Andreas Hinkel grabbed his first goal for Celtic as the Clydesdale Bank Premier League title race was spiced up at Parkhead.
Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, Scott McDonald and Hinkel were all on the scoresheet in a 3-0 win against Hearts to slash Rangers' lead at the top of the table to a single point ahead of their trip to Kilmarnock on Sunday.
The victory also ensured Celtic's fine form continued ahead of the visit of Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
Patrick Cregg and Scott Arfield both struck twice in a convincing 4-0 win for Falkirk as St Mirren goalkeeper Mark Howard had an afternoon to forget in his first league start for the Buddies.
The former Arsenal keeper gave away two cheap goals in the second half to allow the home side to post a convincing win.
Falkirk went ahead through Arfield in the sixth minute, and after he doubled their lead after 58 minutes, Cregg's double made it a drubbing.
Substitute Markus Paatelainen came off the bench to rescue a deserved 1-1 draw for Inverness in a tight game when Dundee United looked set to steal all three points.
Prince Buaben had given United a 68th-minute lead when the midfielder benefited from a strong run and cross by Noel Hunt, who had replaced Mark de Vries at the interval.
But Inverness made sure their hard work did not prove to be in vain when Roy McBain's cross found Paatelainen via a touch from Graham Bayne and the Finn provided a fine finish.
Ross McCormack scored two second-half goals as Motherwell battled to a 3-1 victory over bottom side Gretna.
Chris Porter opened the scoring midway through the first half for the visiting landlords at Fir Park just after Brendan McGill had lofted a shot onto the roof of the net, and McCormack made it 2-0 two minutes after the restart.
McGill immediately reduced the deficit but Gretna were unable to find an equaliser despite giving Motherwell a series of late scares, and McCormack cashed in with an impressive late lob.
Hibernian and Aberdeen face each other at Easter Road on Sunday.
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