THAT WAS DEFO VITAL
Alfie’s no More-loss as Jermain keep Gers on Hoops’ coat-tails
STEVEN GERRARD pounded the pavement with a pre-match run before Jermain Defoe ensured his Rangers side kept pace with Celtic at the Premiership summit.
The performance against stuffy St Mirren might not have done much to cure the Ibrox gaffer’s boredom from the Scottish Cup win over Stranraer but it was job done and that’s all that matters at this stage.
A year ago today the Light Blues slipped up in their first game after the winter break at Kilmarnock and that prove costly in the title race.
Gers dropped five points in their first five games after the shutdown and with Celtic making sure of the win at Rugby Park it was vital they dropped nothing ahead of a trip to Tynecastle on Sunday.
And with Alfredo Morelos serving the second of a three-game ban it was Defoe who proved the difference with his 16th goal of the season, underlining what a vital role the veteran striker will have to play.
Gerrard was captured out for a run along the River Clyde just hours before the game. But it was his team who huffed and puffed on what was a nervy night at times while they only had Defoe’s goal to show against Jim Goodwin’s stubborn side.
Young Nathan Patterson dropped back to the bench despite his impressive debut showing against Stranraer as Gerrard went with the experience of Jon Flanagan.
That was one of only two changes – Defoe for Morelos the other one – from the side that started the Old Firm victory 24 days previously.
Buddies boss Goodwin joked he planned to park not one but two buses. He wasn’t kidding as his side adopted an ultra-defensive set-up and an uphill task got even bigger with less than seven minutes on the clock when Kyle Magennis was stretchered off.
The Saints captain was replaced by Ilkay Durmus but it’s the last thing Goodwin needed here or with some crucial games coming up in their relegation battle.
Rangers’ support rose to their feet in the 13th minute as the crowd held a minute’s applause for Ayden Cochrane, 13, who lost his cystic fibrosis battle earlier this week.
The fans had been quiet to that point and it was a frustrating first half-hour as Gers struggled to find a way through that packed defence.
Niko Katic had a header over from Ryan Kent’s corner before Kent played a neat one-two with Joe Aribo to send him clear but Vaclav Hladky saved well with his feet.
The home side continued to press before Connor Goldson had a penalty claim turned down by Nick Walsh after furiously protesting Akin Famewo pulled his shirt as they contested a Borna Barisic corner.
But Rangers didn’t have to wait much longer as the breakthrough finally arrived 11 minutes before the break and it was Barisic – whose season was transformed with his winning goal when these sides last met – with the assist.
A headed clearance landed at the Croat. He fizzed a low ball into the box that deflected off Junior Morias and into Defoe’s path for the striker to drive home.
That was enough to calm any nerves, especially as news had filtered through of Celtic taking the lead at Kilmarnock, and Gers were unlucky not to double their lead
before the break. Again it was Barisic with a teasing delivery from a corner.
Goldson headed down towards Aribo but Famewo stuck his leg out and was fortunate the ball went straight into the arms of Hladky.
While Gerrard’s men never looked like conceding, goal difference could be a factor with the title race so tight.
Steven Davis was the first to try his luck in the second half but the Northern Ireland captain’s shot from distance was well off target.
Flanagan was first into whistler Walsh’s book after the full-back’s late foul on Durmus. But from the free-kick another St Mirren attack simply broke down.
It was a night where the Light Blues lacked any real creativity and it was no surprise to see Scott Arfield introduced for the latter stages with Glen Kamara making way.
With just over 15 minutes left there was a first real heart-stopping moment for the home side when
Conor McCarthy got on the end of Cammy MacPherson’s freekick but headed just wide.
It added to the growing nerves inside the stadium, knowing one goal would have been a blow to the home side’s title chances.
At the other end Barisic had a shot from distance as the clocked ticked down. But Hladky comfortably held.
The Czech keeper had to be on his toes late on with sub Sheyi Ojo looping an effort just wide before the Buddies No.1 got down to make a low save from Arfield.
Hladky came up for a corner in the final minute of injury time as Ibrox held its breath but it was cleared before Gers raced away for a final attack. But they couldn’t find that second goal as Defoe’s shot was saved.