THIS TIME IT’S A PERFECT TEN
Rangers show plenty of steel to shrug off early McCrorie red card and keep St Mirren at bay
THIS time, there was no dose of the blues to follow a first-half red card. The first Premiership win of Steven Gerrard’s tenure was duly secured despite a second successive weekend of depletion.
Ross McCrorie’s 31st-minute dismissal for a last-man challenge on Saints debutant Nicolai Brock-Madsen left Rangers back in a familiar, if unwelcome, position.
They had impressively battled their way through 78 minutes with ten men at Pittodrie seven days previously before the bitter blow of conceding a stoppage-time equaliser. In truth, though, a similar outcome never looked likely here.
Already 2-0 to the good, Rangers negotiated the best part of an hour without being breached by their newly-promoted opponents.
The tougher mentality the Ibrox manager is demanding from his squad was exhibited in the relative lack of stress encountered on the way to banking all three points.
Gerrard had felt the ‘world was against’ his side following the controversial early red card shown to Alfredo Morelos in that opening draw at Pittodrie. It was a decision Rangers swiftly appealed. And here we saw the value of having it overturned by an SFA panel as Morelos made maximum use of his reprieve from suspension.
A 14th-minute opener crowned a line-leading display full of energy from the Colombian. Ibrox rose to acclaim his contribution when he made way for Umar Sadiq late in the second period.
A first Rangers goal for Connor Goldson also arrived midway through the first half to give Rangers sufficient breathing space before McCrorie walked. Gerrard admitted referee Don Robertson had got that decision spot-on as he reminded his players of the need for on-field composure.
Buoyed by a strong debut from Borna Barisic, signed in a £1.5million deal from Osijek last week, the Liverpool legend finds his team a point above Celtic in the embryonic Premiership standings.
Of greater significance right now, however, is Thursday’s Europa League qualifier second leg against Maribor in Slovenia. Confidence in defending a 3-1 lead has surely only been bolstered by the durability shown here.
As a player, Gerrard went head-to-head with Alan Stubbs in numerous Merseyside derbies. He can now enjoy the bragging rights as manager but, while Saints were unable to offer sufficient incision when it mattered, these are not the afternoons that will decide their fate.
Gerrard had praised the second half of Thursday’s first leg against Maribor as the most effective 45 minutes yet from his side. Captain James Tavernier had been central to that high-tempo showing but dropped to the bench for the resumption of domestic duties.
With Jon Flanagan suspended for the return trip to Slovenia, and Barisic ineligible, preserving a first-choice full-back appeared the aim behind one of three changes. Scott Arfield and Daniel Candeias also dropped out, with McCrorie — albeit briefly — and Jamie Murphy introduced.
Goldson took over the armband and was involved in creating the first real opportunity inside an expectant, noisy Ibrox. Morelos took a touch on his chest to control the centre-back’s flighted through ball before spinning to pull a shot fractionally wide.
Then Barisic showed the first glimpse of his quality. A terrific, first-time reverse pass found Morelos in space centrally. He drew the Saints centre-backs towards him before sliding in Ryan Kent to his right. The Liverpool loanee’s low drive didn’t quite have enough zip and was smothered by Craig Samson.
A goal was coming, though. The relentless approach sought by Gerrard was being exhibited as Rangers kept probing, stretching the visitors’ defence with switches of play.
The last thing Stubbs needed was his players providing any assistance. But that was precisely what happened in the 14th minute when Jack Baird was unable to sort his feet out on the edge of his area.
Murphy dug in to win possession from the defender and force the ball through to Morelos. Closing in on an inviting angle, the Colombian made no mistake with a bobbling finish that evaded Samson’s dive and nestled into the corner of the net. Gerrard gestured from the touchline to demand no drop in the tempo.
His request was heeded as Rangers doubled their lead ten minutes later, with Barisic lodging an assist on his bow.
The Croatian’s free-kick, slung deep into the area, was tailormade for Goldson. Showing too much power for his markers, the £3m buy from Brighton headed home.
It appeared only a matter of how many more times Samson would be beaten. But the tone of the half was altered by McCrorie’s early departure.
Stephen McGinn won the ball in midfield before sliding through a pass that beat the Ibrox offside trap. Brock-Madsen, signed on loan from Birmingham City, seized on it before being taken out by McCrorie 20 yards from goal. The youngster appealed that cover was arriving but referee Robertson had little hesitation in showing a red card.
That flashpoint caused the temperature to spike. Barisic was booked not long afterwards for sliding through Cammy Smith as the home fans vented their anger at the officials. The real issue was whether Saints could reap rewards from their numerical advantage.
As it was, they were very nearly 3-0 behind when Goldson headed a Kent corner against the post. A Danny Mullen strike that clipped the bar provided something of a response from the newly-promoted side prior to the interval.
Rangers stood firm thereafter. Morelos swiped one wide before later drawing a save from Samson with a shot through the legs of Cole Kpekawa.
Saints huffed and puffed, but couldn’t cause Allan McGregor much anxiety. Grasping a Mullen strike was his premier intervention as the Ibrox side calmly saw it through.