McInnes blows job interview
Slick show could help take heat off chairman at club’s AGM
Jason Holt and Ryan Jack in the centre of midfield.
Jack revelled in his first appearance against his former club but it was Holt who was the game’s most eye-catching performer and he won the penalty converted by Tavernier after only eight minutes.
Windass was industrious and kid Ross McCrorie, anchoring the centre of midfield, put in another performance of such assuredness in challenging circumstances it defied his tender years.
There was even a rare start for Carlos Pena, who was peripheral for the most part, but laced a couple of passes behind the Dons defence and showed his eye for goal to round off a super move for the second on 27 minutes.
Rangers survived a few anxious moments early in the second half when a goal from the Dons would surely have turned the boisterous, feelgood atmosphere on its head.
But on a night when their players wore rainbow laces to support players and fans from the LGBT community, Rangers were carefree, eventually playing with a kaleidoscopic colour so often missing against top-six rivals this campaign.
Tavernier settled any jitters with a third from eight yards on 70 minutes after another fine, sweeping move down the right-hand side and the red card for on-loan Celt Ryan Christie for his second bookable offence six minutes from time allowed the blue corner of Glasgow to gloat still further.
King looked on from the directors’ box, sitting alongside Alastair Johnston and John Greig, and with Celtic faltering at Fir Park there may even have been Ranger fans leaving Ibrox last night believing a title race might even be on the cards.
That’s optimistic – and then some. King may find his audience a little easier this morning on the back of this result but he’s still got to convince in words and actions that supporters will be toasting his stewardship and not drowning their sorrows.