Cleland after St Johnstone job

St Johnstone adjusted to life without Derek McInnes, now the manager at Bristol City, with a 0-0 draw in the Scottish Premier at Dundee United that gave the caretaker manager Alex Cleland a taste for the job.

"I'd love to work with this group of players Derek and Tony [Docherty] left behind," he said. "It's a terrific squad and I think you saw their spirit today. If the opportunity comes along and I do get offered the post I would be really silly not to put myself forward." Cleland is joint charge with Jody Morris.

Elsewhere, second-placed Motherwell drew 0-0 at home to Kilmarnock to move four points clear of Celtic, while the bottom two sides, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Dunfermline, drew 1-1.

Leigh Griffiths scored twice as Hibernian won 3-2 in a thriller St Mirren, all five goals coming in the first 45 minutes. Griffiths scored after six minutes when the hosts' goalkeeper, Craig Samson, tried to dribble past him but lost possession leaving the on-loan Wolves striker with the simplest finish. Paul McGowan scored twice in two minutes to put St Mirren in front, the defender Sean O'Hanlon headed Hibs level in the 37th minute before Griffiths fired the winner.