Five-star Rangers go into international break on a high

RANGERS have moved into pole position in the Premiership title race after a 5-0 win over Hamilton Academical at Ibrox.

Steven Gerrard’s side took full advantage of Celtic’s draw with Hibernian last weekend as they dispatched Aberdeen in style, and it was the same scenario this time around after their Old Firm rivals were shocked by Livingston earlier on Sunday.

Jermain Defoe hit a hat-trick and Connor Goldson and Borna Barisic were also on target on a pleasing afternoon for boss Gerrard and the Ibrox crowd as Rangers hit five for the second consecutive weekend.

Defoe had the hosts ahead after just seven minutes. The pass from Greg Stewart was exquisite and Defoe dinked the ball over keeper Owain Fon Williams to net for the 10th time this term.

He would complete his hat-trick with two strikes in eight second half minutes, and the game was well won for Rangers by that time as they produced a commanding performance to bounce back from the Europa League defeat in Bern on Thursday night.

It took Rangers until after the half hour mark to double their advantage but it was worth the wait as Goldson and James Tavernier combined. The centre-half started the move with a pass wide and then continued his run into the Accies area.

His captain swung in a lovely cross from the right and the header was powerful and well placed. Fon Williams had no chance and the points were secured before the break as Accies feared what would come.

At the interval, Ibrox roared in appreciation once again. It was for a former hero this time around as Paul Gascoigne returned to take the acclaim of supporters and the Light Blues legend was given a rousing reception.

A chorus of ‘we shall not be moved’ rung around the ground after Barisic had curled home a sweetly struck free-kick to make it 3-0 after an hour.

It was then time for Defoe to take centre stage again. His second saw him collect a Steven Davis pass, spin away from Brian Easton and finish low across goal.

And the hat-trick was secured with an instinctive finish as he found himself in the right place at the right time after Fon Williams had saved from Stewart. Chris Jack