Dons just didn’t do enough for Derek
DEREK MCINNES admits Aberdeen got what they deserved as they crashed to a 3-0 defeat at Ibrox.
The Dons missed the chance to extend their advantage over Rangers in the Premiership standings as a James Tavernier double, the first from the spot, and Carlos Pena strike clinched a comfortable win for Graeme Murty’s side.
A late red card for Ryan Christie added to McInnes’s woes as he turns his attentions to the rematch at Pittodrie on Sunday afternoon.
And the Reds boss was disappointed with a poor performance as his side failed to fire against an under-pressure Light Blues outfit.
McInnes said: “It was a sore one. We got what we deserved.
“We spoke about quietening the crowd at the start of the game, put pressure onto the Rangers players after the couple of results they’ve had, but we gave them the complete opposite, we gave them a life.
“It was a needless penalty to give away. We need to show more restraint there and awareness. It helped get their crowd into it.
“I thought the Rangers players were brighter than us, showed more energy than us in the middle of the park. They won more headers, they were more aggressive – everything I expected from my own team to be honest.
“We get to half-time 2-0 down and I did think there was still a result there for us, if we could get the next goal and go on and win the second half. I thought we were far better, in terms of personally the shape was better and we took on more responsibility.
“People might say that it doesn’t matter if it’s 2-0 or 3-0- but it’s such a poor decision by the linesman because he [Tavernier] is a couple of yards offside when he puts the ball in the net. These linesmen should be accountable.
“Losing 3-0 doesn’t matter in terms of the points but I thought it was harsh to lose the second-half.
“Ryan got himself sent off, foolishly, so it wasn’t the greatest evenings for us. We just need to dust ourselves down, look for a reverse on Sunday and the right result for us.” AT IBROX NCE again, threein-a-row has evaded Rangers. This time, it was welcomed, however.
The hat-trick of defeats has been avoided and three points has been earned. Graeme Murty and his players may feel that one has been proven as well.
This meeting with Aberdeen had stood out on the fixture list for some time but the talk of Derek McInnes potentially returning to Ibrox and successive Premiership defeats had added layers of intrigue ahead of the Light Blues’ Annual General Meeting.
Rangers had been written off in many quarters. The narrative changed to a positive one at Ibrox, though, as two goals from James Tavernier and one from Carlos Pena earned Murty’s side a significant and thoroughly deserved victory.
The aftermath of the defeats to Hamilton and Dundee haven’t made for pleasant reading for Murty, his players or the Ibrox board as anger levels amongst supporters have reached a crescendo. This one was a must-win for a whole host of reasons.
Murty didn’t get the reaction he demanded from his players at Dens Park on Friday night but Rangers certainly stormed out of the traps this time around.
The i nterim boss had tweaked his formation as Bruno Alves and Pena returned to the side, with Ross McCrorie moving forward into a holding midfield role. It is one the youngster performed whilst on loan at Dumbarton last term, but this was a far tougher test under the Ibrox floodlights. He passed with flying colours.
It was Rangers who had all the attacking intent early on as McInnes’s side were pegged back in their own half and
Ocreated very little. Against a team many viewed as there for the taking, it was a strangely subdued approach from the Dons. Josh Windass almost had the Gers ahead inside the opening minute as he threw himself at a Tavernier cross f rom the right. He couldn’t connect or convert.
But Rangers didn’t need to wait long for their goal and it was Tavernier that got it as he slotted home from 12 yards.
WHISTLER Andrew Dallas had no choice but to award a penalty when Greg Tansey wiped out Jason Holt and Tavernier’s strike was straight down the middle as keeper Joe Lewis went to his right.
It was a dream start for Rangers and Lewis had to make a flying save to deny Pena as he found space 25 yards out and rifled a shot towards goal. The keeper was beaten by Windass minutes later, but the offside flag denied him a goal.
It was another let-off for Aberdeen but it wasn’t one they could make the most of as Rangers doubled their tally before the half-hour mark. It was more than deserved.
Holt, the stand-out performer in the first half, provided the assist from the right this time and Pena marked his return to the team with a clinical finish as he found space inside the area and beat Lewis with a low shot into the corner of the net.
The sight and sound of Ibrox in full voice has been a rare one this season but the Light Blue legions finally had a performance to be encouraged with as Aberdeen were left with a mountain to climb.
It was far from the showing McInnes and the travelling Dons suppo r t would have expected but there were plenty of positives for Murty in the opposite dugout.
The game would have been beyond Aberdeen if Lewis hadn’t rushed from his line to deny Windass and that save ensured McInnes’ side still had a chance despite being outplayed for the first half hour.
Rangers scrambled the ball clear after Ryan Christie whipped in a free-kick, while Stevie May had a low effort from an Andy Considine cross.
Just before the whistle, Gary Mackay-Steven, on for Tansey seconds before, saw appeals for a penalty waved away by Dallas. The winger was furious with the decision and was booked for sprinting after the referee to stress his case.
Mackay-Steven was booed by the home crowd when he got on the ball just after the restart but Rangers cleared his cross before Anthony O’Connor fired wide from distance.
Aberdeen were more competitive and showing more attacking intent but it was Rangers that had the best chance before the hour mark as Danny Wilson flicked a Windass corner into the arms of Lewis.
TENSIONS began to rise as the card count steadily increased. The finishing line was edging ever nearer for Rangers but the job wasn’t complete just yet.
Murty made his first change as Daniel Candeias replaced Carlos Pena and the Light Blues looked to see the game out.
It was to prove a comfortable last 20 minutes, though, as Tavernier got his second of the night to secure the points and give Murty something to cheer after a tough fortnight.
Windass had made the most