SUPER 8 SHOW WING AT IBROX

... and hosts could have scored more as Accies capitulate

IT has been obvious for some time now that Rangers would give one of their Premiership rivals a bit of a doing. But surely even manager Steven Gerrard would not have expected this, as Hamilton found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time and on the end of an Ibrox embarrassment.

This was a contest in name only as Rangers ran riot to restore their nine- point lead over Celtic at the top of the Premiership and boost their goal difference.

Scott Arfield opened the scoring, Kemar Roofe, Joe Aribo and James Tavernier hit two each and Brandon Barker got in on the act. It was ruthless and relentless from Rangers.

This will serve as a warning to the rest of the Premiership as well. Accies were the unfortunate ones here, but it would be no surprise if Rangers are similarly as dominant again in the coming months.

There are few criticisms that can be put towards Gerrard’s side this term but their lack of goals, relatively speaking of course, is one. Given how impressive Rangers have been, and how many attacking options they have, there has been a frustration at the margins that Rangers have won by this season.

That may be nit- picking when the results speak for themselves, both in the Premiership and Europa League, but Rangers should have been far more comfortable winners in so many games. This, then, was just what was expected and required as they recorded their biggest victory during Gerrard’s reign.

Given the exertions of their Europa League draw with Benfica in midweek, it was no surprise to see the manager make a handful of changes to his starting line- up. Those alterations, as they have done throughout the campaign, do not impact on the style or efficiency of Rangers, though. The football the hosts played at times was sublime and Hamilton had no answer. The speed of movement and passing put Rangers on a different level and the only disappointment was that the Ibrox crowd were not there to enjoy the action.

The points were secured as soon as Rangers broke the deadlock. Three goals in three minutes left Brian Rice’s side defeated and demoralised and they were fortunate to only be four down at the break.

It would have taken some convincing from Rice to get his players back out of the away dressing room. A fixture that would have carried a fair amount of dread beforehand, turned into just the sort of outing Hamilton did not need.

Rangers had already carved out three decent chances before they opened the scoring and Accies would shoot themselves in the foot. Hakeen Odoffin and Ben Stirling conspired to present the ball to Jermain Defoe and the rest was simple

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for Rangers as Ryan Kent squared for Arfield and Gerrard’s side were off and running. Hamilton barely had time to compose themselves before Rangers’ lead was doubled. Tavernier got the assist and Roofe nodded a wellplaced header beyond Ryan Fulton.

It was now a case of how many Rangers would win by. Aribo would get the third and fourth with clinical finishes from both sides of the area. Kent and Roofe were the providers and while both strikes were deflected, that took nothing away from the skill and quality involved in the build- up or the execution. The goals were well deserved for Aribo in a wonderful firsthalf showing.

The interval provided Hamilton with respite but Rangers, with Calvin Bassey on as left- back and Bongani

Zungu making his debut in midfield, picked up where they left off and it was 5- 0 within 10 minutes of the re- start. Defoe could not convert Kent’s cross at the back post but more haphazard Hamilton defending allowed Roofe to score from close range.

It was 6- 0 when Barker rounded off a lovely move that saw Bassey find Defoe and the striker set up Barker for a low strike beyond Fulton.

Defoe was involved again as Odoffin fouled him inside the area and Tavernier stepped up, dispatched the penalty and Rangers were seven ahead.

Not content with one, the Ibrox skipper soon got another. Roofe was denied his hattrick by Fulton but Tavernier reacted quickest to score from the re- bound as Rangers had double digits in their sights. They would not get there but that mattered not. If you were being ultra- critical, and with tongue firmly in cheek, they really should have scored more.