Velicka keeps Gers in hunt

Andrius Velicka and Kris Boyd scored to give Rangers a 2-0 victory over Hearts yesterday to keep the pressure on Celtic in the Scottish Premier League title race.

Velicka fired home from close range in the final minute of the first half after Boyd had headed on a corner by Steven Smith. It was the Lithuanian striker's fourth goal in four games and came against his former club.

Boyd scored his 30th league and cup goal of the season in the 89th minute to dash any hope of a Hearts comeback. Davis found Miller on the far right and he teed up the shot for his fellow striker to bundle over the line from close range. Rangers remain a point behind Celtic, who won 3-1 at Aberdeen on Saturday. Celtic have 77 points from 34 games and Rangers 76 ahead of next week's crunch Old Firm derby.

Hearts stay third with 54 points, two more than Dundee United, who won 2-1 at Hibernian on Saturday.