Bhoys put three past Rangers

Celtic 3 Rangers 0

Clinical Celtic moved 15 points clear of Rangers at the top of the Bank of Scotland Premier League to heap the pressure on Ibrox manager Alex McLeish.

The Light Blues boss axed goalkeeper Stefan Klos in response to the German’s own goal in the CIS Insurance Cup at Celtic Park last week.

Celtic only had three genuine efforts on goal but scored each time but Klos’ replacement Ronald Waterreus could do little to prevent John Hartson opening the scoring in the 12th minute and Hoops defender Bobo Balde glanced a 56th-minute header beyond the Dutchman.

Waterreus was then found wanting when he allowed a relatively tame Aiden McGeady strike to move through his hands in the 61st minute.

For Rangers, Hamed Namouchi and Dado Prso were guilty of squandering chances as McLeish’s three-game spell to save his job started disastrously.

In the seventh minute, a long ball over the Hoops defence was not cleared properly, offering Francis Jeffers a half-chance but the on-loan Charlton forward blazed wide of the upright.

Namouchi rose highest in the area to connect with an Alan Hutton cross from the right but Artur Boruc saved comfortably.

Then, in the 12th minute, a Hutton mistake freed the ball to Shunsuke Nakamura, who found Shaun Maloney in space on the right.

The Scotland international delivered a pacy ball into the centre of the Rangers area and Hartson struck beyond the goalkeeper.

In the 18th minute, Prso held the ball up well at the corner before laying it back to Barry Ferguson. The Rangers captain floated a great ball to Namouchi but he headed wide with only Boruc to beat.

Prso was guilty of squandering a chance when he tried to head into the path of Jeffers from a Ferguson ball and Stephen McManus was able to clear his lines.

Marvin Andrews became the first man to be booked for a mistimed tackle on Maloney in the 48th minute.

Fernando Ricksen did well in the 55th minute when some great passing play put Hartson into the area but the Holland international stuck out a foot to deny the Welshman.

However, the resulting corner would produce Celtic’s second goal.

Nakamura held the ball up patiently in the corner before sending over a fine cross and Balde met the delivery at the near post to glance the ball past Waterreus for his first goal of the season.

Waterreus was at fault in the 60th minute as Celtic extended their lead to three goals.

A Stilian Petrov cross was met by McGeady in the area but the Gers goalkeeper should have stopped the relatively tame strike.

In the 66th minute, McLeish was dealt another blow when Prso pulled a hamstring and immediately left the field.

Steven Thompson was thrown into the action in place of the Croatia international.

Namouchi was then shown the yellow card in the 69th minute for clattering into the back of Mo Camara.

In the 88th minute, Ricksen stung Boruc’s palms with a free-kick but the game was already up for Rangers.