SPFL Game Week 26 Round Up – Late Goals Across the Country Change the Dynamic of a Thrilling Title Race

Hearts V Hibernian 

An Edinburgh derby started off an action-packed mid-week card in the SPFL on Tuesday night. Both teams came into this game have won one derby each this season. But as we head back to Tynecastle for the third Edinburgh clash of the league campaign, advantage was surely in Hearts’ favour. 

Just like most clashes between these two, it was bound to be a close affair with Hearts looking to extend the gap at the top of the table and Hibs looking to find a run of form that can keep them in the European spots come the end of the season. 

Having lost their last league game to St. Mirren a week prior, the Tynecastle crowd made sure that the home side would be firing on all cylinders from the start as this is a Hibs side that can be capable of leaking goals as they have conceded eight goals in their last five league games. 

The football wasn’t pretty and chances came for both sides in the first half but Hearts did not create a shot on target for themselves despite having six shots. Hibs on the other hand had slightly less of the ball but had the only shot on target through Martin Boyle.  

Hearts came out the second half much quicker and got their first shot on target after 54 minutes when Harry Milne had a low shot into the bottom corner that was retrieved by Hibs keeper Raphael Sallinger. A promising start to the second half as Hearts look for the three points they so desperately crave.  

The big chance wouldn’t come their way however until the 88^th minute when Harry Milne charged down the left flank, does a low driven ball across the box which is met first by Tomas Magnusson who gets the magic touch on the ball to send it home past the keeper. Tynecastle erupted into a cauldron of noise as the breakthrough once again has come late for the home crowd against their fiercest rivals. 

Derke McInnes and Hearts saw the game out at 1-0 and marched on again at the top of the pile. As for Hibs, they sit in 5^th with Falkirk breathing down their neck as the Bairns are putting together a good run of form to claw David Gray’s side into their grasp. 

Motherwell V Rangers 

Onto the Wednesday fixtures now, and a fascinating affair between 4^th placed Motherwell and 2^nd placed Rangers kept us all gripped for 90 minutes.  

Motherwell at home have proven to be a tough nut to crack for anyone who turns up to Fir Park with their last defeat at home amazingly coming in October against Falkirk. More impressive I’d say though is that the 2-1 defeat to Falkirk was also the last time they’ve conceded a goal at home. That is 8 games in a row that they’ve kept a clean sheet in front of their own crowd. 

A tough test it would prove to be then for Danny Rohl’s side who are gunning for their first league title since 2021. Rangers proved they were up for the task quickly however as just 5 minutes in Diomande would find himself in acres of space running at the steelmen’s backline. He then expertly picked out Nico Raskin in behind who showed brilliant composure to slide the ball past Calum Ward and side the away side into an impressive lead early on. 

Motherwell would show why they are so hard to play against for the rest of the half as they would dominate the first 45 despite being a goal down. Chermiti would get a huge chance on the volley to extend the Rangers lead, but he could only hit the ball straight down the middle which would be saved by Ward. Having had only 36% possession in the first half Rangers would be the ones going back to the changing rooms with a goal to show for it. A massive goal that could prove crucial come the end of the season should the Gers hold on for the rest of the game. 

Motherwell would continue to dominate the ball in the second half but despite their huffing and puffing they just could not get a goal. It would look even more troubling for Jens Berthel Aktou in the 75^th minute when Lukas Fadinger slid into the path of Mikey Moore and wiped him out. VAR would be needed for this one and they concluded that referee Steven McLean should have another look at the challenge which, unfortunately for Motherwell, normally only has one outcome. Fadinger was shown a red card to make things much tougher for Motherwell with just over 10 minutes to go. 

The resilience of the Steelmen would not go in vain however as in the 89^th minute, Celtic loanee, Stephen Welsh would volley it past Jack Butland to break Rangers hearts. A goal they deserved in the end but the fact they got it with 10 men shows why Motherwell are no pushover this season. 

Motherwell continue their unbeaten run at home and strengthen their case in 4^th place. Rangers on the other hand, all be it at face value a good point away from home, will see this as 2 points dropped to Hearts who now have a gap of 5 points to the Gers. 

Rangers however have a chance to reduce the gap again on Sunday as they go head-to-head at Ibrox against Hearts in what could prove to be a massive week towards how this title is decided. 

Celtic V Livingston 

While Hearts would be playing their rivals and Rangers playing a tough away game to Motherwell, Celtic would have the easiest fixture of the 3 as they were to host bottom of the table Livingston who do not have an away win this season. Celtic can reduce the deficit to 6 points behind Hearts with another game in hand on the 2 ahead of them. 

Celtic, as expected, would control the pace of the game and it only took 15 minutes to find the breakthrough. A cleared corner would find Marcelo Saracci on the edge of the box who would fire it home for his first goal in green and white.  

Celtic would have 17 shots with 10 of those on target in the first half but just could not find a second to take the game out of sight for Marvin Bartley’s Livingston who, despite barely having the ball, would always be in with some sort of chance while only being 1 goal down.  

Celtic’s lack of a second goal would go on to haunt them in the second half when Reo Hatate, in an attempt to clear the ball, would wipe out Livi striker Robbie Muirhead in the box to give away a penalty to Livingston. Muirhead would be the one to take the penalty and as he smashes the ball down the middle past Kasper Schmeicheal. Celtic would find themselves in a state of panic as they struggled heavily to take the game away from Livi and are now paying the price of it. 

Celtic would continue to batter on the Livingston door but could not get an answer until the 90^th minute when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who has just signed for Celtic, picks the ball up on the edge of the box and scores a beautifully finessed finish past Prior to send relief round Celtic Park and keep their title ambitions going on. 

At the end of the night Celtic won 2-1 and although it was close, I’m sure the 3 points is all that matters to Martin O’Neill right now. A torrid run goes on for Livingston as they look to be dead and buried at the bottom of the table. 

Kilmarnock V St Mirren 

A big clash would take place at Rugby Park as 9^th would play 11^th in a battle to stay out of the playoff spot. A 7-goal thriller this would go on to be as Neil McCann looks to get another home win under his belt as Killie manager and Stephen Robinson’s side will be hoping to move further clear of the playoff spot. 

Killian Phillips after 8 minutes would send the Buddies into the lead after they get the fast start they would’ve been hoping for. One goal at the start of the half and another at the end this time for Kilmarnock to level the scoring through Greg Kiltie, the former St Mirren player, who has now scored his second in 2 games. The half wasn’t over there though as a cross to the edge of the box sees John-Jules pull out a fabulous acrobatic finish to send the ball flying past Shamal George in goal and in a matter of moments, Kilmarnock find themselves 2-1 up at the break.  

St Mirren start the second half as they did the first by finding another goal this time to level the game. It was a double for Killian Phillips as he got on the end of a rebound off Roos to tap it home. It became a night for players scoring 2 goals as this time it was John-Jules’ turn to score a second of the evening and put Kilmarnock back in front after 76 minutes. After scoring 2, John-Jules’ main objective would be to get the hattrick and do that he did. St Mirren fail to deal with a long ball which John-Jules gets on the end of, he puts it past George to extend Killie into a 2-goal advantage and for him to complete his hattrick. St Mirren would get a consolation goal in the 93^rd minute which was scored by substitute Scott Tanser but in the end, it didn’t stop Kilmarnock getting back-to-back home wins. 4-3 this fascinating game would finish. 

Kilmarnock have now scored 7 goals in the last 2 home matches under Niel McCann who is certainly making a good impression in Ayrshire. With the gap now at just 3 points between Kilmarnock in 11^th and St Mirren alongside Dundee in 9^th and 10^th, it really is all to play for as to who will be playing in the playoffs come the end of the season. 

Falkirk V Dundee 

Lastly, we have Falkirk who would be looking to get revenge on the last time they played Dundee in which Dundee ended out being 1-0 winners. It would also be a chance for John McGlynn’s side to edge closer to Hibernian in 5^th place as their 6^th place spot looks to be covered nicely with Aberdeen adrift in 7^th.  

It wouldn’t be as entertaining as Kilmarnock v St Mirren which had the 7 goals of course, but each team were hoping for a goal in the first half. It was not to be though as Falkirk recorded 10 shots with 1 on target and Dundee recorded 6 shots with 1 on target as well throughout the first 45 as it ended goalless. 

The second half however saw the breakthrough come Falkirk’s way as Ben Broggio would strike a volley low and hard at McCracken who just could not keep the ball out as it slithers its way through him to send Falkirk into the lead. 

Dundee would continue to push for a leveller, and an opportunity would in the 90^th minute as Joe Bevan is wiped out in the box by the Falkirk keeper to give a penalty. Yan Dhanda steps up to save the day for Dundee but he smashes the ball wide of the target to effectively give all 3 points to Falkirk. Manager Steven Pressley could do nothing but look on in his usual nonchalant manner but he would have been very disappointed in the Dundee number 21. 

This crucial win for Falkirk sees them pick up a 3^rd win in 5 league games with the 2 defeats coming at the hands of Celtic. 11 points clear the Bairns are of Aberdeen who have played 2 less games. As for Dundee they sit in 10^th and the vision of a play-off looming for them starts to become increasingly worrying for Steven Pressley and his side. 

Dundee United V Aberdeen  

This game was postponed due to the Tannadice pitch being waterlogged yet again. Constant rain in the North of Scotland coninues to bring trouble for the two Dundee sides and Aberdeen respectively in terms of getting their pitches playable in time for a match.