The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Alfredo Morelos celebrates after opening the scoring for Rangers in their 2-0 victory over Aberdeen at Ibrox in the Premiership last night.
Graeme Murty’s new-look Rangers showed Derek McInnes what he was missing as they claimed a 2-0 win over Aberdeen at Ibrox last night.
The Dons boss rejected the chance to replace Pedro Caixinha last month.
Having been handed the reins, Murty has wasted little time boosting his squad with four January signings.
Against a side with new recruits Sean Goss, Jamie Murphy and Russell Martin – with Jason Cummings appearing off the bench – Aberdeen were outgunned.
Alfredo Morelos bagged his 13th goal of the season before James Tavernier’s second-half penalty ensured Rangers moved back above McInnes’ men into second on goal difference.
Rangers started brightly, coming close 12 minutes in. Goss’ corner was laid back by Martin for Josh Windass, whose strike took a nick on its way through before hitting the post and bouncing into Joe Lewis’ grasp.
The Dons got lucky again on 20 minutes when Alfredo Morelos somehow failed to head home from Daniel Candeias’ back-post cross.
Aberdeen finally got themselves into shooting territory on 28 minutes as Kenny McLean drove through Gers’ midfield before slipping in Gary Mackay-Steven, but Wes Foderingham had raced from his line to cut the angle and produced a crucial block.
Rangers took the lead three minutes later. Tavernier’s ball found Morelos lurking, and this time the club’s top scorer nodded home.
The lead was almost cancelled out immediately as Rangers switched off to let McLean in, but Foderingham was again well-placed to rescue his side.
Lewis had to be alert at the start of the second period as he denied Morelos a second goal after the striker managed to beat Anthony O’Connor before spinning to shoot.
Morelos was guilty of another bad miss on 58 minutes. Martin released Declan John with a fine ball behind the Dons defence, Lewis flapped at the fullback’s cross and, with the goal gaping, the striker sliced into the side-netting.
Cummings got his introduction on 70 minutes as he was treated to a deafening roar after replacing Morelos, and the home support were cheering again on 75 minutes as Rangers won a penalty.
Tavernier slipped Windass in on goal and, just as he looked to pull the trigger, he was clattered into by Lewis. The keeper came off worse but referee Bobby Madden still pointed to the spot.
There was a five-minute delay as Lewis was stretchered off, but Tavernier kept his cool to fire past understudy stopper Danny Rogers.
Aberdeen poured forward hoping to salvage something but found themselves up against a keeper in unbeatable form, with Foderingham pulling off four great saves in the final 10 minutes to deny Adam Rooney twice, Dom Ball and then Graeme Shinnie.
Rangers: Foderingham, Tavernier, Martin, Bates, John, Holt, Goss, Candeias (Fabio Cardoso 90), Windass (Halliday 89), Murphy, Morelos (Cummings 70); unsed subs – Herrera, Hodson, Kranjcar, Alnwick
Aberdeen: Lewis (Rogers 80), Logan, O’Connor, McKenna, Considine, McLean, Shinnie, Stewart (McGinn 59), Christie, Mackay-Steven (Ball 75), Rooney; unused subs – Reynolds, Maynard, Arnason, Wright. Att: 49,707. Ref: Bobby Madden.
Hamilton midfielder Greg Docherty will clinch his move to Rangers today.
The Ibrox club have been in talks with Accies for much of the last fortnight and have finally agreed a £675,000 fee for the 21-year-old.
The Scotland U21 international will undergo his medical in the morning and while personal terms have still to be agreed, it is expected they will be a formality for the boyhood Gers fan.
Docherty was left out of the Accies squad for last night’s Ladbrokes Premiership clash with Hearts.