At last Aberdeen gave the fans who came to watch live football something to cheer at Pittodrie as they won their first home game of the season in the Scottish Premier League. Jimmy Calderwood was at last a happy man although did need to warn his players through the later stages of the match as they began to allow sloppy mistakes to show through which could have led to goals being scored.

Calderwood himself put this down to the team having played four games in nine days, but that is the dilemma for successful clubs which Aberdeen were last season. The match result was warmly welcomed as without the three points Aberdeen could have found themselves at the bottom of the table if the result had gone to the visitors.

It also was welcome as the Aberdeen team head out to the Ukraine for another midweek game as they look to secure a place in the UEFA Cup group stages although that is by no means certain and the live football match will be a very hard nights work for the players and they need all the confidence they can get.

Aberdeen had one change to the midweek domestic team and it was that player Zander Diamond who settled the frayed nerves of the Aberdeen players and fans with a headed goal on 16. The pressure eased even more a few minutes later as Jamie Smith was on hand to charge down an attempted clearance from Gretna’s Chris Innes and compose himself to shot past Fleming again in the Gretna goal.

Although Aberdeen dominated the first half they were unable to add to their goal tally and after the break looked happy to hang on to their lead as they seemed to run out of steam after a hectic 10 days. For Gretna they showed the spirit which has come to be associated with them as they attempted to get back into the match but to no avail and they now find themselves looking at a gap developing between them and the other teams in the Scottish Premier League.

Celtic continued the yo-yo effect at the top of the table as they regained the top spot again from their rivals Rangers, thanks to a Scott McDonald hat-trick and a favorable result in Rangers match.

Celtic where at their best as they brushed aside the challenge of Dundee United who sit in fourth place at the present time and have shown themselves to be no push over’s. McDonald started his goal scoring when he was on hand to head the ball into the open net from close range after Vennegoor of Hesselink had been blocked by Szamotulski in the Dundee goal mouth on 7.

Craig Levein and his players fought hard for the rest of the first half but could not find a way past the inform Artur Boruc who was on hand to save the few shots that were to come his way until the break came.

Unfortunately for Celtic Vennegoor of Hesselink who has been scoring regularly of late had to be substituted before the break having picked up an injury and may miss the midweek Champions League game against AC Milan. After the break both teams pressed for further goals but it was the current Scottish Premier League champions who were to score the decisive goals.

This time McDonald had his team mate Scott Brown to thank for his run and pass which left only the keeper to beat. McDonald was able to round the Dundee keeper and slot the ball home to double the lead on 67 and make the result beyond doubt such was their dominance now. He rounded off the afternoon with a further goal on 71 when he converted a McCready cross superbly to earn a hat-trick and the win for Celtic. Gordon Strachan was obviously happy and can now concentrate upon the midweek game with the visit of the Italians.

Hibernian continue to show that they deserve third place in the Scottish Premier League with a convincing display against mid table side Kilmarnock. The afternoon belonged to the home striker Clayton Donaldson who hit a hat-trick and should have had another with a well earned victory.

Manger John Collins will be very happy with this result as it puts five points between them and their nearest challengers for third place and only one point behind the two leaders. It also continues their run of being the only unbeaten team in the Scottish Premier League after inflicting defeat upon Celtic recently.

It is no fluke that Hibernian have found themselves in their current position as they have played well for most of their games and taken points from hard games which in recent years they may have lost. Donaldson started his scoring on 12 by firing in from close range when Brian Kerr headed back across the Kilmarnock goal as they failed to clear a corner. Donaldson was also the scorer of the second goal after being awarded a dubious penalty having been brought down himself in the Kilmarnock box. Still he had the composure to steady himself and score the penalty despite protests from the visitors over the validity of the penalty.

After the break Donaldson saw an opportunity to score his hat-trick when Hibernian were awarded another penalty when he was yet again adjudged to have been impeded in the penalty box. However on this occasion his shot was stopped by Kilmarnock keeper Alan Combe.

Despite Kilmarnock trying to get back into the match it was the home side who scored the next goal through Antoine-Curier who had just come on as a substitute a few minutes earlier. He was fortunate to find himself in the right position to score from close range when he diverted a shot from Donaldson.

Kilmarnock were to have their consolation goal through substitute Nish on 76 when he combined with fellow substitute Gibson to create a shooting chance which Nish converted. Unfortunately for the visitors Donaldson was awarded a third penalty for another infringement on him in the box and this time the striker took his opportunity to score his hat-trick and send the fans who came to watch live football home happy.

Inverness continue their revival under new manager Craig Brewster with a convincing win over a struggling Falkirk side. Dennis Wyness scored two as his confidence in front of goal has also seen an improvement recently. The first half provided an entertaining 4 goals for the fans who came to watch live football. Inverness were the first to score on 7 as Marius Niculae shot at goal and watched as the ball was deflected into the path of Wyness who managed to shot past Tim Krul in the Falkirk goal. Both teams were creating chances at this point but it was the home team who would double their advantage on 18 when Russell Duncan took his chance to shoot from outside the box to see yet another Deflected shot fly past the despairing Falkirk keeper for the second time in the live football match.

It was then the visitors who were to score next and give themselves a chance when Kenny Milne was on hand to convert a cross from the right from a Tam Scobbie free kick on 28. Unfortunately for them the two goal lead was restored in a matter of minutes as Inverness scored again on 32 through Ian Black fired a superb shot from outside the box to beat the visiting keeper fair and square.

The entertainment continue soon after the restart as Arfield scored from a long range volley to reduce the deficit to a single goal again, but Inverness were not to be denied their second win of the season as Wyness scored his second of the afternoon with a fine curling shot around Krul on 54.

Despite chances for both teams the score line remained unchanged and Inverness found themselves off the bottom of the table and put points between them and bottom club Gretna.

An entertaining match which would have seen Motherwell manager Mark McGhee the happier of the managers after his side held Rangers to a draw in this live match. With goals at a premium throughout the season so far McGhee will have been happy to see his side take the lead in the first half through Chris Porter on 23 when he was able to take a fine pass from David Clarkson and fire the ball past the Rangers keeper Alan McGregor. Walter Smith the Ranger’s manager had made several changes from the team he sent out in the midweek CIS Cup match and no doubt had the forthcoming midweek Champions League game in his mind when he sent out a much changed team. Despite this the team oozed quality but didn’t seem to be able to create good chances with their normal regularity.

Both teams tried to push forward but the rest of the first half was left to both keepers to save comfortably from several half chances. After the break Rangers eventually had the opportunity to draw level as Lasley was adjudged to have brought down Ranger’s Beasley in the home teams box.

Kris Boyd who had so far managed only a few shots which had all been saved quite comfortably took the resultant penalty and scored to give the visitors an equalizing goal on 65. Most onlookers would have though that this would have kick started Ranger’s but for both teams the problem remained that they were unable to create chances for the strikers to convert. The match was played to the finish with both keepers having a comfortable time, but the result was much more damaging for Ranger’s as they saw themselves slip down to second place on goal difference.

Fans who came to watch live football will have seen a very unlucky St Mirren loose against the Edinburgh side who are clawing themselves away from danger. In the first half the home team seemed the most likely to take the lead although the quality of passing and chances were not of a great standard by both teams. St Mirren may have felt that they had the chance of taking the lead snatched from them as O'Donnell was brought down in the Hearts penalty area, but the referee waved away claims for the penalty much to the disappointment of the home crowd and players.

Even more so when the visitors took the lead through Andrew Driver on 40 as he was on hand to turn in a corner from Michael Stewart to take the lead for the visitors. After the break the home team were even more disappointed when the referee awarded Hearts a penalty after a highly disputed challenge on Michael Stewart who seemed to go to ground very easily under a tackle from the St Mirren defender David Van Zanten. Whether he dived or not Stewart took the penalty and converted it into a two goal lead for the visitors. St Mirren set up a tense finish on 78 as they pulled a goal back through substitute Mark Corcoran who managed to head in from a Chris Birchall cross, giving the Heart’s keeper no chance.

Any hopes they had were soon snuffed out though as Hearts put the result beyond doubt on 83 with a third goal through Andrius Velicka and give Hearts the three points from the live football match and lift them up to sixth place in the Scottish Premier League.