Celtic surge closer towards league title No 55 after swatting Hearts aside

Daizen Maeda took his season’s tally to 30 goals with a first-half double as Celtic recovered from their derby defeat with a 3-0 win against Hearts. Maeda scored either side of Jota’s strike as Celtic moved towards their fourth consecutive title.

Much of the early play was in the Celtic half but a penetrating move took the hosts from back to front in devastating fashion. Jeffrey Schlupp’s first-time pass allowed Callum McGregor to drive beyond the Hearts midfield and play the ball in behind Lewis Neilson for Maeda to run on to. The centre-forward delivered an assured right-footed finish into the bottom corner.

Hearts continued to push men forward and Michael Steinwender fired not far over from 25 yards before Maeda was again involved as Celtic doubled their lead in the 24th minute. Maeda ran on to Nicolas Kühn’s deft pass over the top and sent a backwards header off the post before Jota raced in to slam home the rebound.

Schlupp forced a save from Craig Gordon after a solo run before James Wilson missed Hearts’ best chance when he sent a free header wide from six yards following a perfect cross from James Penrice.

Celtic again sliced through the visitors with a series of forward passes as they wrapped up the three points in the 41st minute. Centre-back Maik Nawrocki started the move and Reo Hatate stretched to send the ball through for Kühn to race down the right wing. Kühn delivered Maeda’s 30th goal of the season on a plate with a perfect low cross to the far post, where Celtic’s top goalscorer’s pace had taken him.

Maeda has now scored 15 goals in 12 matches after moving into a more central role since Kyogo Furuhashi left for Rennes in late January.

The defeat leaves Hearts in sixth with two matches remaining before the Premiership splits for the remaining five matches of the season. St Mirren and Motherwell both sit waiting one point behind. Junior Hoilett, Martin Boyle and Kieron Bowie all scored in a comfortable 3-0 victory for Hibs against relegation-threatened St Johnstone at Easter Road.

The hosts opened the scoring after 18 minutes when Hoilett scored his fourth of the season by weaving his way towards goal before slamming the ball into a top corner. Hoilett then assisted for the second goal when his sliding tackle set up Boyle, who sped forward before rifling past goalkeeper Andy Fisher. Bowie then sent Fisher the wrong way with the penalty kick for 3-0 to secure their top-six place.

Cyriel Dessers scored a dramatic late goal as Rangers beat Dundee 4-3 in an action-packed contest at Dens Park.

The home team’s Simon Murray and Joe Shaughnessy had Dundee 2-0 up with 20 minutes played before Rangers reduced the arrears before half-time courtesy of a Shaughnessy own goal.

Scott Tiffoney then fired Dundee back into two-goal lead after 62 minutes. James Tavernier struck an unstoppable shot beyond Dundee goalkeeper Trevor Carson for 3-2 before a long-range shot Tom Lawrence then put the visitors on level terms with nine minutes remaining. Murray hit the woodwork for Dundee before Dessers scored by expertly lifting the ball over Carson in additional time for the 4-3 victory.

St Mirren thrashed struggling Kilmarnock 5-1 at the SMISA Stadium. The Paisley side dominated from the off and found themselves 2-0 up inside the opening nine minutes thanks to Caolan Boyd-Munce’s low strike and Roland Idowu’s penalty.Boyd-Munce doubled his tally in the 58th minute, before Saints skipper Mark O’Hara and Declan John both found the net during a four-minute spell to heap more misery on the visitors.

A late Bruce Anderson penalty offered little consolation for Derek McInnes’ men.

Aberdeen secured their top-six place with a 4-1 win over Motherwell at Pittodrie.

Callum Slattery opened the scoring for Motherwell with a header after five minutes played in the contest.

But the Dons did not let that deter them and responded eight minutes later through Alfie Dorrington before Leighton Clarkson added a deft curled finish with 37 minutes played. Aberdeen enhanced their lead after 77 minutes when Alexander Jensen sent in a cross from the right-wing for Kevin Nisbet to finish with a header from six yards for their third. But Nisbet saved his best for last with a strike from 30 yards to send supporters home happy.