Scottish Premiership: Kelsy fires Rangers to emphatic win; Dundee United pip Aberdeen

Rangers 4-0 St Johnstone; Dundee United 3-2 Aberdeen

Kevin Kelsy scores two to sink 10-man Saints

Kevin Kelsy grabbed a double as Rangers reasserted themselves with a comprehensive 4-0 win over St Johnstone at a rain-swept Ibrox that moved them within a point of Celtic at the top.

After sloppily dropping two points at Dundee last Saturday, the onus was on the home side to respond and they led at the interval thanks to a goal in the 29th minute from Kelsy. Toby Steward had helped keep the visitors in the game with a series of saves but further goals came from Ryan Naderi in the 61st minute and Kelsy again five minutes later.

In the 74th minute, the St Johnstone substitute, Kai Fotheringham, was shown a straight red card by Chris Graham for a high challenge on Nico Raskin – but only after he was sent by the video assistant referee to check his pitchside monitor. The substitute Tochi Chukwuani added a fourth with three minutes remaining.

Celtic can restore their four-point advantage when they travel to Hibernian, the bottom side, at noon GMT on Sunday.

Dundee United won a rollercoaster game 3-2 against Aberdeen at Tannadice. Zidane Iqbal scored for the hosts before the visitors equalised through Nesta Guinness-Walker – both players scoring their first goals for their clubs.

United took the lead once more thanks to a Dylan Tait strike, with Connor Ronan drawing Aberdeen level after the break. Zac Sapsford secured all three points for his side, with the win moving United up to fourth – one point behind Hearts, who are at Motherwell on Sunday – while Aberdeen dropped to ninth.

Two own goals helped Falkirk climb to seventh with a 3-0 victory over Kilmarnock. Centre-backs Cathal McCarthy and George Stanger scored past their own goalkeeper either side of a Jacob Murrell header.

St Mirren snapped their losing streak with a 2-1 victory over Dundee with goals from Calvin Ramsay and Eseosa Sule before Bradley Fink pulled one back for the visitors.