Week six of the Scottish Premier League concluded with six great matches. Excluding Celtics defeat of Kilmarnock, each of the matches went down to the last strike and were decided by a single goal.Saturday
Dundee Utd 1 Aberdeen 0
Aberdeen's tight defensive play shut down Dundee Utd excluding a Francisco Sandaza penalty just after the break. Aberdeen pushed their attack forward but could not break through Dundee Utd 'keeper Lukasz Zaluska. It has been a tough start to the campaign for the Don's but young Charlie Mulgrew continues to impress. George Burley are you listening?
Hibernian 1 Hamilton 0
With Steven Fletcher hobbled up on the pitch, Hibs manager Mixu Paatelainen called upon Derek Riordan and remarkably, a minute later he curled in a shot that stood as the only goal in a hard fought victory.
St Mirren 1 Falkirk 1
Hearts 1 Inverness Caley Thistle 0
Sunday
Rangers 2 Motherwell 1
After the last week of action, I am firmly convinced Motherwell has made an entire new group of fans. Today’s match was a superb, with tight play, good disciplined marking and attacking flourish. A late strike by Well’s David Clarkson and a continued put the decision in doubt to the final moment.
After a first half marked with hard-tackling, the match was scoreless, notably for the work of Motherwell’s keeper Graeme Smith who handled Rangers efforts. Twelve minutes after the break man-of-the-match Steven Davis received a pass from Kenny Miller and delivered it into the net. Nacho Novo, who had entered the match only four minutes previously for DaMarcus Beasley, was served up a pass at close-range from Kenny Miller and promptly wrote his name on the score-sheet. Three minutes from regulation David Clarkson brought Motherwell to within one but their efforts to level it failed and the Rangers took a important three points from the match.
One of the more interesting points of the match that still remains to be fully explained is the replacement of Allan McGregor with Graeme Smith at ‘keeper. Post-match Walter Smith commented:
“We’ve got a big squad and we have to keep everybody on their toes.
“If we think a position needs freshened up then we’ll do it, everyone in the team needs to realise that.
“Allan McGregor was fantastic for us last season and was a big part of what we achieved.”
Rangers face Hibernian next week in the SPL along with Glasgow’s Partick Thistle in the Scottish League Cup on Wednesday.
Rangers: Alexander, Broadfoot, Bougherra, Weir, Dailly, Davis, Pedro Mendes, Thomson, Beasley (Novo 72), Boyd, Miller. Subs Not Used: McGregor, Edu, Darcheville, Niguez, McMillan, Fleck.
Booked: Weir, Boyd.
Goals: Davis 57, Novo 76.
Motherwell: Graeme Smith, Quinn, Craigan, Reynolds, Hammell, Hughes (Darren Smith 67), Malcolm, Lasley, Clarkson, Porter, Sutton (Murphy 54). Subs Not Used: Nielsen, Fitzpatrick, O’Brien, McGarry, Connolly.
Booked: Quinn, Craigan.
Goal: Clarkson 87
Celtic 3 Kilmarnock 1
Scottish Premier League
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | Pts | |
| Rangers | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 5 | 16 |
| Celtic | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 8 | 13 |
| Hearts | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 12 |
| Hibernian | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 10 |
| Kilmarnock | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 10 |
| Hamilton | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 9 |
| Inverness Caley Thistle | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 7 |
| Aberdeen | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 7 |
| St Mirren | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 5 |
| Dundee Utd | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 5 |
| Motherwell | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 4 |
| Falkirk | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 4 |
