Two Saints players off in loss, Rangers draw, Doolan brace for Jags

1. FT: Hamilton 1-0 St Johnstone (D'Acol) - Saints' Richard Foster and Danny Swanson sent off for first-half skirmish
2. FT: Rangers 1-1 Motherwell (Garner; Moult) - Ibrox side trail Aberdeen by 10 points
3. FT: Partick Thistle 2-1 Ross County (Doolan 2; Curran) - Kris Doolan gets 100th & 101st Thistle goals
4. FT: Inverness CT 1-1 Kilmarnock (Mckay; Boyd, pen) - Caley Thistle slip to bottom

From storm clouds to party preparations

So another stormy day in Scottish football comes to an end.

Days after Hibs and Morton squared up in Edinburgh, leading to a major public fallout between managers Neil Lennon and Jim Duffy, two St Johnstone players were sent off for confronting one another during their defeat by Hamilton.

The players have been suspended by the club pending an internal investigation.

Attention now turns to tomorrow lunchtime, when Celtic have the chance to secure their sixth Scottish title in a row should they win away to Hearts.

Brendan Rodgers' side will be hoping for fireworks instead of fighting at Tynecastle.

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Thistle on way to top six

And here's Alasdair Lamont's view of Partick Thistle's win.

Partick Thistle 2-1 Ross County

Kris Doolan scores twice and passes 100 goals for Partick Thistle as they fight back from behind to beat Ross County.

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Partick Thistle 2-1 Ross County

Accies edge embattled Saints

You can now read Jonathan Sutherland's thoughts on the Battle of New Douglas Park.

Hamilton Academical 1-0 St Johnstone

St Johnstone duo Danny Swanson and Richard Foster are sent off for fighting as Hamilton move off the foot of the table.

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Hamilton Academical 1-0 St Johnstone

Nervous times for Clyde

In League Two, the biggest result of the day was at the foot of the table, where bottom side Cowdenbeath beat second-bottom Clyde.

Despite the introduction of new signing David Goodwillie, the former Scotland striker signed yesterday, the Bully Wee could not come back from Dale Carrick's goal early in the second half.

The Blue Brazil move to within a point of Clyde, who have only won once in 13 games, with five games remaining and the two sides are now in a dogfight to avoid a play-off to stay in the SPFL.

At the top of the table, Forfar Athletic remain a point ahead of Arbroath after beating Stirling Albion, while the second-top side hammered third-placed Annan Athletic 5-2.

Montrose beat Edinburgh City to move to within four points of fourth-top Elgin City, who could only draw at home to Berwick Rangers.

County 'lost top-six hopes'

Ross County manager Jim McIntyre admits his side's chances of finishing in the top six are now gone.

"I was pleased with the way we approached the game and we were the better team in the first half," he told BBC Scotland.

"I thought the second half was quite even, but the free-kick which leads to the first goal is not a free-kick and he’s (referee Willie Collum) got to give a penalty when Liam Lindsay has grabbed Alex Schalk’s hand and spun him, so them two decisions went against us. 

"The second goal is atrocious from our point of view. 

"We’ve put so much into the game but come away with nothing and that’s killed our top-six hopes."

Two-goal Doolan 'a role model'

Partick Thistle manager Alan Archibald says Kris Doolan does not get the credit he deserves after the striker scored his 100th and 101st goals for the club.

"I was his team-mate as well. He’s one of the hardest working players and a real team player," Archibald told BBC Scotland.

"Any of our young lads could pick Kris as a role model. He doesn’t get the credit he deserves because he’s at a club like Partick Thistle, but he’s very much appreciated with the fans and everybody at the club.

"We didn’t really get going, but we were much better in the second half. 

"We showed great character to come back and see the game out. 

"We know the run we’ve got coming up, we’ve got Celtic, Motherwell and Rangers coming up, but we’ll go into these games with confidence."

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Kris Doolan (right) scored twice against Ross County

Foran disappointed but confident

Inverness Caledonian Thistle manager Richie Foran told BBC Scotland: "We were the better team for most of the game. Over the match, probably their keeper is man of the match. 

"Delighted with the players attitude, passion, endeavour. Just lacked that wee bit of composure, bit of quality in the final third. 

"We wanted to win the game today. It brings us a point closer to Ross County. It's a disappointing result for us. 

"If the lads were hiding from the ball, I'd be worried, but I'm not worried at all. I know we'll get a run going.

"We've got the players there. The winning run is coming. We need to turn those draws into wins."

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Billy Mckay (left) scored Caley Thistle's equaliser

Livi move closer to title

In League One, Livingston increased their lead at the top to 13 points after a 2-0 win away to third-top Brechin City and are now one win away from the title.

Second-placed Alloa Athletic were held at home by Albion Rovers.

East Fife missed a chance to draw level with Brechin after being held at home by Queen's Park.

At the bottom, Stenhousemuir are five points adrift of Peterhead, who drew with Airdrieonians, after losing away to Stranraer, who jump above Peterhead. 

Canning happy with Hamilton behaviour

Hamilton Accies player-manager Martin Canning does not think he will have to take action against any of his staff after St Johnstone's Danny Swanson and Richard Foster were sent off for a fight just before half-time.

Accies midfielder Ali Crawford was booked and assistant Guillaume Beuzelin was sent to the stand.

"For me, I would rather be talking about us," he told BBC Scotland.

"With 11 against 11 in the first half, I thought we were excellent and we kept going and got a huge three points.

"It is not something you want to see, but it is a passionate game and sometimes it spills over.

"My players acted well. I think Darian MacKinnon was just trying to separate them and calm things down.

"I don't think I have to take any action against my players."

Hibs stumble, Buddies on the up

Championship leaders Hibs were held away to Dunfermline, but second-top Morton lost away to Dumbarton, meaning the Edinburgh side end the day nine points clear at the top.

Morton's defeat allows Falkirk to leapfrog them into second place with a win over Raith Rovers.

Queen of the South thumped Dundee United to move to within their visitors, who remain in fourth place, the last promotion play-off place.

St Mirren's hammering of Ayr United moves the Buddies to within a point of the visitors at the foot of the table.

Raith Rovers' defeat means that the Kirkcaldy outfit remain two ahead of Ayr but only three clear of St Mirren.

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Stevie Mallan (left) celebrates scored for St Mirren

Wright could come down hard on Saints pair

St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright  has spoken to BBC Scotland about the brawl between Danny Swanson and Richard Foster that led to both his players being sent off at half-time.

"I didn't see as I was halfway down in the tunnel," he said.

"If what is alleged to have happened, we will come down hard on both players, but I am not going to comment.

"The players have been told in front of the whole team that they have let the team down.

"We should have been celebrating making the top six today.

"They will get a fair investigation, but I have warned them that the hardest punishment I can legally do, I will do it if what has alleged to have happened has happened.

"I don't know why Hamilton got involved in it. It was nothing to do with them."

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St Johnstone's Danny Swanson (centre) was sent off for a scuffle with a team-mate

Caixinha's Rangers stall in third

After what must be a disappointing home draw with Motherwell, Pedro Caixinha's Rangers fail to keep pace with Aberdeen and are now 10 points behind the second-placed side who thrashed Dundee last night.

St Johnstone fail to make ground on Rangers after losing a late goal away to Hamilton, but the Perth side have still secured a top-six finish because of other results.

Two goals from Kris Doolan, whose first was his 100th for Partick Thistle, consolidates the Glasgow side in sixth place.

They are now four ahead of a Kilmarnock side held away to Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

That point is not enough to prevent Caley Thistle falling back to the bottom of the table because of Hamilton's win.

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Rangers manager Pedro Caixinha looked frustrated against Motherwell at Ibrox

FULL-TIME

SCOTTISH CHAMPIONSHIP

Dumbarton 1-0 Greenock Morton 

Dunfermline Athletic 1-1 Hibernian 

Falkirk 1-0 Raith Rovers 

Queen of the South 4-2 Dundee United 

St Mirren 6-2 Ayr United 

SCOTTISH LEAGUE ONE 

Alloa Athletic 1-1 Albion Rovers 

Brechin City 0-2 Livingston 

East Fife 0-0 Queen's Park

Peterhead 1-1 Airdrieonians 

Stranraer 3-0 Stenhousemuir 

SCOTTISH LEAGUE TWO

Annan Athletic 2-5 Arbroath 

Cowdenbeath 1-0 Clyde 

Elgin City 2-2 Berwick Rangers 

Montrose 3-0 Edinburgh City 

Stirling Albion 0-3 Forfar Athletic

'I'm an easy target' - Lennon

Hibernian manager Neil Lennon said ahead of kick-off against Dunfermline that he wants to put the midweek touchline bust-up between his side and Morton behind him.

“I got my point across and Jim (Duffy) has his take on it, I think we are going to agree to disagree on it," he said.

“We go to, maybe, a tribunal next week and that will decide our fates and we’ll move on.

“I told the press on Wednesday night not to turn it into the Neil Lennon show and they did exactly that, and they were wrong. They didn’t quote some quotes and were selective in their journalism.

“I’m always an easy target, as soon as it happens you know whose name is at the front of the queue, and I felt I certainly wasn’t the aggressor in the incident. It’s done, I’ve got to concentrate on a game today against a very good side.”

FULL-TIME Falkirk 1-0 Raith Rovers

FULL-TIME Dunfermline Athletic 1-1 Hibernian

FULL-TIME Partick Thistle 2-1 Ross County

Partick Thistle are now four points clear of seventh place Kilmarnock with just three games to go until the split. They are also just six points behind fourth place St Johnstone and a potential Europa League spot.

FULL-TIME Rangers 1-1 Motherwell

It ends level at Ibrox. A good point for Motherwell after two straight defeats, while Rangers are now 10 points behind second-placed Aberdeen.

FULL-TIME Inverness CT 1-1 Kilmarnock

FULL-TIME Hamilton Accies 1-0 St Johnstone