LAST UPDATE | 12 Nov 2022

SCORRISH PREMIERSHIP LEADERS Celtic came from behind to beat Ross County 2-1 and move nine points clear of Rangers after conceding their fourth penalty for handball in as many games.

David Cancola put County ahead early in the second half at Celtic Park after Matt O’Riley was penalised by referee David Munro.

Home manager Ange Postecoglou stood with his hands covering his mouth in shock after Johnson kicked the ball off O’Riley from close range on the side of the box. The midfielder was moving his arm closer to his body but the decision was backed by video assistant referee Euan Anderson.

Celtic were soon denied a penalty claim and the controversy sparked them into life. Goals in quick succession from David Turnbull and Sead Haksabanovic made it nine consecutive domestic wins since the most recent international break.

The victory ensured Celtic exploited the opportunity presented by Rangers’ earlier draw with St Mirren and go into the World Cup break, and their trip to Australia for the Sydney Super Cup, with a commanding lead over their rivals.

A pre-match period of silence to mark Remembrance Day was disrupted by some boos and a rendition of “If you hate the Royal Family, clap your hands”. Others chose to stay in the concourse during the ceremony, including the entire lower half of the standing section.

Postecoglou made six changes following the narrow midweek win at Motherwell and Celtic lacked a spark to their first-half play, although Kyogo Furuhashi had several chances.

The Japanese striker glanced a header on to the roof of the net with a decent effort, but then dragged a shot wide after being played clean through by Reo Hatate. The centre-forward took a heavy touch after being set up by Haksabanovic and later lobbed an ambitious effort over.

O’Riley shot just wide from 25 yards but County goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw survived the half without being seriously tested, although he spilled a long-range effort from Cameron Carter-Vickers, who got a new central defensive partner in Carl Starfelt when Mortiz Jenz went off with a head knock.

The game exploded into life five minutes into the second half as Cancola made it three games from three that County have scored against Celtic this season.

Celtic immediately found an urgency to their play and Laidlaw produced an excellent diving stop from Turnbull’s curling effort.

The home fans’ sense of grievance multiplied when Munro waved away appeals for a penalty after Anthony Ralston went down amid close attention from behind from opposite right-back Johnson, a decision confirmed by a VAR check.

Furuhashi volleyed over before Celtic levelled in the 62nd minute. Hatate danced round the outside of the narrow County defence and cut back for Turnbull, who took a touch and stuck the ball through Laidlaw’s legs.

The champions were ahead six minutes later. Haksabanovic exchanged short passes with Turnbull and then Hatate before passing the ball just inside the far post from 15 yards.

Jota, Liel Abada and Giorgos Giakoumakis were waiting to come on as the goal went in but the new forward trio could not add to the lead, the Greek striker coming closest with a close-range effort that was deflected wide.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst found himself again with his Rangers future in sharp focus after a 1-1 draw with St Mirren saw more dropped points in the title race.

The 1-0 midweek home win over Hearts appeared to give the under-fire Rangers boss some respite but it was back to square one in Paisley.

Returning Saints striker Jonah Ayunga drove the home side into the lead two minutes after the restart before Rangers skipper James Tavernier levelled with a penalty with six minutes of normal time remaining, after referee Kevin Clancy had originally booked Ryan Kent for diving before a VAR check.

Treatment for injury to Rangers defender Leon King explained much of the nine minutes added on but the visitors could not find a winner and they find themselves six points behind Celtic who play Ross County later in the day.

Top-flight football in Scotland takes a break for the World Cup and who knows what will happen in the Ibrox boardroom during that period but the Dutchman appears to be on borrowed time.

Van Bronckhorst had to contend with more injury problems for the lunchtime kick-off.

With top scorer Antonio Colak out with a muscle problem, Alfredo Morelos made his first league start this season.

Midfielder Glen Kamara replaced the injured Ben Davies with James Sands moving back to central defence, while Scott Wright was in for Rabbi Matondo.

For St Mirren, Ayunga replaced Alex Greive and he paired up with Curtis Main to give the Rangers centre-back pairing of Sands and 18-year-old King a physical test.

And after a lone piper played a tribute for Remembrance Day before kick-off, it became evident that battle would be key to the outcome.

However, it was Rangers who created the first clear-cut chance in the seventh minute.

Midfielder Malik Tillman slipped the ball between the legs of Saints defender Marcus Fraser but with only keeper Trevor Carson to beat, he dragged his shot wide of the target.

Then Carson blocked Wright’s close-range header at the back post from a Borna Barisic cross.

Wright drove wide after a swift counter-attack and as Saints responded, Greg Kiltie’s delivery across the face of the Light Blues’ box found no takers before Buddies defender Declan Gallagher headed a corner wide.

Scott Arfield replaced Kamara for the second half which began, somewhat bizarrely, with Morelos being immediately booked by referee Clancy for barging into Charles Dunne.

Stephen Robinson’s battling side then took the lead.

Following a long Gallagher throw-in and a flick-on by Main, keeper Allan McGregor parried Ayunga’s first effort from close range but as King hesitated, the St Mirren attacker fired into the net.

Suddenly Rangers and their travelling fans were gripped by anxiety.

There was more trouble for Rangers when King, after a long period of treatment for concussion after a clash with Main, was taken from the field on a stretcher and replaced by Ryan Jack, with John Lundstram moving back to central defence.

The Govan side fought back but now the attacks were underpinned by desperation.

As play stretched, Ayunga came close with a long-range effort before Kent was booked by referee Clancy for diving inside the box after a challenge by Fraser.

However, after a VAR check, a penalty was awarded and the yellow rescinded with Tavernier slamming the ball past Carson to level.

There were nine minutes added on at the end during which Carson saved a drive from Kent and a header from Jack before again Rangers ran out of time, with their title hopes further damaged.