20 – Celtic won the first silverware of the season by beating Hibernian 2-1 at Hampden to secure the Premier Sports Cup. Kyogo Furuhashi scored a double as the Hoops came from behind to hand Ange Postecoglou his first trophy in Scottish football. Celtic have now won this competition in six of the last eight seasons, and 20 times in total. Kyogo was the first player to score a double in the final since Ryan Stevenson for Hearts in 2013, and the first to do so on the winning side since Kris Boyd for Rangers in 2008.
29 – Rangers defeated Dundee United 1-0 at Ibrox to extend their lead at the top of the cinch Premiership to seven points. James Tavernier scored the only goal from the penalty spot to hand Giovanni van Bronckhorst his sixth win in six league matches since taking over. The Light Blues are now unbeaten in 29 league matches at Ibrox – they have picked up 26 wins and three draws since their last defeat against Hamilton Academical in March 2020.
1 – Arbroath will spend Christmas at the summit of the cinch Championship after a 2-1 victory over Morton at Gayfield. Goals from Colin Hamilton and Anton Dowds helped the Red Lichties move above Inverness Caledonian Thistle on goal difference at the halfway point of the season. Dick Campbell’s side are now unbeaten in 10 matches in all competitions and have lost just one of their last 15. Arbroath are now 18 matches away from the unlikely prospect of returning to the top flight for the first time since 1974/75.
3 – Cove Rangers defeated Alloa Athletic 3-0 to move five points clear at the top of cinch League 1. Jamie Masson, Rory McAllister and Mitch Megginson all found the net to help Paul Hartley to secure a victory over his former club. Cove are now unbeaten in their last 11 matches in all competitions, picking up eight wins and three draws since they lost to East Fife in mid-October. Their current run of five consecutive league wins is their best run since they gained promotion to this division in the summer of 2020.
4 – Annan Athletic beat Stirling Albion 3-2 at Forthbank to move further clear in third place in cinch League 2. Goals from Chris Johnston, Tommy Goss and Rob McCartney ensured that Peter Murphy’s side extended their lead over fourth-placed Stranraer and fifth-placed Edinburgh City to seven points. The Galabankies have won four consecutive matches in all competitions, which is their best sequence since April-May 2019.
