Scottish Premier League leaders Rangers turned on the power to crush Hearts 4-0 at Tynecastle but Celtic stayed hot on their heels with a less convincing 2-1 victory over Inverness.

Jean-Claude Darcheville opened the scoring for Rangers on 25 minutes with a low angled drive after being put through by Barry Ferguson's neat flick.

Darcheville added a second just before the break when he reacted quickest in the six-yard box after Christian Dailly headed a far-post corner back across goal.

The Frenchman was taken off at half-time but the Jambos got no respite as his replacement Nacho Novo made it 3-0 eight minutes after the break.

The Spaniard made it four 20 minutes from time with a cheeky back-heel as the home side crumbled.

Scott McDonald scored with the last kick of the first half to give Celtic a precious lead over Inverness after Georgios Samaras and Aiden McGeady had early efforts saved by Michael Fraser.

Shunsuke Nakamura curled in a free-kick from wide on the right and McDonald pounced to knock the ball over the line from close range.

Samaras made up for his earlier misses by grabbing the Bhoys' second on the hour mark with a towering header, but the tension was turned up at Parkhead when Marius Niculae burst through the middle and slotted coolly past keeper Artur Boruc 15 minutes from time.

Third-placed Motherwell slipped 16 points behind the Old Firm after being held 1-1 at lowly Aberdeen, while Hibernian rekindled European hopes with a 2-0 victory at Falkirk.

Dundee United stay fourth despite dropping points in a 1-1 home draw with St Mirren.

Bottom club Gretna revitalised their season with a 4-2 win over relegation rivals Kilmarnock.