PEDRO OUT

PREMIERSHIP LIVE Love is all around as Gers show unity to crush Accies and give their boss a boost

THERE was to be no Hangover after Las Vegas but the wild celebrations told the story of a team spirit that burns stronger than the Bellagio’s best bourbon.

After a traumatic week for Rangers saw striker Kenny Miller exiled to the Under-20s amid reports of acrimony and a split within the dressing room, this was the win boss Pedro Caixinha needed so badly.

Even more so when he watched in horror as his side got off to a nightmare start less than a minute in.

But these are the times when you find out who’s for you and against you – and with three goals in just six minutes the under-fire Rangers manager got his answer plus a whole lot of love to go with it.

Cynics will say it’s no surprise Daniel Candeias made a big show of running to the dugout to embrace his Portuguese countryman to celebrate adding a third goal to Declan John’s tasty double.

But there was genuine joy in the mass love-in as every blue shirt on the pitch followed in to savour the moment.

After a week when Caixinha bizarrely compared his angry post-Old Firm meeting with his players to a holiday in Las Vegas – where whatever drama unfolds must be kept strictly within city limits – this couldn’t have been a more public declaration of support.

And what that means for the future of Miller – bombed out as an indication Caixinha believes him to be the mole who divulged details of that meeting – could be a permanent loss of a Rangers shirt.

It was an intriguing wait for Caixinha’s team lines to discover if any other homegrown players would suffer in the fallout from Monday’s meeting.

Despite copping a hefty share of the manager’s fury during that Old Firm post-mortem, Graham Dorrans kept his place and the captain’s armband, no doubt with strict instructions not to be handing it over to anyone else.

The only change from the team that started against Celtic was the addition of fit-again John for Lee Hodson.

Hamilton were also looking to bounce back after three straight defeats against Celtic, Hearts and St Johnstone.

The suspension of midfield enforcer Darian Mackinnon didn’t help their cause, nor did the loss of keeper Gary Woods, having horrendously suffered a lacerated kidney by falling heavily in the travelling support relished the most. The Portuguese made a beeline for the away dugout, followed hot on his heels by a tidal wave of blue shirts, as he gathered up Caixinha and his staff in one mass group hug of togetherness.

If it were any other team you would have called it a huddle – but whatever word you use it was the unspoken nature of the gesture that screamed loudest.

Accies battled to get back in it, a little too much in Docherty’s case with a 33rd-minute booking for fouling Pena.

But a 25-yard drive by Redmond, turned away by Foderingham, served warning it was far too early to get the party started just yet.

The second half brought an early twist with Ryan Jack copping bookings either side of a disallowed goal for Pena literally offering James Tavernier’s shot a helping hand into the net.

Jack’s first yellow card was well deserved for a foul on Ali Crawford. So to then get his timing so badly wrong just seven minutes later in a clumsy clip on Docherty was naive at best. A clear second booking and a red card that could have gifted Accies a lifeline.

If only kamikaze defender Alex Gogic hadn’t tossed it away again with a 59th-minute moment of madness.

Bad enough his passback was woefully short but to compound his error by hauling down sub Jason Holt for a clear penalty was unforgivable.

Gogic was lucky not to see red just to complete the unholy trinity or mistakes that cost his side – but the damage was done as Dorrans stepped up to clip a casual finish from the spot down the middle.

Game over. Gers could even afford the luxury of a rash tackle by rookie Ross McCrorie gifting a penalty to Accies sub Botti Biabi.

Bingham’s effort from the spot was saved by Foderingham and another good stop thwarted Steven Boyd before the clock wound down to the inevitable.

Gers will enjoy this one, maybe too much with the international break starting. But how wild that party gets we’ll never truly know.

After all, some things are to be kept strictly between the lads.