Mail on Sunday

[ Hibernian Threw Rangers an Unexpected Lifeline in the Title Race... ]

Prayer by Carol Ann Duffy

Someone had been fiddling with the radio so that, instead of classical music, I was in the middle of the Daily Service. Before I could reach the button to change station, the voice started one of those prayers so familiar to me from years of dusty school assemblies that I found myself slipping into its verbal groove quite effortlessly.

Special Sproule ; Former Part-Time Engineer Puts the Spanner in Celtic's Title Ambitions in a Parkhead Shocker

A PART-TIME engineer up until four months ago, Ivan Sproule became a fulltime pain in Celtic's championship side yesterday. The 24-year-old was one of three inspirational Northern Irish substitutions made by Tony Mowbray which turned a game poised at 1- 1 into a shock victory for Hibernian at Parkhead.

Celtic Torpedoed by Sub Attack ; Mowbray's Late Changes Sink Celtic and Reopen the Title Chase

CELTIC 1 Beattie (59) HIBS 3 O'Connor (7), Sproule (79), Scott Brown (81) TAKE that - and don't party. A quick-fire second-half double from Tony Mowbray's brilliant upstarts yesterday did more than dump the debate about where Celtic would be having their title celebrations.

Sutton Admits His Old Legs Are Struggling to Keep the Pace

CHRIS SUTTON has insisted Celtic's Dads' Army will keep soldiering on indefinitely, but he can't deny it's getting harder every year to keep producing the goods at Parkhead. More than half of the current first team are over the age of 30, and 32-year-old Sutton was forced on to the sidelines for yesterday's battle with Hibs after a season curtailed by injury.

Mcintyre an Ace Once Again As United Reach the Security Zone ; Jim Makes It Derby Delight for Chisholm but Duffy Is Left Suffering

DUNDEE 1 Lovell (64 pen) DUNDEE UTD Wilson (52), McIntyre (70)

Wilson Reckons He Was Due Some Luck at Dens

MARK WILSON last night admitted he got lucky with the goal which set Dundee United up for derby victory - but reckons he deserved his break after the injustice he suffered on his last visit to Dens Park. Wilson's trundling firsthalf free-kick bobbled and evaded both Dundee skipper Barry Smith and goalkeeper Derek Soutar en route to the net as United forged ahead in a match they eventually won 2-1.

Marshall Saves the Day As Hearts Finally Kiss Europe Goodbye

HEARTS 0 MOTHERWELL 0 THIS drab, end-of-season draw means that Hearts have failed to register a victory over Motherwell during a campaign for the first time since 1993/94.

O'brien Is the Livvy Enforcer As Gough Men Step Clear and Hand Dire Pars Bottom Place

LIVINGSTON O'Brien (31), McPake (74) DUNFERMLINE 0 LIVINGSTON BURTON O'BRIEN'S international future may be clouded in uncertainty but the South African-born midfielder was clear in his intent yesterday. O'Brien took it upon himself to deliver yet another crushing blow to Dunfermline's hopes of survival in the SPL in front of a crowd of 5,700.

Leven Is Spot On to Snatch It for Killie As Caley Fall Foul of the Law

1 INVERNESS CT Tokely (pen, 27) 2 KILMARNOCK McDonald (20), Leven (pen, 72)

Watt's Warriors Grind Out the Clincher

1 STRANRAER Jenkins (42) 1 MORTON Weatherson (40)

Rebel has a Four-Letter Rant at Blair

A REBEL Labour MP was involved in an extraordinary row last night after claims that he delivered a tirade of abuse against Tony Blair. Jeff Ennis is said to have called the Prime Minister a 'complete c***' and a 'bastard' in a discussion over the MP's leading role in last year's Labour revolt over tuition fees.

Lib-Dem Lady Who Was a Man

AS THE Liberal Democrat candidate for a South-West London constituency, Stephanie Dearden has launched her campaign based on the twin values of honesty and integrity. But on her website she has been slightly economical with the truth about one detail she used to be a man.

Leftwing Mp No2 'in Threat to Defect'

A SECOND leftwing Labour MP has threatened to defect to the Liberal Democrats, it was claimed last night. Antiwar MP Bob Marshall-Andrews, a close friend of Brian Sedgemore, who joined the Lib-Dems last week, is reported to have told colleagues he is so fed up with New Labour that he may do the same.

Robbed of Our Democratic Right to an Election Which Is Relevant to Scotland

NO matter what happens in Thursday's vote, we already know one result of Election 2005. Scots will be entitled to say: 'We wuz robbed.' Robbed of a genuine General Election. Deprived of a decent debate on the national issues. Denied the chance to challenge and question the candidates and party spokesmen.

Sisterhood Descend in the Oddest Poll I've Ever Seen

WELCOME to the Redditch Unpopularity Contest. Things are so bad here for Labour's Jacqui Smith that the skies over this Worcestershire new town are dark with Government heavyweights, parachuting in to offer her their support. Miss Smith, the pinkjacketed embodiment of Blairite orthodoxy, is defending a majority of 2,484 which would be hard in a good year. It is not a good year. The Prime Minister has been twice, Gordon Brown, David Blunkett, John Prescott and even the usually submerged Geoff ...

Change of Hearts ; Inner Turmoil has Reigned Supreme at Tynecastle This Season ... But You Won't Find Pressley Using Excuses

HOW easily people forget. One look at the SPL league table would suggest Hearts' standards have slipped this season. European football will not be on the agenda, in the maroon half of Edinburgh at least, for the first time in three seasons as John Robertson's men languish off the pace in fifth place with three games to go. Even by the standards of this club, which rarely seems to be far from turmoil, the off-field problems this term have been exceptional and the disruption immeasurable. Chang...

My Best and Worst Moments ; Maurice Malpas Former Scotland and Dundee United Defender

WINNING THE SCOTTISH CUP, 1994 WINNING the League at Dens Park ... getting to the semi-finals of the European Cup against Roma ... beating Barcelona on our way to the Final of the UEFA Cup.

Cream of the Crop ; Lampard Is a Hero yet Again As Mourinho's Men Clinch the Championship

IT WAS beginning to feel like a crown of thorns; and then, as if destiny beckoned him forward for the season's most triumphal act, Frank Lampard erased 50 years of hurt for Chelsea. His athleticism, disciplined mind and calmness of purpose duly delivered goals in the 60th and 76th minutes; and with them, the game's blue bloods at last had their championship.

Camara Comes Off the Bench to Settle a Thriller

WHEN the passionate din of an astonishing afternoon reluctantly subsided, Southampton were clutching a solid chance of Premiership survival, while Norwich were left to contemplate the cruellest fate. A day which gave us a bewildering feast of pantomime drama was decided two minutes from time by a single flash of inspiration from a second-half substitute.