Tavernier has legend Greig’s tally in sight
BEYOND the obvious influences of ambition and relentless practice, t her e is a nother f actor driving on James Tavernier in his extraordinary scoring exploits.
Sharing a laugh with John Greig has, it seems, become something of an inspiration for the Ibrox right-back. And more goals are required if he is to claim a jocular piece of one-upmanship on the man voted the Greatest Ever Ranger.
Taverni e r has been nothing short of a revelation since arriving at Ibrox from Wigan this summer. On Saturday, another expertly-dispatched free-kick delivered his ninth strike of the season — and provided a hotlydisputed turning point as Rangers made it nine wins from nine in the Championship.
The actual award of the free-kick so incensed Falkirk manager Peter Houston that he has been reported to t he SFA by r eferee John McKendrick for the language he used.
Less open to debate was the quality Tavernier again displayed. The 23-year-old may only nominally be a defender i n Mark Warburton’s front-foot system, but to arrive at such a tally in early October is little short of phenomenal.
To put the figure into some context, he has now matched the haul former Scotland striker Kenny Miller managed for Rangers over the entirety of last season.
With three-quarters of the current campaign still to run, Tavernier remains reluctant to predict how many goals he might record before May. But chatting with Greig about the legend’s own scoring feats from midfield and defence has created one target.
The 73-year-old has again become a familiar face on match- days at Ibrox in recent months, having s t ayed away while previous boardroom regimes were in control.
‘I’m having a little bit of banter with John Greig,’ revealed a smiling Tavernier. ‘He says he scored 12 goals (in a season), so I’m kind of after that record and beating him, because we have good banter together.
‘It’s a bonus if I score. Obviously, I’m delighted when I do so, but it’s all about helping the team.’
His assistance on Saturday proved essential. Falkirk looked poised to maintain their unbeaten record in the Championship after a magnificent Will Vaulks’ strike had wiped out an expertly-crafted opener from Dean Shiels.
Parity remained with nine minutes to go, when McKendrick penalised Tom Taiwo for a challenge on Nicky Law around 22 yards out.
The referee apparently viewed the follow-through after taking the ball as Taiwo’s offence.
‘A shocking decision,’ was Houston’s angry verdict. ‘For me, the referee has cost us a couple of points.
‘The Rangers bench and backroom staff were having a right pop at the referee going up the tunnel at half-time about giving them nothing.
‘He certainly gave them something in the second half. You wonder if pressure like that has got to the referee, I don’t know. I went in to see him. He is reporting me to the association for my language.’
Ibrox counterpart Warburton dismissed Houston’s theory and insisted McKendrick had also given a number of decisions against the hosts. The referee’s overall display was undoubtedly perplexing.
As it was, Tavernier swept the free-kick around the defensive wall, which could have been better placed, before fellow full-back Lee Wallace lashed home an injury-time clincher.
‘There was a lot of pressure taking the free-kick,’ admitted Tavernier. ‘Before it, Andy (Halliday) said to me: “Just produce some magic”.
‘I’m just happy that it went in. The skipper then finished it off with another goal.
‘Falkirk are probably the hardestworking team we have played against and they had a great record coming into this match.
‘So we are just really happy we got the win and made it maximum points with nine wins from nine.’
The move which led to Shiels’ third-minute goal was exquisite but rarely repeated and it was not the fluid football with which Rangers have entertained this season.
Tavernier, though, feels they showed another side to their game.
‘One hundred per cent,’ he argued. ‘If you watched the English Premier League last season and saw Chelsea, sometimes you have to win ugly and really dig deep. That brings out the champions.
‘I’m just happy we can find ways to win games. Hopefully, that can help us through the season, because it won’t always be pretty.
‘We have a lot of work still to do. Now we have the momentum, we can’t let anything slip.’
On a day of sweet finishes, the sweetest of them all was by Vaulks. The Falkirk midfielder’s first-time bullet, after a corner was only partially cleared, prompted a spectacular somersaulting celebration. Yet that joy had vanished come full-time.
‘Obviously it’s nice to score a goal like that but we feel a bit robbed,’ said Vaulks. ‘It’s hard to see how that was a foul for the second goal.
‘Referees make these decisions and I’m sure it will even out over the season, but we are disappointed.
‘Right now, my goal means nothing. But, at the time, it was a great feeling.’