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Monday 4th March 2024

Weekend in numbers

Resident statto @splstats looks at some of the numbers from the weekend...

21 – Motherwell defeated Rangers 2-1 at Ibrox to boost their chances of making it into the cinch Premiership top six. Goals from Theo Bair and Dan Casey handed Stuart Kettlewell’s side a famous victory which leaves them just two points behind sixth-placed Hibernian with four matches to play before the split. This was the Steelmen’s first league win against Rangers in over 21 years – their last success came on Boxing Day 2002 when James McFadden scored the only goal in a 1-0 victory. Motherwell’s last league win at Ibrox was a 2-0 victory in May 1997, when Owen Coyle netted a double. Although they hadn’t tasted league success in 21 years, Well did beat Rangers home and away in the 2014/15 Premiership play-off final, and also in the 2017/18 League Cup semi-final at Hampden.

2 – Heart of Midlothian strengthened their grip on third place in the cinch Premiership thanks to a 2-0 victory over Celtic at Tynecastle on Sunday. Jorge Grant and Lawrence Shankland were the goalscorers for the Jam Tarts as they moved 13 points clear of fourth-placed St Mirren. Shankland took his tally to 20 league goals – he is the first player to reach this tally in consecutive top-flight seasons since Gary Hooper in 2010/11 and 2011/12, and the first Hearts player to do so since Willie Wallace in 1963/64 and 1964/65. Hearts also won 2-0 at Celtic Park in December – this is the first time they’ve recorded back-to-back wins over Celtic since 2009.

3 – Arbroath boosted their hopes of survival in the cinch Championship thanks to a thrilling 3-2 victory over Raith Rovers at Gayfield on Friday night. Jim McIntyre’s side trailed 2-0 with half an hour to go but goals from Jay Bird, Leighton McIntosh and Mark Stowe secured a memorable victory. It was the Red Lichties’ first home win since September – they had gone eight matches without success since beating Airdrie 4-0. The last time Arbroath came from two goals behind to win a match was also against Fife opposition, when they beat Dunfermline Athletic 4-2 at Gayfield in October 2021.

5 – Hamilton Accies thumped Kelty Hearts 5-0 at New Central Park to keep alive their slim hopes of winning the cinch League 1 title. Ahkeem Rose’s hat-trick, plus goals from Jake Davidson and Reghan Tumilty, helped John Rankin’s side cut the gap at the top of the table to 14 points. Rose is the first player in over a decade to score an away league hat-trick for Accies – the last to do so was Stevie May in a 3-0 win over Livingston in April 2013. Saturday’s success was Accies’ biggest away win in over 16 years, since they defeated Dunfermline Athletic by the same scoreline at East End Park in October 2007 – both James McArthur and James McCarthy were on the scoresheet that day, along with Richard Offiong and a David Winters double.

5 – Clyde closed the gap at the foot of the cinch League 2 table thanks to a 2-1 victory over Elgin City at New Douglas Park. Ian McCall’s side trailed at half-time but a Jordan Allan double turned things around and moved the Bully Wee to within three points of ninth-placed Stranraer. It was Clyde’s third win in four matches – they were 10 points adrift at the bottom as recently as February 16. The Bully Wee have won each of their last five home league matches against Elgin, a run which stretches back to March 2018.

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