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Jones eager to make most of his second chance at Rangers
JORDAN JONES insists he is fully committed to Rangers and expressed hope that an impressive recall in a 5-1 rout of Motherwell can help him finally prove his worth within Steven Gerrard’s plans.
The Northern Ireland winger scored a sublime goal at Fir Park as he made his first Premiership start for the Ibrox club since last August.
That came on the back of a promising substitute cameo against Willem II in the Europa League last week and suggested predictions of an imminent exit
THIS was about as emphatic an answer as Rangers could have possibly delivered to those nagging questions about their away form in the Premiership.
The ruthlessness Steven Gerrard has been so keen to acquire was exhibited to the full. In that sense, it was a case of picking up where they had left off in Thursday night’s 4-0 Europa League win over Willem II in Holland.
A repetition of earlier lapses at Easter Road and in Livingston was never on the cards. Given the quality displayed, Rangers didn’t really need a helping hand to record the biggest domestic win on the road their campaign has encompassed thus far.
Motherwell offered one regardless. Albeit inadvertently. After exactly 11 months without a league penalty, Steven Gerrard’s side capitalised fully on two awarded for handball offences in the opening 37 minutes at Fir Park.
First to be penalised was Bevis Mugabi, then Liam Grimshaw. Each little lapse was ruthlessly punished by Ibrox captain James
Tavernier to strengthen his team’s position at the Premiership summit.
Incredibly, Motherwell have now conceded eight penalties this season. Perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise that Stephen Robinson’s side were also the opponents when Rangers had last received a league spot-kick, on October 27 last year.
Tavernier missed that day. Having also netted in Tilburg in midweek, the right-back has clearly rediscovered his mojo from 12 yards.
While that is an obvious positive, it wasn’t the most significant lift Gerrard will take from a cold, sunny afternoon in Lanarkshire. He will have departed feeling a little better about the depth of his squad given the identity of the other two scorers.
Jordan Jones hadn’t started a game of any kind for Rangers since January and not in the league since last August. Indeed, many expected him to have already departed to join an English Championship admirer during this transfer window.
Instead, the frost was brushed off the Northern Ireland winger as he emerged from cold storage. A fine individual performance was crowned by his first-ever goal for the club — a glorious, curling finish to make it 2-0 — that suggested he might just have a future in Gerrard’s plans after all.
A substantial layer of icing was then added to the cake by Cedric
Itten. Replacing Ryan Kent for the final 21 minutes, the £2.5million Swiss striker opened his Rangers account with two goals.
The first was a long-distance peach. The second showed the scrambling instincts of a poacher. Both will unquestionably boost his confidence as he seeks to settle into Scottish football.
Motherwell claimed a late consolation via an own goal from George Edmundson, but their top-flight form revival was ended in the most abrupt of fashions.
Gerrard made two changes from his starting line-up in Holland, but stressed it was not a matter of resting players for the sake of it.
A tight groin saw Borna Barisic replaced by Calvin Bassey at left-back — a first start for the ex-Leicester youngster — while a promising substitute cameo against Willem II earned Jones a place ahead of Ianis Hagi. Midweek heroics were enough to ensure Allan McGregor retained the goalkeeper’s jersey.
It was McGregor’s opposite number — Trevor Carson — who was by the far the busier here. Right from the opening minute.
A foul on Scott Arfield gave Tavernier a free-kick delivery from the right that was clipped on to the head of Alfredo Morelos.
The marking from the home defence was woeful. Carson, though, bailed out his centrebacks by stretching low and stopping the ball with a firm right hand before Declan Gallagher scrambled it clear.
That early alarm wasn’t quite enough to wake up Motherwell. The Ibrox side managed to build a dominance of territory before claiming a 12th-minute lead.
Bassey came forward on the left to aim a cross towards Arfield. He moved to try and help it on, but the ball struck the left arm of marker Mugabi. There were few complaints from those in claret and amber when referee Bobby Madden pointed to the spot.
Tavernier picked a different direction from Thursday night in
Tilburg but the outcome was the same. A short run-up was followed by a perfect connection that found the net via Carson’s right-hand post. For Gerrard, it provided the perfect platform for a strong first period. Motherwell, in contrast, looked a weary outfit — in mind as much as body. They had endured a six-hour flight after a Europa League defeat against Hapoel Be’er Sheva in Israel. Robinson made two changes — Mugabi and Callum Lang replacing Nathan McGinley and Chris Long — yet
they toiled to find any incision and fell two behind to a lovely bit of work from Jones after 28 minutes.
Arfield’s measured pass put the Northern Ireland winger in a race with Ricki Lamie that he won comfortably. Shifting the ball on to his left foot in the inside-right channel, Jones curled a sublime shot into the net via the inside of the far post. It was an excellent — and very long-awaited — reminder of what he can offer.
Rangers were motoring now. Lovely interplay involving Jones, Steven Davis, Bassey and Ryan Kent led to an Arfield drive being deflected over.
Then, on 37 minutes, came the second penalty. Bassey tried to reach Kent’s corner but again it was a Motherwell arm — this time Grimshaw’s — that made contact. Tavernier again shifted his aim, beating Carson with a precise placement inside the goalkeeper’s left-hand post. Complacency was now the only danger to Rangers.
Liam Polworth sought to give the hosts some hope just before the break but his strike was deflected over the top by Filip Helander.
With victory all but secure, Rangers began firing again when Gerrard made his changes just beyond the mid-point of the second period.
Itten made his mark with 15 minutes remaining. A scuffed cross from Arfield found its way to the ex-St Gallen man just outside the area. A touch and swivel was followed by a rocketed finish that left Carson without hope.
McGregor had to expertly tip over a Mark O’Hara free-kick before Itten struck again in the 80th minute, poking home from close range.
The sole negative for Gerrard arrived with the loss of a clean sheet with three minutes to play, when substitute Edmundson inadvertently diverted a Motherwell corner beyond McGregor.