Celtic will head into Christmas with a spring in their step, as a 2-1 win over Kilmarnock moved them to within a point of Rangers who were beaten at St Mirren.

32879 - St Mirren shock Gers, Celtic win

Ally McCoist's Rangers had a Christmas Eve to forget, as they had Lee McCulloch and Doran Goyan sent off in their 2-1 loss at St Mirren.

Things started well for Rangers who took an 11th-minute lead through Lee Wallace who prodded home from 10 yards. McCulloch saw red on 24 minutes for an elbow on John Carey and St Mirren cashed in on their numerical advantage, as Aaron Mooy and Paul McGowan scored in a two-minute spell before half time.

Rangers failed to fashion a response in the second half, Nikica Jelavic passing up a great chance, and finished the game with nine men, as Goyan followed McCulloch down the tunnel in the closing minutes - with both now out of the Old Firm derby.

32876 - St Mirren shock Gers, Celtic win

Celtic cashed in on Rangers' slip, with Georgios Samaras heading home the stroke of half time to open the scoring. The Greek sealed the 2-1 win over Kilmarnock with a second on 53 minutes.

Kilmarnock set up a tense finish at Parkhead as Danny Racchi reduced the deficit with three minutes remaining, but Neil Lennon's Celtic held on to claim the win.

Hearts again defied their off-field troubles by moving within six points of third-placed Motherwell in the SPL League with a 2-0 win at Tynecastle.

Ian Black, who has been working as a painter and decorator recently due to Hearts' money worries, netted from the edge of the area after 17 minutes and Stephen Elliott tapped in a second after 28 minutes following a good David Templeton run.

Hearts full-back Jamie Hamill was carried off on a stretcher midway through the second half of a match in which Motherwell struggled and slumped to their second away loss of the season.

Roman Golobart's first career goal helped Inverness notch their first home victory for almost three months with a 2-1 win against Aberdeen.

The Spanish defender's close-range header on 64 minutes was followed by Gregory Tade's 15-yard shot through a crowded area five minutes later to double the lead.

Substitute Rory Fallon's 76th-minute goal put the visitors back in it, but they failed to find an equaliser.