Scottish League: Rangers stayed four points clear of arch-rivals Celtic at the top of the of the table by beating bottom club Gretna 4-2 yesterday.
Daniel Cousin, Steve Naismith, Chris Burke and Kris Boyd shared the goals for Rangers, who lead with 62 points from 25 games.
Celtic kept up the chase by beating St Mirren 1-0 at Love Street courtesy of an 87th-minute strike from Shunsuke Nakamura.
Referee Eddie Smith controversially deemed that Gary Mason had illegally challenged Nakamura 25 yards from goal and the Japanese midfielder stepped up and duly curled the ball beyond a helpless Mark Howard, in the St Mirren goal.
"I wouldn't even approach the referee for an explanation, there is no point. " said St Mirren manager Gus MacPherson.
Nakamura declared: "He (Mason) came from behind me and tripped me."
Left among the substitutes from the outset after an ineffectual showing against Barcelona in in the Champions League last Wednesday, Nakamura was called upon to provide much-needed creativity. Celtic captain Stephen McManus had earlier limped off with a hamstring injury.
"If I was St Mirren, I'd be aggrieved as well," conceded the Celtic coach Tommy Burns. "Sometimes things go for you, sometimes they don't."
