Tavernier takes Rangers top of Scottish Premiership table

Glasgow (AFP) – James Tavernier’s superb strike helped Rangers climb to the top of the Scottish Premiership table as the champions won 2-1 at St Johnstone on Saturday.

The Rangers captain scored the decisive goal 11 minutes from time after Kemar Roofe’s penalty had seen Steven Gerrard’s men draw level following Michael O’Halloran’s second-half opener for the Saints.

St Johnstone took the lead in the 50th minute when O’Halloran got on to the end of a long pass from Hayden Muller and struck a shot high beyond Jon McLaughlin from just inside the box.

Rangers equalised in the 57th minute when Roofe scored from the spot after Hayden Muller was ruled to have fouled Ryan Kent.

Tavernier then gave Rangers’ large travelling support a goal to celebrate on the way back to Glasgow when the Englishman let fly with a 25-yard shot that flew over Zander Clark and into the net.

Meanwhile Celtic, the other half of Glasgow’s ‘Old Firm’, returned to winning ways with a trio of second-half goals in a 3-0 win at home to Ross County

Cameron Carter-Vickers gave the Hoops a slightly fortunate lead when his 64th-minute shot took a huge deflection before looping over County goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw.

And five minutes later they were 2-0 ahead when Albian Ajeti headed in from Liel Abada’s cross.

Ajeti made the game safe seven minutes from time when he nodded in the rebound after James McCarthy headed David Turnbull’s cross against the bar.

Elsewhere, Motherwell moved up to fourth with a 2-0 victory over Aberdeen at Fir Park.

Kelvin van Veen’s header opened the scoring in the 26th minute and he then turned provider when his cross from the left was headed in off the bar by Juhani Ojala.

Livingston secured their first point of the season in a 0-0 draw at Dundee, with Dundee United and St Mirren also involved in a goalless draw.