SOCCEROO Scott McDonald found his scoring feet to help Celtic cruise to a comfortable 4-0 win over Hamilton and go top of the Scottish Premier League.
Rivals Rangers play their game in hand against St Mirren on Sunday but Gordon Strachan's men can be pleased with the way they responded to the Champions League defeat by Villarreal in midweek, albeit against vastly inferior opponents.
Goals from Shunsuke Nakamura and Georgios Samaras gave the home side a half-time lead and there was no way back for the SPL new boys, who looked out of their depth for most of the game.
McDonald grabbed number three in the 75th minute after Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc had made a fine penalty save from James McArthur, as well as the header from the rebound from the Accies midfielder.
Aiden McGeady slid in the fourth to complete the visitors' misery and erase the memory of El Madrigal.
A late winner from Craig Bryson allowed Kilmarnock to claim all three points against Hearts and return to winning ways in a 2-1 result on the road at Tynecastle.
Mehdi Taouil provided a deserved lead which was cancelled out by Laryea Kingston, before Bryson helped himself to the decisive goal as Killie won 2-1.
Aberdeen's dismal home form continued as they slumped to a 2-1 defeat to Hibernian.
A goal in each half by Derek Riordan cancelled out Lee Miller's equalising penalty.
Riordan opened the scoring after seizing on a slack backpass from Lee Mair before Miller got the Dons back on level terms from the spot after he had been fouled by Souleymane Bamba.
Riordan's winner came from a penalty, with Charlie Mulgrew sent off for handling on the line, although Steven Fletcher looked to have been in an offside position.
Dundee United moved into the top half of the table after impressively notching up their fourth successive victory in all competitions with a 2-1 win over Inverness.
Jon Daly nodded home towards the end of an entertaining first half and Lee Wilkie made some steady pressure count in the 65th minute with another header.
Inverness missed some first-half chances but rarely looked like launching a comeback, even after Wilkie's last-minute own goal.
Scottish Premier League
Aberdeen 1 (Miller 42p)
Hibernian 2 (Riordan 33, 80p)
Celtic 4 (Nakamura 25, Samara 37, McDonald 76, McGeady 83)
Hamilton 0
Dundee United 2 (Daly 40, Wilkie 65)
Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1 (Wilkie 90og)
Hearts 1 (Kingston 34)
Kilmarnock 2 (Taouil 19, Bryson 82)
Goals from Shunsuke Nakamura and Georgios Samaras gave the home side a half-time lead and there was no way back for the SPL new boys, who looked out of their depth for most of the game.
McDonald grabbed number three in the 75th minute after Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc had made a fine penalty save from James McArthur, as well as the header from the rebound from the Accies midfielder.
Aiden McGeady slid in the fourth to complete the visitors' misery and erase the memory of El Madrigal.
A late winner from Craig Bryson allowed Kilmarnock to claim all three points against Hearts and return to winning ways in a 2-1 result on the road at Tynecastle.
Mehdi Taouil provided a deserved lead which was cancelled out by Laryea Kingston, before Bryson helped himself to the decisive goal as Killie won 2-1.
Aberdeen's dismal home form continued as they slumped to a 2-1 defeat to Hibernian.
A goal in each half by Derek Riordan cancelled out Lee Miller's equalising penalty.
Riordan opened the scoring after seizing on a slack backpass from Lee Mair before Miller got the Dons back on level terms from the spot after he had been fouled by Souleymane Bamba.
Riordan's winner came from a penalty, with Charlie Mulgrew sent off for handling on the line, although Steven Fletcher looked to have been in an offside position.
Dundee United moved into the top half of the table after impressively notching up their fourth successive victory in all competitions with a 2-1 win over Inverness.
Jon Daly nodded home towards the end of an entertaining first half and Lee Wilkie made some steady pressure count in the 65th minute with another header.
Inverness missed some first-half chances but rarely looked like launching a comeback, even after Wilkie's last-minute own goal.
Scottish Premier League
Aberdeen 1 (Miller 42p)
Hibernian 2 (Riordan 33, 80p)
Celtic 4 (Nakamura 25, Samara 37, McDonald 76, McGeady 83)
Hamilton 0
Dundee United 2 (Daly 40, Wilkie 65)
Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1 (Wilkie 90og)
Hearts 1 (Kingston 34)
Kilmarnock 2 (Taouil 19, Bryson 82)
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