THE COFFIN The Wright stuff: Brave approach pays off
cross fell just inside the area, Kamberi swung his right boot and made a connected perfectly as the ball flew beyond Clark and into the top corner of the net.
It shouldn’t have taken this long, but Rangers had found their spark. Tavernier should have scored at the back post, while Morelos was denied by Clark on the angle.
Rangers had more purpose about them with two through the middle but St Johnstone still carried a threat of their own. The game was there to be won, but neither ultimately could.
Gerrard had McGregor to thank as he made a terrific stop with his foot after May flicked on Anthony Ralston’s low cross. When Rangers broke, the move twice came to a premature end as Kamberi and then Morelos were thwarted.
Within minutes, the turnaround was completed – for now. Katic knocked the ball down the line and Kamberi spun Kerr and burst towards goal.
Aribo had advanced from his left-back berth and rounded off the move with a deft finish that gave Rangers the lead with just 20 minutes to go.
Gerrard had introduced Steven Davis and Greg Stewart as Rangers looked to see it out but the hosts capitalised on yet more shambolic defending. It started with Goldson and Katic failing to clear a long ball and ended with May scrambling home from a corner as Rangers had to regroup for another effort at salvaging the points.
Kamberi had the ball in the net late on but referee Willie Collum ruled it out for handball. That was as close as Rangers would come.
There was no great escape in Perth. There will be none in the Premiership, either.
TOMMY WRIGHT was pleased his gamble paid off in Perth as St Johnstone clinched a point against Rangers.
The Northern Irishman was rewarded for his attacking line-up as the hosts caused Steven Gerrard’s side problems throughout a competitive affair on Sunday.
Callum Hendry saw his early strike cancelled out by Florian Kamberi before Joe Aribo nudged the visitors in front, but Stevie May struck with 10 minutes remaining to earn a share of the spoils.
Rangers boss Gerrard was hugely critical of a sloppy defensive showing from his players but Wright reckons the point was a just reward for the way his side equipped themselves.
He said: “When you put that much into the game, and we rode our luck at times, but we worked hard to get an important point.
“It would have been easy for the heads to go down at 2-1 but our performance had character. We have shown that in the last few months. We were written off and maybe rightly so in November when we were bottom of the table.
“That is two defeats in 15 and to come back against a good side was pleasing. They have responded to what we have wanted.
“We took a gamble with the two up front as it leaves us short in midfield but we worked hard to be narrow and compact. A lot of centre-backs are used to just one striker these days.
“The gamble for us paid off. No defender likes to be turned and run towards their own goal. The way a lot of the top teams play is pressing the full-backs high and play two against two.
“We thought we could get some joy from that and I am pleased that happened. In the first half we played better but Rangers asked us questions in the second.”
Chris Jack