Sunday 30 April 2017 18:21, UK
St Johnstone scored twice in the last 10 minutes to beat Aberdeen 2-0 at Pittodrie and deny the hosts a chance to move 12 points clear of Rangers.
Despite dominating possession, Aberdeen were unable to breakdown the visitors who strengthened their chances of claiming a Europa League spot next season thanks to goals by Danny Swanson and Craig Thomson.
During a goalless first half, visiting keeper Alan Mannus denied Adam Rooney in the eighth minute, while Kenny McLean headed a decent opportunity wide on the stroke of half-time.
Dons continued to enjoy the majority of possession after the break but fell behind in the 80th minute when keeper Joe Lewis inadvertently handled a back pass in the area and, from the resulting indirect free-kick, Liam Craig touched the ball to Swanson who dispatched it into the bottom corner.
Three minutes later Thomson sealed three points as he crashed the ball into the bottom left-hand corner of the net, following Swanson's assist.
Earlier in the day third place Rangers were beaten 5-1 at home by runaway champions Celtic.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the table, Dundee ended a run of seven straight defeats to beat Motherwell 3-2 in a thriller at Fir Park.
After a low key opening 30 minutes, the first chance of the match fell to Louis Moult whose clinical half-volley was saved by Dundee keeper Scott Bain.
And Bain was called on again to tip a Chris Cadden effort over the bar before the Dark Blues broke the deadlock with their first effort on goal.
With 45 minutes played, 'keeper Craig Samson managed to prevent Marcus Haber from getting in a shot only for the loose ball to be crashed home by Mark O'Hara from 12 yards.
And Dundee made it 2-0 early in the second half. Good work by Kevin Holt set up O'Hara whose initial strike was blocked before Haber banged home the rebound from close range.
But Motherwell were back in the contest after 50 minutes when Moult connected with Elliott Frear's assist to blast the ball high into the net for his 17th goal of the season.
However, O'Hara restored his side's two goal advantage on 56 with a diving header from Craig Wighton's cross.
Bain continued to perform superbly for the visitors, this time to deny Frear whose effort was tipped past a post.
The hosts did grab a second goal 10 minutes from time when Chris Cadden converted Lionel Ainsworth's assist from close range at the far post.
The result means Dundee have taken 10 valuable points out of 12 against Motherwell this season, while moving them out of the relegation play-off position to be replaced by Well.
At Tynecastle, Hearts and Partick Thistle shared four goals all of which arrived in the second half of their 2-2 draw.
There was very little to excite the crowd until after 40 minutes when Andraz Struna smacked the bar from 10 yards, while Jamie Walker also went close for the hosts with a shot that took a deflection.
And against the run of play, Kris Doolan headed Partick in front when he met a Steven Lawless cross to score from six yards in the 50th minute.
The hosts should have levelled matters shortly afterwards but Esmael Gonçalves headed off target from close range while Thistle 'keeper Tomas Cerny denied Walker and Arnaud Djoum, whose powerful header appeared to be heading for the bottom corner of the net.
Hearts did manage to equalise in the 68th minute from the penalty spot, when Goncalves fired home after Don Cowie's effort was handled in the box by Danny Devine who was immediately shown a red card by referee Andrew Dallas.
Yet four minutes later 10-man Partick were back in front thanks to Lawless who scored from a testing angle following an excellent pass by Chris Erskine.
But two minutes from time the Edinburgh hosts were level as Struna took advantage of a loose ball to make it 2-2.
Goncalves and Bjorn Johnsen had opportunities to win the game for Hearts whose chances of securing European football next season suffered another setback at home.
Finally, at New Douglas Park, first-half goals by Conor Sammon and Jordan Jones earned Kilmarnock a vital 2-0 win over Hamilton.
However, the hosts were denied by the woodwork as early as the sixth minute when Dougie Imrie hit a post.
And five minutes later it was Kilmarock who took the lead as Sammon latched on to Stevie Smith's goal-bound shot to beat keeper Remi Matthews from close range.
In the 23rd minute the visitors added a second as Boyd set up Jones who found the bottom left-hand corner from 12 yards.
As the hosts sought a way back into the game, Imrie was kept out by Killie keeper Freddie Woodman.
