Goals from Derek Riordan and Merouane Zemmama lift Hibees to third

• Motherwell dispatched 3–1 at Fir Park by rampant Hibernian
• Rangers held to third consecutive 0–0 draw by Aberdeen

Second-half goals from Derek Riordan and Merouane Zemmama gave Hibernian a rampant 3-1 victory against Motherwell at Fir Park. John Hughes’s team are now in third place in the table behind Rangers on goal difference only.

Hughes fielded an attacking 4-2-4 formation, and gained an early advantage when Well were caught on the break, Colin Nish giving Hibs the lead after nine minutes. Mark Reynolds headed home a Jim O’Brien corner in the 35th minute to level the scores, but two second-half goals in four minutes sealed the match for the Edinburgh side. Riordan slotted the ball low into the corner of the net for his fifth goal of the season six minutes after half-time, and a fine Zemmama free-kick completed the scoring.

Rangers recorded their third successive 0-0 draw in the SPL, this time at home to Aberdeen. Jérôme Rothen and Nacho Novo both came close to scoring for the home team. However, the youthful Dons team defended resiliently and came close to breaking the deadlock themselves in the second half when Andrew Considine shot narrowly wide.

Despite a poor performance, Hearts managed to overcome Hamilton Accies to win 2-1 at Tynecastle. Michael Stewart scored his second penalty of the week for the home side and the Gorgie outfit doubled their advantage a minute later, with Susa Santana back-heeling the ball into the net from close range. Marco Paixão scored a consolation goal with 62 minutes played.

David Goodwillie was the hero as 10-man Dundee United beat St Johnstone 3-2 in an action-packed contest at McDiarmid Park. Danny Cadamarteri kept up his fine start to the season, scoring from the penalty spot to give the visitors the lead after referee Dougie McDonald adjudged Dave Mackay to have handled in the penalty area. A Darren Dods own goal brought the Saints level, but Andy Webster put United ahead again, finishing from a long throw-in with two minutes played in the second half. The substitute Martin Hardie brought the Perthshire side level again when he despatched a free-kick with his first touch, only to see Goodwillie put United ahead again before McDonald showed the visitors’ Danny Swanson a straight red card. Bottom-placed St Johnstone remain without an SPL win.

Falkirk share the status of being winless after a dour goalless draw at home to Kilmarnock.

Anthony Stokes strikes twice to give Hibs easy win over St Johnstone

• Anthony Stokes gets off the mark for Hibs
• Motherwell end Dundee United's unbeaten run

Anthony Stokes scored his first Hibernian goals as John Hughes's side bounced back from their defeat to Hamilton with a convincing 3-0 home victory against St Johnstone.

The visitors started brightly and Hibs survived some early scares before taking the lead against the run of play, Stokes turning and drilling the ball in from 18 yards midway through the first half. Derek Riordan doubled their advantage in the 35th minute, taking advantage of a lucky break of the ball with a low shot from 22 yards into the bottom corner.

Derek McInnes made a double substitution early in the second half and the visitors created a host of chances but lacked a cutting edge. The third goal arrived when Stokes struck a free-kick over the Saints wall and past Alan Main on 73 minutes.

Motherwell ended Dundee United's unbeaten league record, recording a useful 1-0 victory at Tannadice. United played a part in their own downfall in the 66th minute when Sean Dillon was drawn into bringing down Jim O'Brien in the penalty area. Ross Forbes scored from the spot, sending goalkeeper Nicky Weaver the wrong way.

United looked certain to equalise with 20 minutes remaining but John Ruddy pulled off an astonishing triple save to deny Darren Dods, Danny Cadamarteri and Andy Webster from point-blank range.

A fine late free-kick from Charlie Mulgrew brought Aberdeen a 1-0 win over 10-man St Mirren. The Dons spurned the best opportunity of a lacklustre first half after 10 minutes when Lee Miller's close-range header was spectacularly stopped by Paul Gallacher and Andrew Considine failed to convert the rebound with the goal gaping. Mulgrew hit the bar with a free-kick before he scored with another one two minutes from time. To add insult to injury for the Saints, Lee Mair, playing against his former team, was sent off following the goal.

Hamilton and Falkirk shared a 0-0 draw at New Douglas Park. Accies' Tomas Cerny was the busier keeper in the first half with his block from a Kjartan Finnbogason volley on 22 minutes the pick of his saves, although Falkirk striker Carl Finnigan did beat Cerny with a header only to see it ruled out for a foul on Martin Canning.

Celtic host Hearts at Parkhead today seeking to put their defeat to Hapoel Tel-Aviv behind them, while the Edinburgh side approach the game off the back of their first league win.