Rangers fuming over frozen pitch fiasco as Celtic cut gap on SPL league leaders

By Roddy Forsyth Published: 8:55PM GMT twenty February 2010

Keeping in touch: Robbie Keane scores Celtic"s idea opposite Dundee United Photo: PA

The diversion was subsequently deferred by arbitrate Michael Tumelty and the Scottish Premier League will right afar examine because the undersoil heating unsuccessful to strengthen piece of the representation that was shadowy from the object by the Ormond Stand.

"I was appalled, similar to each alternative Rangers supporter," pronounced Bain. "I spoke to St Johnstone, but when people put their hands up and confess to being 100 per cent at error afterwards you have to take a opposite tack.

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"We have had a assembly and what we have concluded is that whoever had a sheet for today"s compare will embrace entrance free of assign for the rescheduled game. Those that can"t have it will get a full reinstate and I am happy to discharge that at Ibrox.

"We afterwards lifted the theme of losses for the fans, most of whom have trafficked prolonged distances that is costly. St Johnstone have, as a gesture, concluded to take dual pounds off the cost of the sheet the subsequent time we fool around them.

"What we have to do here is recognize that it"s the fans that suffer, nobody else, as they put a lot of time, income and bid in to following Rangers. St Johnstone have pronounced it is wholly their error and they have left a prolonged approach to acknowledging the Rangers supporters."

The SPL will have a matter once they have seen the reports of the arbitrate and compare nominee tomorrow.

The delay offering Celtic the event to thin Rangers" lead forward of subsequent Sunday"s Old Firm derby at Ibrox, but they were thankful to face Dundee United with dual teenagers Thomas Rogne and Josh Thompson as their centre-back partnership.

Heeding the decree that conflict is the most appropriate form of defence, Tony Mowbray"s players carried the diversion to United and took the lead after twenty mins when Robbie Keane timed his run to flog the offside trap and finish with a coolly taken right-foot shot.

With the Tannadice side displaying small in the approach of threat to warning the dual youngsters, the home throng sat behind contingency have approaching goals, but for all the vigour Celtic had fourteen corners to United"s 3 they could not find an additional approach to flog Dusan Pernis. Indeed, they suffered a late shock when Prince Buaben had a shot shut off in the last minute.

Still, Celtic are right afar behind to inside of 7 points of Rangers, carrying played one diversion more, prior to to subsequent weekend"s revisit to Ibrox.

Elsewhere, Aberdeen excoriated by their fans after losing their midweek Scottish Cup fifth turn replay at home to Raith Rovers had an additional ungainly tie afar to the bottom club, Falkirk.

They were fast forward when Charlie Mulgrew netted a 20-yard free flog but Falkirk pull turn with their initial ominous move when Enoch Showunmi sped past Mulgrew to recover Pedro Moutinho for a expostulate that went in off the post. A bad week got worse for Aberdeen when the Bairns scored again with a Darren Barr header 3 mins prior to the break.

Showunmi on trial the dejection would endure on their tour behind to the Granite City when he inflicted the manoeuvre de beauty with a shot past Jamie Langfield with twenty mins left to play.

Kilmarnock and St Mirren, additionally scrapping at the wrong finish of the table, constructed the approaching close competition at Rugby Park where Chris Maguire shot the Ayrshire side forward after 33 minutes.

Saints, though, salvaged a profitable point with an additional Billy Mehmet goal, when he found his symbol from area with eight mins to go.

Like Aberdeen, Hibernian have had a week they would rather dont think about when they followed their 3-0 loss to Rangers and 5-1 thrashing by St Johnstone with a 1-0 better to Motherwell at Fir Park.

Jamie Miller volleyed the leader in the 82nd notation following Liam Miller"s first-half dismissal.