Scottish Round-Up: Seven dismissed

ANY sense of togetherness suggested by a Premier League where 12 clubs are separated by just five points proved erroneous on Saturday when three red and 20 yellow cards were shown.

In all, seven players were sent off in Scotland and Archie Knox, the assistant manager of Rangers, proved that you did not have to be on the pitch to incur the referee's wrath. As the battle raged on at Ibrox between Rangers and Aberdeen, Knox was ordered by Brian McGinlay to sit in the stand after using foul and abusive language. The official also cautioned eight players and dismissed Aberdeen's Duncan Shearer.

Amid the mayhem, Rangers won the game with goals from Ian Durrant, Ally McCoist and Alexei Mikhailichenko, after Roy Aitken, the former Celtic player, had given the Dons a first-half lead.

At Broomfield, Celtic were displaying remarkable consistency in drawing 1-1 with Airdrie. For the fourth time this season Liam Brady's men took the lead only to be pulled back for a point. Andy Payton was Celtic's marksman, but Jimmy Boyle responded for Airdrie, who had Sammy Conn sent off in a game in which six players were booked.

Celtic and Aberdeen's failure to secure full points allowed Dundee United to take over at the top following their 2-0 win over Falkirk, a Duncan Ferguson double sending their opponents to the bottom.

Paul Wright, the in-form St Johnstone striker, scored his seventh goal of the season to give his side a share of the points against Hibernian, whose goalscorer Tommy McIntyre was sent off for fouling Wright in the penalty area.

The happiest man of the day must have been Partick's George Shaw. Not only did he score four goals in a 6-3 win over Dundee, but he also earned himself a holiday for his efforts and pounds 15,000 for the player pool at Firhill. The club's sponsorship deal means a local firm pay out each time a Partick player scores three goals in a home match.