Scottish Premiership: Motherwell go third with win at Kilmarnock
Watch highlights of Saturday's Scottish Premiership action
Sunday 22 December 2019 18:52, UK
A stunning Jake Carroll free-kick handed Motherwell an excellent 1-0 away win at Kilmarnock to go third in the Ladbrokes Premiership.
The visitors were indebted to goalkeeper Mark Gillespie for a man-of-the-match performance that moved the 'Well above Aberdeen into third place.
The first half was devoid of any goalscoring opportunities as both sides determination not to lose seemed to curb any attacking intent.
Motherwell should have gone ahead after 52 minutes but were prevented by a moment of complete selfishness from striker Christopher Long.
Hylton collected the ball on the edge of the area and curled a low shot towards goal that Laurentiu Branescu fumbled but with the ball rolling over the line, Long stabbed it home despite being blatantly offside.
There was a sense that only a mistake or a moment of genuine quality would prove decisive in an evenly matched encounter.
That moment arrived in style after 67 minutes courtesy of the left-foot of Motherwell's Carroll.
After Mark O'Hara was fouled by Niko Hamalainen, Carroll stepped up and sent a deliciously curled free-kick into the top corner from 25 yards out.
Kilmarnock, who sacked manager Angelo Alessio in midweek, pushed for an equaliser and Chris Burke's free-kick was punched cleared by Mark Gillespie before Brophy volleyed the rebound straight at the Motherwell goalkeeper.
The visitors should have sealed their win in the dying stages as substitute Liam Polworth raced clear but he ignored team-mates to fire straight at Branescu.
Lyndon Dykes scored a hat-trick as Livingston cruised to an emphatic 4-0 victory over Ross County.
The visitors had considered requesting a postponement of this game after 10 players were struck down by a sickness bug in midweek, and the Staggies failed to lay a glove on the Lions.
Ricki Lamie put Livingston ahead in the 31st minute before Dykes doubled their lead before the break.
Dykes made sure he left with the match ball after scoring twice in a one-sided second half.
The result propelled Livingston up to sixth in the Premiership.
Neither St Johnstone or St Mirren could conjure up a goal to provide Festive cheer for their supporters in a game of few chances at McDiarmid Park.
The rival Saints remain locked together in the Premiership table, with the Paisley side retaining ninth spot on goal difference.
Ironically, the teams have leaked 60 goals between them this term.
But resolute defences blunted the threat posed by opposition attacks, with the Perth Saints clocking-up a third successive clean sheet.
Hamilton claimed their first win in 12 games to send Hearts to the foot of the Premiership table.
Second-half goals from Mickel Miller and Will Collar secured a 2-1 win and condemned new Jambos boss Daniel Stendel to a third defeat in the space of a week.
Hearts got one back through Olly Bozanic but could not find an equaliser in the closing stages.
