Celtic go three clear at the top

Virgil van Dijk’s second-half goal gave Celtic a 1-0 win over Partick Thistle at Parkhead and took Ronny Deila’s side three points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership.

The Hoops were not flat out in the first-half but veteran Jags keeper Paul Gallacher still had to make several saves to keep his goal intact. After more huffing and puffing after the break Van Dijk got the breakthrough on the hour mark with a close-range strike, adding to the two he notched in Sunday’s 4-0 William Hill Scottish Cup win at Hearts.

Elsewhere under-pressure Rangers boss Ally McCoist suffered yet more humiliation in the Petrofac Training Cup as Alloa denied them a place in the final with a stunning 3-2 win at the Indodrill Stadium.