:00:41. > :00:44.Tonight a show choc-full of shock scorelines,
:00:45. > :00:46.managers under pressure and comical defending -
:00:47. > :00:52.We've got six in total from another weekend in the great Scottish
:00:53. > :00:57.Starring for us amidst all the melodrama, Michael Stewart
:00:58. > :01:04.Inverness Caley Thistle began the weekend bottom of the table.
:01:05. > :01:07.They welcomed a Rangers side still without a permanent manager
:01:08. > :01:09.and looking to bounce back from their defeat last
:01:10. > :01:19.Commentary comes from Alasdair Lamont.
:01:20. > :01:28.Richie Folland Gnat name is exactly the same team that came away with a
:01:29. > :01:33.point from the last game, Cally Thistle are looking to make it three
:01:34. > :01:38.unbeaten in the league, Rangers are already three without a win in the
:01:39. > :01:48.league. They have the returning captain, Lee Wallace. Wallace's
:01:49. > :01:54.throw is clever. A tight angle but it went for goal, saved by William
:01:55. > :02:12.not once but twice. And early warning. Kenny Miller denied at the
:02:13. > :02:21.near post. Driving forwards. Barry Mackay with a header. He's got to do
:02:22. > :02:32.better than that from that position. The look on his face says that he
:02:33. > :02:38.knows that. He's done well. I think that was Danny Wilson getting in the
:02:39. > :02:48.clearance. At the near post, as morally wreaks havoc inside the
:02:49. > :02:57.Rangers penalty area. Tansey with the hit and it is an! Greg Tansey
:02:58. > :03:02.has put Cally Thistle in front! They'd didn't look to be in that
:03:03. > :03:12.much danger but Tansey got a hold of that one and it curled away from the
:03:13. > :03:27.goalie. Richie Foran's men overhead. -- move ahead. Billy Mackay. It is a
:03:28. > :03:40.good effort and a good hand. That's a lovely ball. It's a chance and
:03:41. > :03:53.it's gone just wide. Terrific execution in the pass. This is
:03:54. > :04:01.Wallace. And it's a penalty kick. Steven McLean deciding that this
:04:02. > :04:08.challenge on Wallace was a foul and Waghorn has a chance to draw Rangers
:04:09. > :04:12.level and he has done. The 12th of the season for Martyn Waghorn, just
:04:13. > :04:24.his fourth in the league but it could be a crucial one. Eventually
:04:25. > :04:28.they get their block in. Tansey fancies his chances again! It will
:04:29. > :04:39.require a great save to deny him a second. Amazon Hindman. Again
:04:40. > :04:46.Waghorn takes it really well but he can't get it into the goal and Kenny
:04:47. > :04:53.Miller is furious. You can see that he's looking for the cut back.
:04:54. > :05:03.Waghorn went on his own. Kenny Miller comes short. Hyndman
:05:04. > :05:10.eventually blocked, a good move by Rangers but it comes to nothing.
:05:11. > :05:24.Good football, but as so often has been the case, no cutting edge.
:05:25. > :05:29.Billy Mackay. He takes on McKiernan, and Foderingham had to push that way
:05:30. > :05:43.to prevent Billy Mackay from putting his side back in front. Mackay. It's
:05:44. > :05:49.a penalty! Richie Foran is looking tense as Iain Vigurs, it's saved by
:05:50. > :05:59.Foderingham and behind, Foderingham could well have gained Rangers one
:06:00. > :06:03.point here. Tansey. At the centre of just about everything for Cally
:06:04. > :06:13.Thistle. It goes over his head. What a goal. Billy Mckay. Look what it
:06:14. > :06:18.means to Richie Folland Gnat and the players. Something out of absolutely
:06:19. > :06:24.nothing from Billy Mckay. And surely Inverness Caley Thistle have won it
:06:25. > :06:31.now? Rangers with the last-ditch attack. Jason hold bursting through.
:06:32. > :06:36.Did that come off the arm of Iain Vigurs? It's a corner only. Graeme
:06:37. > :06:42.Murty can't believe it. Perhaps Rangers's chances have now gone. We
:06:43. > :06:46.showed a lot of quality especially with the two finishes. We've been at
:06:47. > :06:51.the bottom of the table for a long time. Weaker players would have
:06:52. > :06:58.crumbled, not these. Huge desire, hunger, bravery. We kept positive.
:06:59. > :07:02.We need the results would come. We've got two fine, fine results
:07:03. > :07:09.against two top teams in Rangers and Hearts. What a result for both
:07:10. > :07:13.sides, Stephen, you've only just thought outcome you're there, how
:07:14. > :07:18.impressed we you with Inverness? Excellent. Rangers started well and
:07:19. > :07:21.the passing was crisp, they created chances but didn't take them. The
:07:22. > :07:25.goal they gave away was a defensive mistake, symbolic of them all
:07:26. > :07:32.season, the same problems again and again. In the second half came out
:07:33. > :07:37.well but then Inverness took the initiative. If you look at the
:07:38. > :07:41.Inverness players, their desire to get forward and get their second
:07:42. > :07:46.goal and the win that would take them off the bottom of the table was
:07:47. > :07:52.evident. Tansey needs to get forward and he gets the second ball off the
:07:53. > :07:58.back of that. This is poor from Waghorn. Weak. They are driving the
:07:59. > :08:01.Rangers defence with three against two and where other Rangers
:08:02. > :08:08.full-backs? They've left themselves exposed. They do very well to get a
:08:09. > :08:17.shot. This is why it's important that the second midfielder is there.
:08:18. > :08:32.They've got to shield the defenders. This is a piece of real magic.
:08:33. > :08:36.That's too deep. If he had been tighter he could have nicked did we
:08:37. > :08:42.maybe but Billy Mckay is able to pin him because he came late to the
:08:43. > :08:46.tackle, poor defending. Great strike by Billy Mckay. What either of you
:08:47. > :08:52.convinced by this penalty? I don't think it is a penalty kick, I think
:08:53. > :08:57.it hits his chest before his hand. Handball is one of the big talking
:08:58. > :09:03.points, you see here it comes off his chest and then his elbow but it
:09:04. > :09:07.has to be deliberate. No headstand this week! It's got to be a
:09:08. > :09:12.deliberate handball and it isn't. That's him lunging and it comes off
:09:13. > :09:17.his midriff, up onto his elbow and I think the referee called it right.
:09:18. > :09:23.Lee Wallace calls this a shocking period for Rangers. How bad is it,
:09:24. > :09:27.Michael? It's not great. That's a strongly worded statement there, an
:09:28. > :09:33.indictment of what is going on at the moment. It's a period of time,
:09:34. > :09:36.they need to get number of decisions right, they need someone in charge
:09:37. > :09:42.to steady the ship, it's not great on the field, they have won one in
:09:43. > :09:47.seven. It is very poor. And off the field they've got a number of
:09:48. > :09:51.positions they need to fill. If they don't, they will be more troubles
:09:52. > :09:56.ahead for Rangers. The great Scottish footballing soap opera,
:09:57. > :10:01.development of the day, Barry Ferguson? He quit as Clyde manager.
:10:02. > :10:07.A lot of talk linking him with Rangers. One bookmaker has made him
:10:08. > :10:12.favoured it to be the next Rangers manager. Barry was an unbelievable
:10:13. > :10:16.player for Rangers, one of the best I ever played with, his contribution
:10:17. > :10:20.was incredible but as a manager I don't think it's right for them
:10:21. > :10:26.right now. Let's give Inverness do credit, bottom of the table, you
:10:27. > :10:36.predicted Inverness would win this, didn't you Stephen? Nine added, 2-1.
:10:37. > :10:40.Cheers! -- I did. Pay off the bottom of the table and it will give the
:10:41. > :10:44.players such a huge psychological boost. They deserved it, they should
:10:45. > :10:49.so much character and spread it in the last 30 minutes of the match.
:10:50. > :10:54.Especially against two of the top sides in the division, to get those
:10:55. > :11:01.results and get four points out of six it will have filled them full of
:11:02. > :11:04.confidence. Welten Cally Thistle. -- well done.
:11:05. > :11:06.It's been a turbulent few weeks for Motherwell boss Mark McGhee.
:11:07. > :11:08.In trouble with officials, his team struggling at times,
:11:09. > :11:12.and then a video filmed by a fan that went viral on social media.
:11:13. > :11:14.Dundee arrived at Fir Park fresh from victory over
:11:15. > :11:27.With McManus and Tate injured, Zak Jules and charmers come into the
:11:28. > :11:33.defence. Keith Lapsley is on the bench. No selection problems for the
:11:34. > :11:39.Dundee manager as he sticks by the side that won last week. That means
:11:40. > :11:53.one former Motherwell player is an attack. Knocked back in. Mould gets
:11:54. > :12:00.it out. It's Zak Jules who's turned that behind his own keeper! Zak
:12:01. > :12:07.Jules, only his second league start for Motherwell. He wanted to make an
:12:08. > :12:12.impact, not like that! He got it all wrong and looped it over Sampson.
:12:13. > :12:18.Dundee are in front with seven minutes played. Motherwell have won
:12:19. > :12:22.only one of the last eight meetings with Dundee. Charmers, into towards
:12:23. > :12:38.Hennigan. Here's mould. It broke kindly for the Motherwell
:12:39. > :12:47.striker and he dispatched that the keeper. Two wins in 12 league
:12:48. > :13:00.matches for Motherwell going into this game. Mark or horror. A
:13:01. > :13:04.tempting ball in. I'm not sure if he was trying to cross Aldershot but
:13:05. > :13:21.O'Hara was on the scoresheet last week against Rangers. His Magellan.
:13:22. > :13:26.O'Hara, down towards Haber and Dundee are in front, 2-1. Marcus
:13:27. > :13:33.Haber claims his fifth goal of the season. He held off the challenge of
:13:34. > :13:43.Zak Jules to swivel and send that one beyond Craig Sampson. Fine
:13:44. > :13:53.strike. Dundee's away form hasn't been so good in recent times, no
:13:54. > :14:01.wins in their last six matches. Wighton. O'Hara! Marc O'Hara is on
:14:02. > :14:07.the scoresheet again! Tooling that one beyond Craig Sampson. Former
:14:08. > :14:14.team-mates at Kilmarnock. -- drilling that. O'Hara with his
:14:15. > :14:24.fourth goal this season. He really is in the mood this afternoon. He is
:14:25. > :14:33.Vincent. Wighton! And Dundee go in front, 4-1! It's turning into a
:14:34. > :14:36.rout. In this first half! And its Craig Wighton who buries that with
:14:37. > :14:42.the Motherwell rearguard all over the place. Nowhere near to make the
:14:43. > :15:01.clearance. Ojamaa teasing all the way. Magellan
:15:02. > :15:13.trying a curler. Inches away from a fifth. Good play again by Dundee.
:15:14. > :15:21.Worrying times for Mark McGhee and Motherwell. Here is Haber. It's a
:15:22. > :15:28.double for Marcus Haber right at the end of this first half. And Dundee
:15:29. > :15:33.are in front, 5-1. Poor Mark King again by Motherwell, and Haber took
:15:34. > :15:40.full advantage. -- poor marking. McDonald. It's a good save by Scott
:15:41. > :15:46.Bain. But that's better from the home team in this second period.
:15:47. > :15:59.Scott Bain reacting quickly. To that strike. McDonald, through towards
:16:00. > :16:05.Clay. Craig Clay. And it's Scott Bain to the rescue a game for
:16:06. > :16:10.Dundee. It has not been Clay's day. It is not Motherwell's day either.
:16:11. > :16:19.Scott Bain makes a good save with his boot. And he is Pearson, finding
:16:20. > :16:24.a substitute, and the ball is clattered off the post. It's a scary
:16:25. > :16:30.moment that the Dundee captain, even scarier looking at the scoreline for
:16:31. > :16:35.Mark McGhee and his Motherwell team. I believe we've got a decent group
:16:36. > :16:38.of players. I'll say it again, we've been undermined by the loss of
:16:39. > :16:43.experienced defenders and we have suffered from bad but otherwise, I
:16:44. > :16:48.will take the team out there in the week and will look at what happened,
:16:49. > :16:54.we'll try and help charmers, try to help Zak Jules to improve on what
:16:55. > :16:58.happened today. First half I thought we'd won the game, outstanding
:16:59. > :17:02.player and goals, the shape of the team, we carried out from last week,
:17:03. > :17:08.second half, we told them at half-time to make sure we don't
:17:09. > :17:11.concede any goals. Some things happen when you have a commanding
:17:12. > :17:19.lead but over all the players were outstanding.
:17:20. > :17:24.Fantastic result for Motherwell but where on earth does this leave
:17:25. > :17:29.manager Mark McGhee? Is under pressure, he said so himself, it's
:17:30. > :17:33.simply not good enough and to lose at home 5-0, it wasn't Celtic who
:17:34. > :17:38.beat them, it was a team around and about them. He's using the excuse of
:17:39. > :17:42.injuries in the backline, McManus and Tate went there but they were
:17:43. > :17:46.there when they lost by seven goals against Aberdeen and they've been
:17:47. > :17:51.there all season, Motherwell have conceded more goals than any other
:17:52. > :17:54.team in the league. Yesterday we highlighted some of these individual
:17:55. > :18:05.errors, there's not much the manager can do about this.
:18:06. > :18:12.Zak Jules allows Haber to pin him. Look at this, seven bodies back from
:18:13. > :18:17.Motherwell but they are just ball watching and not doing anything.
:18:18. > :18:24.Charmers switches off and eventually when the ball does come to O'Hara he
:18:25. > :18:28.doesn't do anything. Far too many gaps in the back line and then
:18:29. > :18:34.you've got two players just ball watching again. You've got to push
:18:35. > :18:44.this further out and get in line with the wall. A lot of teams to
:18:45. > :18:48.play with the defensive line. They just hold the line and try to create
:18:49. > :18:52.enough space at the keeper to come out. That's the danger when you drop
:18:53. > :18:57.too far back as we saw that come you've got three players at the
:18:58. > :19:00.back, three on one it becomes difficult to defend. Mark McGhee is
:19:01. > :19:03.never out of the headlines at the moment, they with their heavy
:19:04. > :19:08.scoreline against Aberdeen and the fan video that we all saw on social
:19:09. > :19:14.media. And now this scoreline. At the end of the day he won't lose his
:19:15. > :19:18.job at the moment, when he? I would be surprised. You must take into
:19:19. > :19:24.account, who at Motherwell would make that decision? Is it a
:19:25. > :19:30.figurehead who makes the call? I would suggest, when it comes to the
:19:31. > :19:35.end of this season there would be the parting of the ways. I think as
:19:36. > :19:50.well when you look at what they've got up top in Moult, it's OK there,
:19:51. > :19:54.it's the defensive side they have to strengthen because if you keep
:19:55. > :19:57.leaking goals and is a problem. Huge credit to Dundee as well.
:19:58. > :19:59.The irresistible force that is Celtic this season shows
:20:00. > :20:05.It was 2014 when Hamilton Accies upset the applecart with a 1-0
:20:06. > :20:09.The chances of that happening again this weekend looked decidedly slim.
:20:10. > :20:24.Celtic are without McCullough stick and similar veg, Armstrong has
:20:25. > :20:31.replaced Lee Henderson. 19-year-old Stephen Boyd starts up front for
:20:32. > :20:42.Hamilton in place of Eamonn Brophy. Watson is out and Gillespie is in
:20:43. > :20:49.central midfield. The ball is won back by Gillespie. Suddenly it has
:20:50. > :20:54.opened up for Danny Redmond who disappointingly shoots well wide of
:20:55. > :21:08.goal. The chances for Accies might be few and far between. It's a
:21:09. > :21:21.crunching challenge, which leaves the Celtic winger in some pain. And
:21:22. > :21:27.the game is over for Forest. He is replaced by Gary Mackay-Steven.
:21:28. > :21:32.Let's hope it's not another long absence for Forest. Kieran Tierney
:21:33. > :21:41.on the move, a driving run from him. Through for to Bell. The offside
:21:42. > :21:47.flag has gone up against that darting run from the top Celtic
:21:48. > :21:54.scorer. Surely the challenge might have led to a penalty, had the flag
:21:55. > :22:03.stayed down. Gary Mackay-Steven. It's headed away by Don Marti. The
:22:04. > :22:08.mistake by McMahon. He is Armstrong. Although we for Kieran Tierney. That
:22:09. > :22:19.Fairey fizzed across the goal from the gang player. Armstrong not too
:22:20. > :22:24.far from getting a touch. Celtic playing the patient game against the
:22:25. > :22:38.organised Hamilton, Sinclair lets go from long range. This wasn't too far
:22:39. > :22:43.away from the top corner. It is won for Accies by Damian McKinnon. There
:22:44. > :22:48.are options for Hamilton. It's Dougie Imrie and it's a big
:22:49. > :22:57.disappointment. Three in the box waiting for some supply. What a
:22:58. > :23:05.touch that was from Kieran Tierney. Sinclair. Kieran Tierney again and
:23:06. > :23:07.it's an opportunity for Celtic. Armstrong can't believe he's missed
:23:08. > :23:28.this. It was an open goal. Sviatchhenko. Moussa Dembele finds
:23:29. > :23:33.the top corner! A brilliant strike to break the deadlock bang on 45
:23:34. > :23:36.minutes! The first half of frustration is ended for Celtic with
:23:37. > :23:53.Moussa Dembele's 28th Celtic goal. Gamboa firing in the cross.
:23:54. > :23:59.Armstrong chasing and collecting and winning the battle against Boyd.
:24:00. > :24:03.Kieran Tierney. Moussa Dembele, that could so easily have been his
:24:04. > :24:11.second. Massimo Donati was in the way and didn't know a lot about it!
:24:12. > :24:17.That's Devlin. In goes Kieran Tierney getting into a dangerous
:24:18. > :24:21.position. Massimo Donati put out his leg and down went the Celtic
:24:22. > :24:24.full-back, it will be a yellow card for the former Celtic midfielder and
:24:25. > :24:30.it will be a penalty for the home team. Positive play from Kieran
:24:31. > :24:39.Tierney. And that was a blatant penalty. Moussa Dembele does the
:24:40. > :24:49.business. His eighth successful conversion from the spot. Make that
:24:50. > :24:59.29 Celtic goals, 2-0. Gary Mackay-Steven. It's Gary
:25:00. > :25:02.Mackay-Steven and it's a decent effort on goal, trying to guide that
:25:03. > :25:13.into the bottom corner. Gary Woods made the save.
:25:14. > :25:20.Boyata. Moussa Dembele and a hat-trick. It's in the net and it
:25:21. > :25:27.won't count. Lovely pass from Moussa Dembele. And he is disappointed here
:25:28. > :25:37.that Gary Mackay-Steven had strayed maybe half a yard offside. Brown
:25:38. > :25:49.pinned in the corner. Lovely backheel, cleared by Kieran Tierney.
:25:50. > :25:53.Bad touch from Brown. Flying to the Deco 's Gramoz Kurtaj. Perhaps he
:25:54. > :26:03.was hoping there was contact. The referee would say, that the dive.
:26:04. > :26:07.Gamboa. Over the top for Griffiths and Armstrong and it is another
:26:08. > :26:12.chance for Stewart Armstrong, on another day the midfielder might
:26:13. > :26:26.have had a double. Well set up by substitute Griffiths. Bitton. Scott
:26:27. > :26:31.Sinclair cutting inside, looking for a penalty. The referee says no, this
:26:32. > :26:41.must have been a good shout, Devlin had hold of his arm, down went
:26:42. > :26:49.Sinclair, no penalty. Gramoz Kurtaj. McKinnon. Substitute Doherty. Great
:26:50. > :26:54.ball in for Brophy. And Gordon has his first save of the match in the
:26:55. > :27:00.93rd minute, that tells a story. I suppose in the first half we closed
:27:01. > :27:04.up our own space too much and could not get into the areas we wanted.
:27:05. > :27:10.That was just our positioning, really. Right on half-time and
:27:11. > :27:17.absolutely brilliant goal, the boy loses quality. Maybe one or two
:27:18. > :27:23.final passes could have got us in the game. Otherwise, defensively we
:27:24. > :27:31.were outstanding. I thought we did well. It just takes that moment of
:27:32. > :27:39.quality, if you like. At that point the plan was working. We would have
:27:40. > :27:44.had counterattacks, opportunities, we did break forward to give us some
:27:45. > :27:47.of the best chances of the game. I was pleased with the players
:27:48. > :27:53.actually in the first and the second half. Celtic Manor is out in front,
:27:54. > :27:57.Accies bottom of the table. Michael, they obviously arrived with a game
:27:58. > :28:04.plan but in the end it didn't work- Celtic Miles out in front. Like many
:28:05. > :28:07.teams they go to start it with a game plan and Celtic find a way to
:28:08. > :28:12.break them down. You heard about it there, they were structured,
:28:13. > :28:17.disciplined. That told in the first half. Look at the compactness of the
:28:18. > :28:26.side, just 17 yards between the deepest player, Don Marti, and the
:28:27. > :28:29.player at the top. Just checking his shoulders, that made sure Celtic
:28:30. > :28:35.didn't have the space to play in. Brendan Rodgers said he thought
:28:36. > :28:38.Celtic closed at this base themselves, I think Hamilton
:28:39. > :28:44.deserves some credit. This was wonderful skill from Dembele. Goals
:28:45. > :28:49.change games. This was right on half-time. It totally changed the
:28:50. > :28:54.dynamic. This is the second half, look at the space, the gap between
:28:55. > :29:00.the deepest player and the striker. It creates space in areas for
:29:01. > :29:04.Celtic's technicians to cause problems for Hamilton. Gary
:29:05. > :29:09.Mackay-Steven 's gets a shot off. That shows the importance of having
:29:10. > :29:13.the players Celtic have to create that bit of magic because goals do
:29:14. > :29:18.change games and it changes the dynamic. We talked about this
:29:19. > :29:21.earlier, is there a formula to tackle the Celtic side? We concluded
:29:22. > :29:26.that you need a plan and you need a huge slice of luck if Celtic are to
:29:27. > :29:38.be stopped. You do, every team has gone there has
:29:39. > :29:42.tried to make it difficult, must have played in a similar way to
:29:43. > :29:46.Hamilton. Inverness tried to go to to toe with them in the Cup and lost
:29:47. > :29:48.6-0. Nobody has found a way to beat them and you wonder if they will
:29:49. > :29:51.now. You alluded to that, you have to make sure that everyone you have
:29:52. > :29:54.played place to their maximum. If Celtic have an off day you could
:29:55. > :29:59.have luck. Sadly for every other team in Scotland no one has had this
:30:00. > :30:07.day yet. We seem great goals this season, where does the one from
:30:08. > :30:12.Dembele rank? Is fantastic. Accies, bottom of the table, Stephen. Your
:30:13. > :30:21.line at the moment is that you feel they are doomed this season.
:30:22. > :30:27.Yes, the bottom of the table, and their next four fixtures, looking at
:30:28. > :30:33.those, the psychology shift from going bottom of the league. I really
:30:34. > :30:37.fear for them. Do you feel the same? It is obviously very tight, but
:30:38. > :30:41.looking at those fixtures it will be difficult. Some sad news today.
:30:42. > :30:47.Billy Mick O'Neill's opening up about his fight with dementia. Our
:30:48. > :30:48.thoughts go out to him and his family, a giant of Scottish
:30:49. > :31:02.football. The Scottish Cup is back
:31:03. > :31:18.next weekend, and we're What an effort, from the Captain! A
:31:19. > :31:23.cool finish! Rangers caretaker manager has delivered a victory! And
:31:24. > :31:25.Hamilton are through to the quarterfinals.
:31:26. > :31:28.A great weekend in prospect, with the William Hill Scottish Cup.
:31:29. > :31:30.On Saturday night join me for Sportscene at 10:20
:31:31. > :31:34.And on Sunday afternoon Rob MacLean brings you live coverage
:31:35. > :31:39.And then I'm back on Sunday night with more Scottish Cup highlights,
:31:40. > :31:40.plus Kilmarnock versus Motherwell in the Premiership.
:31:41. > :31:53.What sort of response would we see from Hearts
:31:54. > :31:55.after their Edinburgh derby defeat to Hibs midweek?
:31:56. > :31:58.Ian Cathro took his side to face Partick Thistle who were looking
:31:59. > :32:00.to build on last weekend's win over Hamilton Accies.
:32:01. > :32:16.Three changes from the win against Hamilton. Kris Doolan came off the
:32:17. > :32:22.bench to score and he starts. Out go Steven Lawless, Adebayo Azeez and
:32:23. > :32:38.David Amoo. Also out the side who lost the head, you can see here, and
:32:39. > :32:44.incomes Currie. Up against Daniel Devine, coming across them, and he
:32:45. > :32:48.does his job... Tracking back as well, it was Daniel Devine who went
:32:49. > :32:55.with the Hearts striker. Lovely over the top, it just needed to be a bit
:32:56. > :33:01.stronger. They will win back-to-back games for the third time this season
:33:02. > :33:07.in the league. This is Ryan Edwards, his free kick... Plenty of bodies
:33:08. > :33:15.there. He has not cleared... Gets down on the Doolan, lovely turn, and
:33:16. > :33:18.lovely finish! Partick Thistle are ahead, and he is on a good
:33:19. > :33:28.goal-scoring run at the moment, Chris -- Kris Doolan. Great
:33:29. > :33:33.awareness of where he was. Little left chip into the corner. Hearts,
:33:34. > :33:37.the architects of their own downfall here, but you have to give credit to
:33:38. > :33:44.Kris Doolan for a lovely clever finish. Dumbuya, you will feed it
:33:45. > :33:50.inside. A little deflection, offside, will not count. Kris Doolan
:33:51. > :34:02.there are again, but the Hearts back four stepping up this time. Dumbuya,
:34:03. > :34:06.and Erskine will gather from Doolan. Thistle missed him when he was out.
:34:07. > :34:13.Deflected into the middle, Doolan comes through, and the saved by Jack
:34:14. > :34:17.Hamilton, very alert with the legs. It took a wicked deflection off
:34:18. > :34:23.Walker and Doolan was really alert. That is a good stop. Sunshine.
:34:24. > :34:34.Probably the brightest thing about Hearts so far. That is a bad pass by
:34:35. > :34:41.Dumbuya, and Rherras comes in... Good to see this strong contact with
:34:42. > :34:47.the ball made. Edwards, Thistle looking to add to their lead. It is
:34:48. > :34:53.Booth against Struna, a lovely ball in... And Hamilton with the save!
:34:54. > :34:57.Well, they are getting lots of joy left and right. No wonder Jack
:34:58. > :35:02.Hamilton is frustrated. The defence in front of them not doing a great
:35:03. > :35:08.job, and Doolan almost made it 2-0. Hearts unbeaten, their last three in
:35:09. > :35:15.the league, but a real shadow from that cup exit against Hibs. They
:35:16. > :35:23.have not come to life today. He is unhappy with the attentions of Nile
:35:24. > :35:30.Q1, continuing to complain, the captain coming across, trying to
:35:31. > :35:39.push away. -- Niall Keown. Continuing to mouth away at the
:35:40. > :35:44.referee, and the referee deems Goncalves are yellow. Played across,
:35:45. > :35:52.and this is going to be a red card. The second yellow, and it is red for
:35:53. > :35:56.Goncalves. He does not have far to go, the dressing room just on the
:35:57. > :36:00.other side. More bad news for Hearts. Pulled away from the first
:36:01. > :36:04.challenge, decided to go into the second and not a good start to the
:36:05. > :36:19.second half, as the striker Goncalves is off. Wade over...
:36:20. > :36:24.Rherras beating by Chris Elliott. He drives across, and Doolan was not
:36:25. > :36:31.far away. Yet the scorer this season, Chris Elliott. Not like him.
:36:32. > :36:39.He is usually a pretty good goal scorer. Booth, since the free in,
:36:40. > :36:48.deflected away by Sutchuin-Djoum. Osman. Max Lowe to get away. Great
:36:49. > :36:53.first touch, second touch! -- Hearts are slow to get away. That could
:36:54. > :37:05.prove to be a crucial goal, as Thistle seek all three points. 2-0
:37:06. > :37:09.ahead, they were. He had no chance. Lashed it home. Nobody is in the
:37:10. > :37:14.best moment of their lives. This has been a bad week for this football
:37:15. > :37:17.club, but we have the responsibility to improve those things, and
:37:18. > :37:22.everybody in these moments has the look inside themselves and find
:37:23. > :37:26.more, find strength. We have to stay focused together and deal with what
:37:27. > :37:29.we have to deal with. I thought we were magnificent today. Even before
:37:30. > :37:33.the sending off I thought we deserved to be well on top of the
:37:34. > :37:37.game. As we missed a great chance at 1-0 actually and thought it would
:37:38. > :37:43.come back to haunt us but thankfully it did not. That calf problem, you
:37:44. > :37:49.decided to put in Lennard Sowah at centre-half. What about that? Was
:37:50. > :37:53.there a call to date in Nowak? You look a bit uncomfortable at times.
:37:54. > :37:56.These are decisions that we take, decisions that we make -- he looked
:37:57. > :38:02.a bit uncomfortable. STUDIO: Are great when for Partick
:38:03. > :38:05.Thistle but I asked the question of Ian Cathro about the defensive
:38:06. > :38:11.hesitation. There was an issue there throughout the afternoon.
:38:12. > :38:14.Absolutely, a pertinent question. I think it was a bad decision to have
:38:15. > :38:17.been made. Sowah is not a comfortable defender committee is an
:38:18. > :38:22.attacking full-back. You see he is at fault for the first goal, and for
:38:23. > :38:26.the second as well, when the ball was outweighed and gets delivered
:38:27. > :38:30.into the box, watch Sowah as he plunges into... I don't know what he
:38:31. > :38:35.is doing, he misjudges it completely, and a fantastic turning
:38:36. > :38:39.straight from Lindsay, but if you look at the situation from Hearts,
:38:40. > :38:43.the injury is disappointed, but you have Nowak to step into the defence.
:38:44. > :38:48.He is not comfortable in midfield, better in defence, and Sowah is an
:38:49. > :38:53.attacking full-back. Don't put him at centre-half. They did not defend
:38:54. > :38:56.well but by stark contrast Partick defended absolutely brilliantly.
:38:57. > :38:59.Back-to-back wins and clean sheets, seven clean sheets in their last
:39:00. > :39:03.ten. Daniel Devine making it difficult here, the ball not sitting
:39:04. > :39:10.for him. They are confident, you can tell the manager has worked on them,
:39:11. > :39:16.great shape. They just look like a really tight unit. Defensively. This
:39:17. > :39:21.one, they just made sure Hearts are having to strike from distance. They
:39:22. > :39:25.are compact and very good from Partick, real upturn in their
:39:26. > :39:28.results of late. Obviously I was there yesterday and Partick Thistle
:39:29. > :39:31.more than deserved their victory against Hearts, but I think we were
:39:32. > :39:35.expecting a response from Hearts after that disappointment in the
:39:36. > :39:40.Edinburgh derby. Clearly they were hammered yesterday. What is your
:39:41. > :39:43.take on the current situation? Ian Cathro, the only way he can get
:39:44. > :39:47.himself and the team out of this is to get results. He will live and die
:39:48. > :39:52.by the decisions he makes, and the decision there was a poor one. The
:39:53. > :39:55.whole structure of the club, it just begs the question for me, main
:39:56. > :39:59.players came in in January and the whole reason you are a director of
:40:00. > :40:02.football is to create stability and continuity, feigning main players in
:40:03. > :40:08.the January transfer window does not strike me as a controlled continuity
:40:09. > :40:14.-- signing numeric name players. The manager comes in, you're backing him
:40:15. > :40:18.to get his own players -- signing nine players. It was a good team, so
:40:19. > :40:22.the point I am making, why is there a director of football if you are
:40:23. > :40:27.bringing in all these players. They have signed over 30 since the new
:40:28. > :40:32.regime Kemen. A lot of turnover, so where is that continuity -- since
:40:33. > :40:39.the new regime came in. Fair enough, director of football, but why this
:40:40. > :40:43.huge of players? Argument would be the director football is clearly
:40:44. > :40:47.backing his head coach. Yes, but then what is the role of the
:40:48. > :40:50.director of football? If he is there to create that stability, the head
:40:51. > :40:54.coach comes in to deal with what is already they are. Why pay a director
:40:55. > :40:59.of football the top weight in the club to their not really do
:41:00. > :41:02.anything? It is strange for me. What do you think, Steven? Does the
:41:03. > :41:08.director of football need to be more hands-on? Yes, I agree. I am
:41:09. > :41:11.surprised there were nine players brought in in the window, I didn't
:41:12. > :41:15.think it was required and I would agree, yes. Another thing about
:41:16. > :41:20.Hearts, any team is representative of their head coach and manager, and
:41:21. > :41:24.at the moment they have a lot of quality but look leaderless and
:41:25. > :41:34.rudderless. I would say Cathro and McLean have real quality but they
:41:35. > :41:35.need a figurehead to date them. OK. -- to guide them.
:41:36. > :41:37.Aberdeen's grip on second place was strengthened last weekend
:41:38. > :41:39.with a victory over Kilmarnock and Rangers slipping
:41:40. > :41:43.Ross County were the opposition at Pittodrie.
:41:44. > :41:49.Derek McInnes reverts to the familiar line-up that has started
:41:50. > :41:53.the majority of their recent run of nine wins in ten games. Graeme
:41:54. > :42:01.Shinnie reclaiming his starting place. And this is the Ross County
:42:02. > :42:07.first 11, as they look to address a sequence of four defeats in five
:42:08. > :42:14.outings. Michael Gardyne becoming the club's all-time leading
:42:15. > :42:17.appearance maker. Away by Jason Naismith, clearance not quite
:42:18. > :42:26.completed, and Kenny Maclean goes down under the challenge of Alex
:42:27. > :42:31.Schalk. And not of the head from them reflected in the referee's
:42:32. > :42:37.decision, as he said no penalty. The prize for Aberdeen is they can go
:42:38. > :42:50.nine points clear of Rangers. And it is Rooney! The acrobatic effort from
:42:51. > :42:54.the Irishman, he got it well. Kenny Maclean, stepped inside and finds
:42:55. > :43:02.some space, and he hits the shot through, and it was a decent effort.
:43:03. > :43:10.-- McLean. Plenty of sightings of goal for Aberdeen. Not too many
:43:11. > :43:14.clear-cut chances. Naismith one on one against Mark Reynolds, and road
:43:15. > :43:21.outside. Tim Chow was the man in the six yard box, but Joe Lewis is the
:43:22. > :43:26.one emerging with the ball. Good play by Jason Naismith down the
:43:27. > :43:29.right-hand side, though. Paul Quinn, the former Aberdeen man, is forward,
:43:30. > :43:36.but it will be Schalk... Good effort, and it comes out to Curran.
:43:37. > :43:40.The closest Ross County have come to a goal, really decent hit by Schalk
:43:41. > :43:47.from the free kick. Joe Lewis palmed it away and Curran could not keep it
:43:48. > :43:53.down. Up goes Considine, hammered further clear by Jack and look at
:43:54. > :43:59.the pace of Johnny Hayes, eating up the ground and Paul Quinn... It is
:44:00. > :44:06.Johnny Hayes... The Rooney! You would expect Adam Rooney to tuck
:44:07. > :44:10.that away. Hayes too strong for Paul Quinn who felt he should have had
:44:11. > :44:19.the free kick, and Rooney could not finish. Fox, delivers it long. It is
:44:20. > :44:24.Alex Schalk... It was a sighting of goal, a decent effort from the
:44:25. > :44:36.Dutchman. A good save, too, from Joe Lewis, after the deflection. There
:44:37. > :44:40.is Davies... Joe Lewis punches it away, with Curran waiting to knock
:44:41. > :44:47.it in. The danger is still not clear for Aberdeen. Boyce, and Curran
:44:48. > :44:55.sniffing around in the box again. Ross County will feel they have had
:44:56. > :45:00.their chances in this game. Bear in mind that Aberdeen scored seven in
:45:01. > :45:06.their last appearance at Pittodrie and that came against Motherwell.
:45:07. > :45:17.Yet the breakthrough against Ross County, but here goes McGinn, and
:45:18. > :45:27.that is in low through the bodies, but Scott Fox kept an eye on it --
:45:28. > :45:31.fizzed in low. The bench, the key component of Aberdeen of late, and
:45:32. > :45:36.that hit Adam Rooney, and goes in! At long last they have found the
:45:37. > :45:43.breakthrough! 69 minutes played. I am not too sure Adam Rooney knew an
:45:44. > :45:49.awful lot about that, as it claim from Davies's miscue, and just
:45:50. > :45:56.really hit Rooney on his way to his 17th goal of the season. Johnny
:45:57. > :46:05.Hayes, Aberdeen would love a second, just to make this a little more
:46:06. > :46:14.comfortable. This is Miles Storey... Rooney again! Fox seemed to claw it
:46:15. > :46:19.away. Perhaps a combination of the goalkeeper and the woodwork. Adam
:46:20. > :46:24.Rooney denied a second goal. He certainly has an eye for the
:46:25. > :46:35.spectacular today. Jack did really well to win that back. Miles
:46:36. > :46:41.Storey... The former Inverness Caledonian Thistle player, and he
:46:42. > :46:47.picks out McGinn. The ball is out, and the attack is halted. Another
:46:48. > :46:57.fine stop by Scott Fox, though, this time to deny Nyom again -- to deny
:46:58. > :47:04.McGinn. The cross picked out McGinn, who was completely free. Rooney
:47:05. > :47:10.driving into the space. And now this is my old story. He has a good
:47:11. > :47:13.record against Ross County, scoring three times last season for
:47:14. > :47:20.Inverness, but unable to add his second Aberdeen goal -- Miles
:47:21. > :47:25.Storey. Keeping another clean sheet, another three points, very important
:47:26. > :47:28.to us. It was not enjoyable at all times. You cannot always enjoy
:47:29. > :47:32.playing but you can enjoy winning and I think it was one of those
:47:33. > :47:36.days. You cannot ask for any more than what the players give. It was a
:47:37. > :47:38.sore one and with the result is going the way they have been, a hard
:47:39. > :47:43.one to date, but we will lick our wounds and be ready
:47:44. > :47:54.for Wednesday night. STUDIO: Yes, another great when for
:47:55. > :47:57.Aberdeen as they strengthen that grip on second place. I know you
:47:58. > :48:00.were all over this with your fine toothed comb, Steven. Impressed with
:48:01. > :48:03.how many times they got the ball into the box? Yes, we know about
:48:04. > :48:06.their wide players, Hayes and McGinn. I would love to play up
:48:07. > :48:12.front in this Aberdeen team because you know the ball gets forward, it
:48:13. > :48:15.is always given into the box. It is a theme, something they work on.
:48:16. > :48:18.They get the numbers into the box and the amount of crosses and
:48:19. > :48:22.deliveries they had income absolutely spectacular. Ross County
:48:23. > :48:26.dealt with a large part of those. They were defending well. Two
:48:27. > :48:31.overhead kicks in the game actually. Ross County defended well with a lot
:48:32. > :48:35.of these balls into the box. It is just that the one they lose, he
:48:36. > :48:40.should have scored here, but I think it is the next one, it is just a
:48:41. > :48:50.really poor bit of defending from Andrew Davies, yet again another
:48:51. > :48:54.cross into the box, McLean on the ball, and he inexplicably goes with
:48:55. > :48:59.his other foot. I am not sure Adam Rooney knew anything about that,
:49:00. > :49:02.will not score an easier goal. To be fair, not vintage Aberdeen that you
:49:03. > :49:07.saw last weekend, yet they come away with another three points. Yes, last
:49:08. > :49:10.week they did not play particularly well, yesterday it was not Aberdeen
:49:11. > :49:14.at their best but they have won ten of their last 11 games, frightening.
:49:15. > :49:19.Only Celtic are beating that. Really consistent, and the one thing that
:49:20. > :49:22.was interesting to see there, from Derek McInnes, you cannot always
:49:23. > :49:26.enjoy football but you can enjoy winning. It creates that confidence,
:49:27. > :49:29.the excitement of playing. If you're going out and winning most games, a
:49:30. > :49:36.good atmosphere in the changing room. Aberdeen look like a team that
:49:37. > :49:38.are a really close-knit group of players that enjoy playing their
:49:39. > :49:41.football, because they are winning most of the time. Can you see them
:49:42. > :49:44.losing the script and second-place? Not at the moment, Hearts not doing
:49:45. > :49:48.particularly well at Rangers have their own troubles. St Johnstone I
:49:49. > :49:51.think are perhaps too far away to put in a challenge for second so
:49:52. > :49:54.they are going so well and the teams challenging them are not doing
:49:55. > :50:00.particularly well so I cannot really see it at the moment, no. Steven,
:50:01. > :50:02.what do you make of where the right now, Ross County? Perhaps
:50:03. > :50:06.disappointing in the context of League Cup winners and everything.
:50:07. > :50:10.Yes, a surprise. They have underperformed the season, lost
:50:11. > :50:14.format of the last five games, only two point above the play-off places,
:50:15. > :50:20.struggling, no doubt -- they have lost ball of their last five.
:50:21. > :50:22.This weekend marked the 132nd anniversary of St Johnstone's
:50:23. > :50:27.Kilmarnock arrived hoping to be party poopers.
:50:28. > :50:30.COMMENTATOR: St Johnstone are without their injured midfielder
:50:31. > :50:36.Barry Davidson, the one change to the team that beat Ross County in
:50:37. > :50:43.Dingwall last weekend. Thomas Scobbie stepping into the back
:50:44. > :50:50.three. And Kilmarnock lost last time at Aberdeen, they have Scott Boyd
:50:51. > :51:00.coming into the central defence. Gary Dicker... Luke Hendrie. Jordan
:51:01. > :51:04.Jones getting away from the swipe of Chris Millar. And that follow-up
:51:05. > :51:08.challenge coming in from Blair Alston, that will be a free kick for
:51:09. > :51:14.Kilmarnock. Lining up as Kris Boyd... Beaten away by Zander Clark.
:51:15. > :51:21.It might have taken a deflection on its way through, certainly had the
:51:22. > :51:28.power behind it. Back it goes for Millar... Anderson, not the greatest
:51:29. > :51:35.of backpackers, and that is not the greatest of clearances. It is Rory
:51:36. > :51:44.McKenzie... Simply sensational! In the 12th minute at McDiarmid Park,
:51:45. > :51:48.Lee Clark may look bemused, a terrible clearance, but that is what
:51:49. > :51:54.you called precision finishing, from a long way out. You have to take
:51:55. > :51:59.your hat off to Rory McKenzie, 1-0 Kilmarnock. That was well won by
:52:00. > :52:06.Jones. He is still going, Jordan Jones. Kris Boyd's return path does
:52:07. > :52:13.not find its target, but Millar loses possession. Sammon with the
:52:14. > :52:20.curling shot, which is saved by Zander Clark. St Johnstone looking
:52:21. > :52:28.strangely sluggish. Jones, and Luke Hendrie... Able to do as they choose
:52:29. > :52:38.at the moment, Kilmarnock, and this is Kris Boyd. Chips it in... For
:52:39. > :52:45.Sean Long staff, and the save is made as Kilmarnock threatened to go
:52:46. > :52:48.ahead in the game. That was Longstaff again, should have been
:52:49. > :52:52.scoring. After his first effort was beaten away by the goalkeeper. No
:52:53. > :53:08.organisation here at all in defence from St Johnstone. Anderson... David
:53:09. > :53:16.Wotherspoon, and there is Maclean, just too high. Off target from
:53:17. > :53:22.Stephen Maclean. Thomas Scobbie's diagonal, eventually looking for
:53:23. > :53:29.Maclean, and he finds .-year-old through, and now is Blair Alston.
:53:30. > :53:35.Richard Foster, looking for the cross. Collected by the Kilmarnock
:53:36. > :53:46.keeper Freddie Woodman. This was some nutmeg from Foster. Maclean
:53:47. > :53:51.with the quick throw, Blair Alston's cross, and he had a flash added on
:53:52. > :53:55.the back of his spectacular winner in Dingwall last weekend, but off
:53:56. > :54:05.target that time. Kilmarnock still with this one goal advantage. This
:54:06. > :54:10.is Jones... The supporting run from Greg Taylor. No pressure on the
:54:11. > :54:18.ball. The cross comes in, and a header goes on from Conor Sammon,
:54:19. > :54:23.and you would imagine no way back here for St Johnstone, and this is a
:54:24. > :54:33.horror story for Zander Clark, the goalkeeper. It has gone right
:54:34. > :54:42.through him. 2-0, Killie, and an unimpressed Tommy Wright. He is
:54:43. > :54:48.persistent, and threads it through for Michael Coulson. He tried to
:54:49. > :54:52.call that in at the far post, Chris Kane, and it took a little
:54:53. > :54:57.deflection on its way through, weighed off target, no joy for the
:54:58. > :55:08.Sense. Anderson looking to keep this alive. -- no joy for Saints. The
:55:09. > :55:12.cross beyond everyone, but Brian Easton can collect it and get the
:55:13. > :55:16.ball back in. Maclean is there, and Chris Kane with a snapshot,
:55:17. > :55:18.deflected over the top and the body language from St Johnstone tells you
:55:19. > :55:28.everything here. Not their best day. A bad day. I have been here 56 years
:55:29. > :55:36.and that is the worst it has been, so a bad one. We will probably have
:55:37. > :55:40.to accept that. Pick ourselves up, because overall it was not good
:55:41. > :55:44.enough. We are delighted to come here today and scored two great
:55:45. > :55:48.goals and have a couple more chances as well. I thought we would
:55:49. > :55:52.organise, that our desire and energy in the middle of the pitch, all over
:55:53. > :55:56.it, was brilliant today. STUDIO: It is good when a manager
:55:57. > :56:00.says what he really thinks, isn't it, Michael? The worst 45 minutes he
:56:01. > :56:07.had seen from St Johnstone side in six years, pretty strong stuff? Yes,
:56:08. > :56:10.it is. We applaud St Johnstone so often, I really consistent Aslef,
:56:11. > :56:16.but this season at home they have had a lot of bad results against the
:56:17. > :56:23.teams on the butternut -- they are a really consistent.
:56:24. > :56:27.Uncharacteristically sloppy -- they did not allow them to get out the
:56:28. > :56:32.back lane easily and then when they did venture forward and get up the
:56:33. > :56:35.park, St Johnstone, look how quickly Kilmarnock countered. Gary Dicker
:56:36. > :56:40.playing the ball down the left-hand side were Brian Easton had come
:56:41. > :56:44.from. Yet again, no real pressure on the ball. Plenty of bodies but not
:56:45. > :56:49.getting enough pressure, and they do eventually win it back, then they
:56:50. > :56:52.are sloppy and lose possession again, but Kilmarnock really forcing
:56:53. > :56:56.the pressure back on the St Johnstone, and sloppy. Giving the
:56:57. > :56:59.ball away from David Wotherspoon. This one epitomises it. The desired
:57:00. > :57:05.you heard Lee McCulloch talking about. Four Kilmarnock players all
:57:06. > :57:09.the park than the rest of the St Johnstone players, and over 50 yards
:57:10. > :57:14.out, what a finish from Rory McKenzie. Wonderful. As much as
:57:15. > :57:21.Tommy Wright was scathing of St Johnstone, I think Kilmarnock should
:57:22. > :57:23.get a lot of credit. He was spot-on, Lee McCulloch, real desire in the
:57:24. > :57:28.performance from Kilmarnock and that is not something we have seen all
:57:29. > :57:35.season from them. Who needs Coulibaly when Rory McKenzie can do
:57:36. > :57:38.that! What a strike. Yes, Lee McCulloch is there, solidity and a
:57:39. > :57:41.good performance for most of the match against Aberdeen and obviously
:57:42. > :57:46.there against St Johnstone. Yes, putting his own stamp on the team.
:57:47. > :57:51.Back to training at normal times. I think all the players love him, they
:57:52. > :57:54.respect him. Yesterday was a high tempo attacking performance. OK, we
:57:55. > :57:59.must leave it there for this evening. Steven and Michael, thank
:58:00. > :58:03.you very much indeed. The Ladbrokes Premiership
:58:04. > :58:05.table looks like this. Aberdeen nine points
:58:06. > :58:09.ahead of Rangers. Dundee are on 30 points in sixth
:58:10. > :58:11.place, eight points clear Hamilton Academical
:58:12. > :58:17.bottom on 21 points. It does not look that great for the
:58:18. > :58:19.moment for them. Join us next week for another
:58:20. > :58:22.instalment of the great Scottish The plot twists into
:58:23. > :58:29.the William Hill Scottish Cup, with Saturday night and Sunday night
:58:30. > :58:30.Sportscene. Plus Aberdeen and
:58:31. > :58:32.Partick Thistle live. Until then, from all
:58:33. > :59:14.of us, goodnight. Only interested in one thing
:59:15. > :59:14.and that's bent coppers. A 24-year-old man
:59:15. > :59:17.has been charged with murder. Huntley's definitely
:59:18. > :59:21.hiding something.