > :00:41.Saints. Harts will be hoping to avenge their Scottish Cup drubbing
:00:42. > :00:45.as they travel to Parkhead. The Buddies will be at Fir Park with
:00:46. > :00:51.both sides desperate for all three points. The play-off place gets
:00:52. > :00:55.interesting. And the battle for second spot heats up as Aberdeen
:00:56. > :00:59.travel to Inverness in the Game of the Day. It's promising to be a
:01:00. > :01:06.Christmas cracker of a football schedule.
:01:07. > :01:11.Good evening and welcome to Sportscene as we start the first
:01:12. > :01:14.course of some serious festive football indulgence. A
:01:15. > :01:17.mouth-watering feast over the next couple of wees and questions abound
:01:18. > :01:21.in this make or break part of the season. Who will emerge triumphant
:01:22. > :01:27.in the race for second place? A Hearts doomed for relegation? Who
:01:28. > :01:32.will get sucked in through the trap door. In our troop door is Billy
:01:33. > :01:36.Dodds and the Northern Ireland manager, Michael O'Neill.
:01:37. > :01:43.Almost half of all premiership goals will be scored in just the one
:01:44. > :01:48.match. We start in the Highlands. Aberdeen were taking on Inverness.
:01:49. > :01:56.Watching for us there was Rob McClean.
:01:57. > :02:09.For his first home game as Inverness manager, Hughes making one change.
:02:10. > :02:17.Williams in from the start. Hector into central defence for
:02:18. > :02:23.Aberdeen. Inverness seven games unbeaten.
:02:24. > :02:36.Looking to get second spot in the premiership table.
:02:37. > :02:38.Great touch from McKay. Very close. Denied the opportunity by Anderson.
:02:39. > :03:00.Clips the edge of the post. Handball. It's a penalty for
:03:01. > :03:08.Aberdeen. Vernon ducked under the ball. Scored from a corner kick last
:03:09. > :03:13.weekend. And Robson scores from a penalty
:03:14. > :03:34.kick this weekend. And Aberdeen are ahead. Blahhinged home by Robson.
:03:35. > :03:44.McGin on the move. Vernon. Back again with Pawlett.
:03:45. > :03:51.Robson. The double for Aberdeen. Two goals in, ten minutes from the
:03:52. > :03:54.veteran midfielder. It's a really well judged header, drifting inside
:03:55. > :04:17.the post, past the despairing hands. Vernon. Make that 3-0! Pawlett. This
:04:18. > :04:26.is a stunning first half from about deern. Vernon's been outstanding for
:04:27. > :04:33.them up upfront -- Aberdeen. Aberdeen have a three goal
:04:34. > :04:39.advantage. Inverness look shock and stunned, as
:04:40. > :04:47.well they might be. And now, McGin threatens and scores. -- Mcginn.
:04:48. > :04:53.Four goals for Aberdeen in 22 first half monies.
:04:54. > :05:03.And even already, it looks like game over. McGinn's ninth of the season.
:05:04. > :05:07.Christmas coming early for the Dons fans.
:05:08. > :05:15.Looking for a quick response. It will have to be something dramatic
:05:16. > :05:27.to turn this around. Tremarco. . McKay scores.
:05:28. > :05:36.Just what they wanted. Making the scoreline look a little bit better.
:05:37. > :05:45.Scramble in the six yard box. McKay with the finishing touch. His 16th
:05:46. > :05:52.of the season. Anderson. Long ball from Tremarco.
:05:53. > :05:58.Dorran. McKay. Ross. McKay is in again. Langfield.
:05:59. > :06:06.It's two in ten minutes for the Inverness top goal scorer! 17 goals
:06:07. > :06:11.in 19 games for him. It's a remarkable return and it's brought
:06:12. > :06:17.this game back to life for Caley Thistle. Dancing around Langfield
:06:18. > :06:25.and he's still got a bit to do. Manages to squeeze that past Hector.
:06:26. > :06:37.From nil four at half time, now two nurse. Tremarco. 's corner. It could
:06:38. > :07:04.so easily have been 4-3. What an amazing game in the Highland
:07:05. > :07:11.capital. Warren. Graham Shinnie in the 90th minute 3. An incredible
:07:12. > :07:16.Caley Thistle comeback from 4-0 to 4-3. The first half shows what we
:07:17. > :07:19.are capable of, second half showed me there is still a lot to be done
:07:20. > :07:29.here, but overall the players worked haar for the points -- hard for the
:07:30. > :07:33.three points. We stay undefeated. To beat Inverness twice home and away
:07:34. > :07:37.is good going. I just didn't anticipate the manner in which we
:07:38. > :07:42.did it. You cannot win a match if you concede four in the second half.
:07:43. > :07:47.Second half we showed what Inverness were all about, we were about spirit
:07:48. > :07:52.and were on the front foot and almost pulled it off.ade cell to the
:07:53. > :07:57.players, pride still in the dressing room and hopefully in defeat, I'm
:07:58. > :08:01.still very proud of them. First of all, we should say an astonishing
:08:02. > :08:05.game, Billy and a great advert for the Scottish premiership? Brilliant.
:08:06. > :08:10.Wish I was doing it yesterday for the radio, but John had that lucky
:08:11. > :08:14.job. I must admit, it was just two teams in the form of their life.
:08:15. > :08:19.Inverness, you you know what you get from them, confidence, team spirit,
:08:20. > :08:23.Aberdeen, good blend of youth and experience and it was no surprise
:08:24. > :08:29.that Inverness ended up coming back yesterday. Aberdeen got four goals
:08:30. > :08:41.up and you still couldn't write Inverness off. It had everything in
:08:42. > :08:49.it. Michael, welcome to Sportsscene. McGinn and McKay, their record is
:08:50. > :08:57.fantastic. McKay 37 league goals, McGinn 29 and one cup goal, a total
:08:58. > :09:01.of 74 with McKay's seven cup goals. Must be great to have them here?
:09:02. > :09:06.Great stats there. I wasn't aware it was as high as that, but two players
:09:07. > :09:10.who've been consistently good. Made a huge impact last season and again
:09:11. > :09:15.Billy particularly doing it this season with 17 goals and Niall
:09:16. > :09:19.scoring a variety of goals, plays in many positions, centrely or wide. We
:09:20. > :09:22.saw him yesterday scoring from the wide area, so long may that
:09:23. > :09:26.continue. Two goals from McKay yesterday but first, McGinn, how
:09:27. > :09:30.impressed were you by him? Playing off the left yesterday which I think
:09:31. > :09:34.is his favourite position. Good movement from Vernon to take the
:09:35. > :09:40.centre back away. He's got himself against the centre back and there's
:09:41. > :09:47.only going to be one winner as space opens up for him. We see him there.
:09:48. > :09:53.That's instinct isn't it, to drift into that space? Yes. Let them go.
:09:54. > :09:58.Exactly. Find a wee bit of space and he's sharp enough to poke it in.
:09:59. > :10:03.Nice goal this because he is centre again and picks the ball up, nice
:10:04. > :10:09.bunkup play off his chest, but straightaway, he knows where the
:10:10. > :10:15.space is. Hector steps up and Billy knows where he wants it. We see the
:10:16. > :10:19.quality and composure. Good finish. 17 goals for McKay this season which
:10:20. > :10:23.is remarkable in itself in 19 games for Inverness. He's played four
:10:24. > :10:26.times for Northern Ireland, still to hit the back of the net for Northern
:10:27. > :10:31.Ireland, but how good do you think he can be? I think he's a player
:10:32. > :10:38.that continues to improve. I think week-by-week. The statistics, as we
:10:39. > :10:41.showed earlier, are exceptional. He probably deserved more of a chance
:10:42. > :10:46.than he's had, if I'm honest and certainly I intend to give him that
:10:47. > :10:49.chance at the start of the Euros. Can he bring that form for Inverness
:10:50. > :10:53.on to the international scene? It's different in the sense that he may
:10:54. > :10:58.not get as many chances as he would for us. He's at the top of his game.
:10:59. > :11:02.He's come back here, come up to Scotland, had a couple of
:11:03. > :11:07.disappointments at earlier clubs and has rebuilt his career up here.
:11:08. > :11:12.Doing a great job for Caley Thistle. Dundee scored at least four goals
:11:13. > :11:16.per match lately. You can understand that Ross County travel toed to
:11:17. > :11:24.Tannadice with trepidation. John Barnes is the commentators.
:11:25. > :11:31.One change as the rightback spots are at earn negotiated -- at earn
:11:32. > :11:36.negotiated. Injury means one change as well for
:11:37. > :11:56.County. Trying to set up Armstrong.
:11:57. > :12:01.A fine intervention from McClean. Had to time that tackle to
:12:02. > :12:06.perfection. It was Quinn who was caught in possession in the middle
:12:07. > :12:15.of the park. And United almost punishing them.
:12:16. > :12:21.Lovely Pass through for Robertson and it was in the net, but the flag
:12:22. > :12:25.is up. Offside.
:12:26. > :12:28.Not quite sure whether it was against Robertson or Graham. It will
:12:29. > :12:42.be the full back. Kerry with the free kick. Awkward
:12:43. > :12:47.one. Off the bar! Scary moments there for the Dundee
:12:48. > :12:52.United defence, in particular the goalkeeper. That lethal left foot
:12:53. > :13:13.deceiving everyone. Graham looking to add to his tally
:13:14. > :13:30.for the season. He's got three so far. But straight at the keeper.
:13:31. > :13:34.He really needed to hit the target there, but good, creative build-up
:13:35. > :13:45.from Ross County. That is a great crossfield pass.
:13:46. > :13:54.Wilson does well to get there. It is Graham! And Fraser wins the contest
:13:55. > :13:58.with the big striker again. Excellent delivery in by Wilson. And
:13:59. > :14:19.a good stop by the keeper. Not a bad effort from John Rankin.
:14:20. > :14:31.He has had a few in recent weeks. Just to hide this time. -- just too
:14:32. > :14:40.high. A double substitution. Gold and Graham come off.
:14:41. > :14:49.What an introduction that would have been, within 30 seconds of coming
:14:50. > :14:50.on. Jackie McNamara changes his strikeforce and almost produces a
:14:51. > :15:04.goal. Good -- David good Willie should
:15:05. > :15:42.have kept that one down. Here is Goodwillie. Armstrong. And
:15:43. > :15:47.Dundee United are in front. Gary Mackay-Steven eventually finds a
:15:48. > :15:52.hole in the Ross County rearguard. Set up by Armstrong. Gary
:15:53. > :15:58.Mackay-Steven with his seventh goal of the season, his fifth in the last
:15:59. > :16:03.five matches. And it could secure six wins in a row for United. I
:16:04. > :16:08.think the players are disappointed to come away with nothing today,
:16:09. > :16:12.because they kept Dundee United very quiet, from the point of view that
:16:13. > :16:19.they hadn't scored eight goals up until we make a mistake. We kept
:16:20. > :16:24.plugging away, we were very patient and we got our just rewards in the
:16:25. > :16:28.end. They were trying time wasting at times, but we kept going in the
:16:29. > :16:32.second half, and then towards our own fans and we got what we
:16:33. > :16:36.deserved. Younger viewers may not remember that you were a Dundee
:16:37. > :16:42.United player in the late 80s and early 90s. How impressed have you
:16:43. > :16:46.been by your former side? They have been fantastic, they are the good
:16:47. > :16:49.news story in the SPL this season. Not only with the young players that
:16:50. > :16:57.were already there, but the players he has signed, they just have a real
:16:58. > :17:01.flair about their game, a real openness about how they play.
:17:02. > :17:05.Yesterday, they had 21 corners, which shows you how badly they tried
:17:06. > :17:10.to win the game. They are on a great run, but he will be as happy with a
:17:11. > :17:15.1-0 victory as he will be with the goals they have scored in recent
:17:16. > :17:20.weeks. Eight hard-working performance by Ross County but did
:17:21. > :17:26.they let themselves down with the goal? Well, they thought they could
:17:27. > :17:33.go on and win it. It is a forward move from Ross County, and because
:17:34. > :17:38.the defenders are so high up, the United players have the quality to
:17:39. > :17:41.expose you. That is the area where he might have been, and it is a
:17:42. > :17:47.lovely pull-back and a great finish by Gary Mackay-Steven. They are
:17:48. > :17:54.probably the one team, along with Celtic, that counterattack better
:17:55. > :18:04.than anyone else. TUC Dundee United as the favourites to finish second?
:18:05. > :18:07.-- TUC. I think they are in with a chance. Aberdeen have more
:18:08. > :18:11.experience in key areas. They will have to have a dip at some point so
:18:12. > :18:15.the real challenge will be to manage them through that but at the moment,
:18:16. > :18:20.confidence is sky high and I sure they will be looking forward to the
:18:21. > :18:24.festive period, the fixtures come thick and fast. How nervous should
:18:25. > :18:32.Ross County be about display of trapdoor at the bottom the table? --
:18:33. > :18:36.about this play-off trapdoor. Well, they are there, but they proved it
:18:37. > :18:39.last year, they went on a run and got themselves up the league but you
:18:40. > :18:43.can see they are losing confidence. They nearly got some yesterday with
:18:44. > :18:48.a great result but it turned out not to be the case. They have the
:18:49. > :18:52.experience to get away with it, they have had a big turnover with players
:18:53. > :18:56.but they need a result. Plenty more to come tonight, plus there are
:18:57. > :19:03.extended highlights all the games at the BBC sport website. A busy week
:19:04. > :19:06.for Santa and for us. On Boxing Day, join us for all of the
:19:07. > :19:11.Sportscene results at 4pm and we will bring you all the premiership
:19:12. > :19:17.highlights from Boxing on Friday, and 11pm start on BBC One. Next, we
:19:18. > :19:19.are off to Celtic Park, where hearts were hoping to avoid a repeat of
:19:20. > :19:41.their recent league cup hammering. Pukki with another chance to
:19:42. > :19:46.impress. Hearts will be looking for some redemption after the Scottish
:19:47. > :19:48.cup humbling against the same opposition. It could be a long shift
:19:49. > :19:59.for Colin Paterson upfront. He has squeezed it through for Kris
:20:00. > :20:03.Commons. The man who scored a hat-trick against Hearts in the cup
:20:04. > :20:13.tie is denied by Jamie MacDonald. He is probably anticipating a busy
:20:14. > :20:23.afternoon, is the Hearts no-one. -- number one.
:20:24. > :20:28.The goalkeeper has got a touch to that. It is a good job he did.
:20:29. > :20:42.Celtic still come. Anthony Stokes with this chance, the
:20:43. > :20:55.first glaring opportunity of the game, coming on eight minutes. It is
:20:56. > :21:00.a great save by MacDonald. Gary Lock, not much to work with as the
:21:01. > :21:01.Hearts manager. The last time they won here in the league, it was
:21:02. > :21:07.almost a team of stars. Good save again. He has actually had
:21:08. > :21:37.a pretty decent season. A good ball and MacDonald again to
:21:38. > :21:40.deny Joe Ledley. Either side of the goalkeeper, that is a goal. Take
:21:41. > :21:44.nothing away from the slave, he had to make it.
:21:45. > :21:57.Celtic unbeaten so far this season. They looked like they will maintain
:21:58. > :22:01.it, that is the target Neil Lennon and his staff have said. And what a
:22:02. > :22:07.turn by Kris Commons, and guess who is there again. Jamie MacDonald
:22:08. > :22:19.comes out on top in this duel between him and Commons.
:22:20. > :22:28.Well, that should have been a Hearts throw, Dylan McGavin making that
:22:29. > :22:40.point. -- dilemma gallon. It came off Pukki last.
:22:41. > :22:53.It is a great ball for Kris Commons. The slayer of Hearts does it again.
:22:54. > :22:57.Good finish at the angle, what a ball from Brown. Commons across
:22:58. > :23:01.MacDonald, who could do nothing this time. And Celtic's top scorer comes
:23:02. > :23:14.to the fore again. It has been over a year since Celtic
:23:15. > :23:19.last lost a league game here. James Forrest, dazzling on the wing. In
:23:20. > :23:25.towards Ledley and it is Jamie MacDonald at his near post. Hearts
:23:26. > :23:29.have defended resolutely this afternoon, it hasn't been a walk in
:23:30. > :23:32.the park for Neil Lennon and his team.
:23:33. > :23:41.Headed off the line by Commons from McGowan. That would have been quite
:23:42. > :23:46.sensational, Hearts's first real attempt on goal.
:23:47. > :23:53.Georgia Samurai is, on as a sub, one of the contract rebels. He squeezes
:23:54. > :24:07.it through to James Forrest who finishes it off. -- Giorgio
:24:08. > :24:12.great finish by James Forrest with the outside of the boot. That makes
:24:13. > :24:18.things more comfortable for Celtic, who took a long time to break
:24:19. > :24:29.through the Hearts resistance today. James Forrest, on as a half-time
:24:30. > :24:33.sub, and it is 2-0 to the champions. After the result couple of weeks
:24:34. > :24:36.ago, we were all hurt badly, and we knew that coming here today, we
:24:37. > :24:43.would have to change the way we normally play. I like to see a
:24:44. > :24:47.Hearts team on the front foot, but we had to learn our lesson from the
:24:48. > :24:50.last time and I felt the boys acquitted themselves brilliantly
:24:51. > :24:54.today. They obviously made it hard for us, we couldn't really make
:24:55. > :25:03.accurately to break them down as much as we would like, but three
:25:04. > :25:07.points into Christmas is nice. So, Celtic, unbeaten so far, grinding
:25:08. > :25:12.out a victory. A bit of a flat game, Hearts cautious after the
:25:13. > :25:20.seven -0 hammering, but it took sitting into a whole new level
:25:21. > :25:29.yesterday. -- 7-0. But I can understand it, after that one of cup
:25:30. > :25:33.game, you can see: Paterson, that was his starting place. They needed
:25:34. > :25:36.a lot over 90 minutes not to get picked up and Celtic eventually got
:25:37. > :25:41.the breakthrough, but that is the way Hearts set their stall out. A
:25:42. > :25:46.huge amount of bodies behind the ball, no outfall at times, but they
:25:47. > :25:57.frustrated Celtic for long periods. They get to half-time at nil half
:25:58. > :26:02.full -- 0-0 and they think job done. Did they have no choice but to play
:26:03. > :26:06.that way? They could have had a focal point and one up, but Celtic
:26:07. > :26:15.pin you back. They nearly nicked an equaliser in the last minute, so
:26:16. > :26:18.Gary Locke was trying to say, they didn't want to lose any more
:26:19. > :26:22.confidence than they already had but it didn't look good for a Hearts
:26:23. > :26:31.fan. A touch of forging the Celtic when it came to the Commons goal. --
:26:32. > :26:36.fortune. Yes, it is played of Pukki, but the linesman on that side is in
:26:37. > :26:42.the opposition half, so it is a long way to see it. But they are still
:26:43. > :26:48.set up, there are a lot of bodies behind the ball. What they don't do
:26:49. > :26:54.is get out to the ball. We see here, Walker sees Fisher on the right-hand
:26:55. > :26:58.side, that is fine, but he takes that little step and it is their own
:26:59. > :27:03.doing. Just that little Campbell to go and face up the ball and that was
:27:04. > :27:09.the downfall for Hearts. They nearly got through it, just that bit of
:27:10. > :27:13.inexperience. The distance is too great and it actually makes Scott
:27:14. > :27:20.Brown's mind up for the past and it is a good finish. Are Hearts down?
:27:21. > :27:24.It would take a minor miracle, with the boys they have got and the
:27:25. > :27:29.amount of points they had to catch, it is too much to ask. For almost
:27:30. > :27:33.two months, Kilmarnock fans have been deprived of the site of a home
:27:34. > :27:40.win. A leaky defence hasn't helped. They started the day the bottom, but
:27:41. > :27:48.with Kris Boyd and Chris Johnston upfront, always the chance of goals.
:27:49. > :27:53.They took a Partick Thistle side where, apart from Kris Doolan, no
:27:54. > :27:55.player had scored and -- in open place in September. Could their
:27:56. > :28:04.fortunes improve on the road at Rugby Park? No doubting Partick
:28:05. > :28:07.Thistle brought a freshness to the premiership this season. Not taking
:28:08. > :28:15.chances is an issue. Lawler's shot failing to hit the target.
:28:16. > :28:22.At the other end, calls for hand pal shrugged off.
:28:23. > :28:27.-- handball. As the match crept towards half time, it looked like
:28:28. > :28:31.0-0 until Chris Johnston took his chance to put Kilmarnock 1-0 in
:28:32. > :28:37.front. The break of the ball falling kindly and the 19-year-old with his
:28:38. > :28:41.third goal in four games. For Kris Doolan, it was six goals so
:28:42. > :28:45.far this season going into this match. Number 7-4 minutes after the
:28:46. > :28:50.restart. Partick Thistle's Christmas would be
:28:51. > :28:53.looking less festive without him. In recent times, he's carried the
:28:54. > :28:59.goal-scoring responsibility single handedly.
:29:00. > :29:05.A real feature of Partick's play has been the threat they posed down the
:29:06. > :29:09.flanks. Great wing play from Higginbotham and the ball found
:29:10. > :29:16.Lawler but he missed the target again.
:29:17. > :29:20.Kilmarnock new a victory would see them leapfrog the visitors at the
:29:21. > :29:25.bottom end of the table. This effort too hot for Fox to handle.
:29:26. > :29:33.In the 73rd minute, the knock down from the free kick landed at the
:29:34. > :29:40.feet of Jackson Irvine. His last effort touched in by Kris Boyd and
:29:41. > :29:44.Kilmarnock had the lead. The instinct, no doubt about it, the
:29:45. > :29:56.former Rangers striker claiming his ninth of the campaign.
:29:57. > :30:02.A superb piece of passing play from Partick Thistle. A great stop and
:30:03. > :30:06.the manager Alan Johnson knew just how valuable three points would be.
:30:07. > :30:14.He had his keeper to thank before the end.
:30:15. > :30:18.Sampson flew to the rescue. You look at the league table, three
:30:19. > :30:23.points off Hibs, a lot of games we came in over the festive period and
:30:24. > :30:28.we can go higher up the table. I staid to the lads, we are still in a
:30:29. > :30:34.good position but we have to start taking chances. I thought we
:30:35. > :30:39.dominated the game, and to be fair, Sampson was man-of-the-match again.
:30:40. > :30:42.Plenty of chances, Billy. You were at the match yesterday. Should
:30:43. > :30:47.Partick Thistle have taken something from it? Yes. I really enjoyed the
:30:48. > :30:52.game. We have said that to many times about them this season, all
:30:53. > :30:57.the football, create chances, dealen's scoring goals now so you
:30:58. > :31:01.would take him out the equation -- Doolan. They are just not winning
:31:02. > :31:09.games. Can't seem to hit the target too regularly. What was the defining
:31:10. > :31:16.moment for you? No doubt one each. Higginbotham down the left hand
:31:17. > :31:22.side. Mis-hit there and you see the other angle, it Faws to Lawlers. --
:31:23. > :31:26.falls to. They fraught a freshness to the
:31:27. > :31:29.premiership this season. It's getting to the point where they need
:31:30. > :31:32.somebody else to take on goal-scoring responsibility, not
:31:33. > :31:36.just Doolan? I think so. There's been a lot of, I suppose,
:31:37. > :31:40.responsibility on him and he has scored goals this season. I saw him
:31:41. > :31:43.in the First Division and was impressed last season and they have
:31:44. > :31:48.done well to do as well as they have done at this point. I think
:31:49. > :31:51.Archibald will be maybe looking at the January opportunity to maybe
:31:52. > :31:54.bring one or two in just to help the team that he has now in the second
:31:55. > :32:00.half of the season. How big a win was that for Kilmarnock, Billy?
:32:01. > :32:05.Huge. I mean, Kris Boyd has been doing it, I think that's three goals
:32:06. > :32:09.in the last three games, a good return. He led the line well, it
:32:10. > :32:16.wasn't just about scoring goals, but they didn't play will, but Alan
:32:17. > :32:22.Johnston will say they played better. It evened itself out. Huge
:32:23. > :32:30.three points with that Kris Boyd goal. . Inverness and Aberdeen
:32:31. > :32:35.dualing it out for second place. Motherwell are below the radar this
:32:36. > :32:42.season. St Mourn never lost to Motherwell at
:32:43. > :32:47.Fir Park during the Stuart McCall era, could they keep that going? --
:32:48. > :32:50.St Mirren. Motherwell look to record
:32:51. > :33:01.back-to-back victories for the first time since September. Harkins
:33:02. > :33:13.starts. Corner. Header. Good save pushed
:33:14. > :33:16.away. Ramsden was up.
:33:17. > :33:26.Back in again. Good corner. Well attacked by
:33:27. > :33:33.Ramsden. Got it on target. Good one-handed stop.
:33:34. > :33:46.Hamill. In again. Well worked. Advanced
:33:47. > :34:02.position. Little chip across. Good goalkeeping. Raced off his line.
:34:03. > :34:21.Good passing play again. Ainsworth. McGregor. Once, twice. Scores!
:34:22. > :34:25.What a classy opening. Four goals in his first ten appearances for
:34:26. > :34:34.Motherwell. Just one since and he's found the score sheet today.
:34:35. > :34:42.Simply lashed the ball. Classy goal from Motherwell.
:34:43. > :34:51.Ahead after 51 minutes. Scruffy from Saints. Hasly with the
:34:52. > :35:05.intercept. Opt attack again. Sutton gets on. 2-0! One touch. Motherwell
:35:06. > :35:12.and Ainsworth who scored on his debut, scores for Motherwell as a
:35:13. > :35:22.Motherwell player. Nestled it in at the post. Nothing the keeper could
:35:23. > :35:33.do. McGinn.
:35:34. > :35:35.Something out offal nothing there for St Mirren. McGinn with the
:35:36. > :36:04.follow-up shot. Lennon there. Oh, a chance. 3-0!
:36:05. > :36:08.What a great finish. Again, one touch from Motherwell. How about
:36:09. > :36:11.that for a finish? ! It's his first double for
:36:12. > :36:17.Motherwell. Motherwell are 3-0 ahead.
:36:18. > :36:32.Style and swagger. Ramsden. Lawson. Under control. Drives it.
:36:33. > :36:48.That was done in style today. I thought last week's game was
:36:49. > :36:53.scrappy. Today, really good performance, clean sheet, three
:36:54. > :37:01.really good goals and a bit more like us. Motherwell made better
:37:02. > :37:04.decisions all over. Anier today was absolutely terrific. That caused us
:37:05. > :37:10.a great deal of problems. In the past, it's something we've handled
:37:11. > :37:13.well. It's pleasing that we have another game come Wednesday to try
:37:14. > :37:18.and put that right and we must get back to doing what we do best. I was
:37:19. > :37:22.there yesterday, Anier very much the star of the show, Michael, and a
:37:23. > :37:26.player that you have some previous knowledge of? Yes, when I was
:37:27. > :37:32.manager at Shamrock Rovers, we played a European Champions League
:37:33. > :37:37.qualifying game and he played there. He was their best player. He is a
:37:38. > :37:41.threat and not only off crosses, but he's strong, he has good technique.
:37:42. > :37:45.A great finish off as well on his right hand side and I think he
:37:46. > :37:51.challenges all the time. He can go in behind, he leads a line well as
:37:52. > :37:55.well. He's direct. Not played every game this season. Left him out a
:37:56. > :37:59.couple of times, but a good replacement. That's all technically
:38:00. > :38:03.wrong, but so right. An unbelievable finish. You see him score the first
:38:04. > :38:08.one which is right foot and the second was I which is left. Anier
:38:09. > :38:13.was in the stands yesterday watching him score the goals.
:38:14. > :38:17.They want Anier back in mid-January, his old team, but Motherwell will
:38:18. > :38:21.presumably do all they can to tray and keep him? They will. He's scored
:38:22. > :38:25.a lot of goals for them. They'll probably find somebody, if he ends
:38:26. > :38:31.up having to go back, but they have been a big find for him. His return
:38:32. > :38:36.was a lot of goals which is a good thing for the club. They struggled
:38:37. > :38:42.for a bit. Stuart's done well to pick him up. The result for St
:38:43. > :38:46.Mirren? Bit flat yesterday, then Dundee coming own Boxing Day? Danny
:38:47. > :38:51.had a bit of pressure early on in the season and, to be fair, he's dug
:38:52. > :38:54.in and turned them around. Motherwell is a difficult place to
:38:55. > :38:59.go, so he won't be too concerned. He'll look forward to the next game
:39:00. > :39:03.and it will be a difficult one. I like watching St Mirren play, they
:39:04. > :39:07.play good football and should be a good game on Boxing Day.
:39:08. > :39:11.Motherwell's great contenders for second place? Yes, but I think it
:39:12. > :39:17.will be difficult for them this year with the turnover of players. They
:39:18. > :39:19.might lose Anier and for me, Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness are that bit
:39:20. > :39:24.stronger. We shall see. Despite the arrival of
:39:25. > :39:28.Terry Butcher, Hibs remain very much at bottom six. That wouldn't change,
:39:29. > :39:32.no matter what the result at St Johnston yesterday. Hibs need
:39:33. > :39:38.someone to score goals regularly for them. They only managed ten in the
:39:39. > :39:43.league all season. St Johnston only scored six league goals on their
:39:44. > :39:48.travels and have drawn a blank in the last two, both of which ended in
:39:49. > :39:56.defeat. Chances of a 12-goal thriller, looked slim yesterday at
:39:57. > :40:00.Easter Road. 2013 has been frustrated for Hibs with just two
:40:01. > :40:08.league wins in the last 12 months and again, they struggled to find
:40:09. > :40:16.the net. Davidson was struggling after an
:40:17. > :40:25.early knock and was replaced by former Hib mate.
:40:26. > :40:29.This was a late lunge on Cairney. A straight red shown by Alan Muir.
:40:30. > :40:34.Little option for the man in the middle. Many Hibs fans were
:40:35. > :40:38.surprised wealther spoon was allowed to leave in the summer to join his
:40:39. > :40:43.hometown club. Almost set up an opening for May. Strong defending by
:40:44. > :40:48.the Hibs rear guard keeping the 21-year-old at bay. A good cross
:40:49. > :40:58.from Wetherspoon but an except lent block by Scott Robinson.
:40:59. > :41:02.-- except lent. -- excellent. This cross was kept out.
:41:03. > :41:13.Robertson with the cross. Teenager Jason Cummings almost had a
:41:14. > :41:18.dream start coming within inches of this cross from Liam Craig. Hibs
:41:19. > :41:24.boss Terry Butcher watched from the stands as he served a one-match
:41:25. > :41:31.touchline ban and Collins almost gave him an early cross mass
:41:32. > :41:42.present. Foster with a cross, Manus at full
:41:43. > :41:47.stretch. One final piece of drama. . Challenge from Easton. A tangle of
:41:48. > :41:54.legs but the referee says no penalty, so no goals at Easter Road.
:41:55. > :42:01.We 'll look back on it as a great point. I thought for the last hour,
:42:02. > :42:05.we were magnificent. Hibs had very few chances and I think in the first
:42:06. > :42:09.half, we had the best chance. Couldn't get enough on the ball,
:42:10. > :42:15.May, to stick it in. St Johnston went a man down, were very resolute.
:42:16. > :42:20.With May upfront they are a threat even on his own. The defenders
:42:21. > :42:24.worked well today. Full credit to Tommy Wright and the team. They
:42:25. > :42:30.withstood a lot of pressure from us and we couldn't get the killer ball.
:42:31. > :42:36.Some sad news tonight about the death of Hibs youth player David
:42:37. > :42:42.Paul. Also a young Hearts junior player Jimmy Skinner who died during
:42:43. > :42:49.a match in Edinburgh. Our thoughts are with the families this evening.
:42:50. > :42:53.What was your view of the sending off yesterday? I thought at the time
:42:54. > :42:57.it was harsh, to be honest, but having seen the tackle, it's
:42:58. > :43:04.wreckless, to say the least. Just calm on? Yes, I feel sorry for
:43:05. > :43:08.Paddy, you see when the ball comes back, his reaction is to get the
:43:09. > :43:14.ball back. You see the tackle from the other angle, it's the trailing
:43:15. > :43:18.leg that's coming in here, Billy? Wreckless and out of control. But it
:43:19. > :43:24.looks worse than what it actually is. I don't know what Tommy Wright
:43:25. > :43:28.will be thinking. Fallon the other week, you think that will never be
:43:29. > :43:33.that, and he takes 20 seconds off it.
:43:34. > :43:40.Should the ref make any allowances given the fact he's just come on and
:43:41. > :43:44.it's a clumsy challenge or is it a follow-through? Me maybe should make
:43:45. > :43:47.an allowance. I think when a player is sent off, around the halfway line
:43:48. > :43:51.as well, there's nothing in the challenge, you know, it's not going
:43:52. > :43:54.to effect a goal-scoring opportunity or anything like that there. I do
:43:55. > :43:58.think that obviously the ref's under a bit of pressure to follow the
:43:59. > :44:01.letter of the law and he is off the ground, so because of that,
:44:02. > :44:11.obviously, the ref's given him the red card. Hibs had a penalty shout
:44:12. > :44:16.turned down. T Johnston had a got keeper who was inspiring yesterday?
:44:17. > :44:20.Yes, he played very well, has done consistently well for St Johnston,
:44:21. > :44:24.made a number of good saves. His defender does well as well. This is
:44:25. > :44:30.a great save, great reaction. Never expects the ball to come off his
:44:31. > :44:35.defender. This is the puck of the punch, good
:44:36. > :44:38.header, good save. I think Alan consistently has been excellent in
:44:39. > :44:43.the SPL since he's come here. One thing he has in his character, every
:44:44. > :44:46.time he's asked to step up a level, he adjusts and does well. In the
:44:47. > :44:52.game he's played for me, he does well. Signs of life for Hibs but not
:44:53. > :44:58.any more? I say it every week, step by step. They still need to pie a
:44:59. > :45:05.couple of more quality play players. I think he's trying to pick your
:45:06. > :45:14.team for you? ! McKay, McGinn... He might do a better job to be fair! To
:45:15. > :45:18.judge Terry is obviously when he's eight to ten months in the job when
:45:19. > :45:22.he has chance to make changes. After all that, the Scottish premiership
:45:23. > :45:42.table looks exactly like this: Celtic ten points clear at the top.
:45:43. > :45:49.Well, Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat, Celtic are on top,
:45:50. > :45:52.but enough about that, plenty of questions remain unanswered about
:45:53. > :45:56.how this season will unfold. Join us for the next chapter of the Scottish
:45:57. > :46:01.premiership Christmas story on Friday. Until then, from all of us
:46:02. > :46:06.here at sport scene, do have a very merry Christmas. Good night. --
:46:07. > :46:11.Sportscene.