Celtic moved four points clear at the top of the Clydesdale Bank Scottish Premier League after they comfortably beat St Mirren 2-0 while Rangers were held to a third successive 0-0 draw by Aberdeen.

Paddy McCourt's wonderful solo goal and a late strike by Shaun Maloney gave the Hoops a routine victory at St Mirren Park to leave the hosts still without a win at home in 2009.

A dull match only came to life in the 27th minute when McCourt picked up the ball in midfield and skipped past a variety of challenges before driving past Paul Gallacher.

Celtic were rarely troubled and 12 minutes from the end Maloney curled the ball past Gallacher via a deflection off Scott McDonald to seal the win.

Champions Rangers have now gone 293 minutes without a league goal heading into next weekend's Old Firm clash at Ibrox after being held by Aberdeen.

Andrew Considine could have given Mark McGhee's side their first win at Ibrox since 1991 but he somehow failed to connect with a header at the back post with Gers goalkeeper Allan McGregor caught out.

Nacho Novo hit the post late on for the home side but the Dons held on to record their fifth SPL clean sheet in succession.

Hibernian joined Rangers on 12 points as they ended Motherwell's unbeaten run with a 3-1 victory at Fir Park.

Merouane Zemmama scored on his start for the club in almost 18 months, curling home a free-kick from a difficult angle to put the game beyond Jim Gannon's side 10 minutes into the second half.

Derek Riordan had put Hibs back in front moments earlier after Mark Reynolds cancelled out Colin Nish's early opener.

Dundee United are up to fourth after edging a thrilling Tayside derby with St Johnstone 3-2 thanks to a dramatic late goal from substitute David Goodwillie.

The Scotland Under-21 striker, playing for the first time since being disciplined following his arrest for an alleged assault, tapped in only two minutes after his 76th-minute introduction as a late substitute.

It was the third time United, who were reduced to 10 men three minutes from time when Danny Swanson saw red for a wild lunge on Gavin Swankie, had taken the lead in a see-saw match.

Danny Cadamarteri gave the visitors the lead from the spot before Filipe Morais sent the teams in level at the break with the aid of a deflection off Darren Dods.

Andy Webster then restored United's lead shortly after the interval, only for home substitute Martin Hardie to restore parity with a free-kick with his first touch of the ball.

Goodwillie was the match-winner, however, as he popped up to knock home after Damian Casalinuovo's effort had rebounded off the post.

Hearts captain Michael Stewart inspired the Tynecastle club to a 2-1 victory over Hamilton with a second-half penalty.

The Scotland cap broke the deadlock 10 minutes after the restart before Suso Santana added a second with an audacious back-heel two minutes later.

In a frenetic period, Hamilton winger Marco Paixao brought the Accies back into the game with a cool finish after taking advantage of Marius Zaliukas' slack defending in the 62nd minute.

In the final SPL game of the day, Falkirk had Robert Olejnik to thank as they held on for a 0-0 draw against Kilmarnock - but their search for a first domestic win of the season goes on.

An otherwise dire game at the Falkirk Stadium was lit up by two brilliant bits of goalkeeping from Olejnik, who kept out Mehdi Taouil's free-kick shortly before half-time and Kevin Kyle's late header.

The shot-shy Bairns forced just one save - and an easy one at that - out of Killie goalkeeper Mark Brown during the 90 minutes.