Hearts miss their chance as Ally McCoist rails at Rangers

Hearts failed to move to the top of the Scottish Premier League yesterday, when they were held to a 0-0 draw at Aberdeen. The hosts had the better chances against a Hearts side still recovering from Thursday's Europa League efforts against Liverpool.

Despite the suspension of David Templeton, Hearts played their part in a frantic opening, with Aberdeen having a penalty appeal waved away when Darren Barr brought down Ryan Jack. Scott Vernon hit the crossbar for the home side before the break and also struck a post from an offside position after the interval. Hearts went close near the end but Andrew Driver, in for the banned Templeton, could only hit the post. Hearts now sit fourth, a point behind neighbours Hibernian and leaders Celtic.

A last-minute goal from 17-year-old Thomas Reilly grabbed a point for St Mirren in a 1-1 draw at Motherwell. Michael Higdon put the hosts ahead in the second minute and for long spells they appeared set to move to the top of the table, until Reilly's late intervention.

The Celtic manager, Neil Lennon, was delighted with his side's performance in Saturday's 4-2 victory at Inverness Caledonian Thistle, despite the concession of two late goals. Victor Wanyama headed in Celtic's first, and with 18-year-old Tony Watt scoring either side of Charlie Mulgrew's opportunist finish, the Hoops were in command with more than a quarter of the match still to play.

The league leaders were hardly sweating as Ross Draper fired in a consolation for Inverness with seven minutes remaining, before a further strike from Draper five minutes later.

"It was a great performance from start to almost finish," said Lennon. "That was as good as we have played here. We dominated the game, scored four and could have had more."

Terry Butcher, the Inverness manager, lamented his side's generosity. "It was a long 90 minutes and Celtic caught us on a very bad day," he said. "We made it a good day for them. We shot ourselves in the foot."

Rangers were left frustrated once again in the Third Division yesterday as they were held 1-1 at Berwick despite taking the lead just before half-time with Andy Little's seventh goal in six games. Gers fan Fraser McLaren equalised in the second half, leaving Rangers manager Ally McCoist less than satisfied and eager to bring in new faces.

"I am angry, I am disappointed, I'm embarrassed," said McCoist. "We need to get bodies in and bodies in of quality, because that's unacceptable."