Hamilton 3 Rangers 5 /Murty: No need to sell
● Windass and Morelos on target again as Ibrox side leapfrog Aberdeen
Rangers manager Graeme Murty says he is under no financial pressure to sell striker Alfredo Morelos, writes Alan Pattullo.
There have been reports of a new offer for the Colombian striker and with apparent interest from Chinese and South American clubs, Rangers have already turned down bids reported to be worth up to £11 million.
Murty said yesterday the Ibrox club can do so again.
After the 5-3 victory at Hamilton Accies in which Morelos scored the third goal to take his season’s total in all competitions to 16, Murty said: “I have always said that I am under no economic imperative to get him sold and move him on.
“If the bid comes in and the club decide we want to take it, that will be a discussion between us all.
“I haven’t had a chat with Alfredo about it, but I haven’t had to.”
After hitting six against thirdtier Ayr United last weekend, Rangers proved they can also score freely against top-flight opposition.
While conceding three times isaconcernforgraememurty, the manager watched Alfredo Morelos and Josh Windass continue to battle it out at the top of the goal charts.
He wasn’t entirely happy and greedily claimed Rangers could and should have scored more. But with Windass claiming a second hattrick inside three weeks Murty drew satisfaction from leapfrogging Aberdeen on goal difference to re-claim second place in the league. Windass now has 15 goals for the season, one behind Morelos.
Hamilton opened the scoring and then pegged the visitors back to 2-2 before learning it’s a long way back from going 4-2 behind before the interval. Hamilton manager Martin Canning was handed some succour by his side drawing the second half 1-1. However, such an improved showing can’t disguise a fifth successive defeat.
Mistakes littered yesterday’s entertaining clash to help trigger a goal rush at the Superseal stadium. There’s little wrong with Rangers’ goalscoring capabilities at present even if their defending still needs work. The Ibrox side have now scored just one goal fewer than Celtic in the league.
Rangers will be happy to have tied Windass down to a longer deal after he signed an extension in midweek to 2021. Speculation continues to surround the future of Morelos, however. The Colombian was preferred in attack to Jason Cummings yesterday.
Whatever is his true value, Morelos can only be adding to it. He scored once yesterday and provided two assists. There were no open goal misses to erase from this show-reel should it be sent out to reportedly interested clubs in China and South America.
Rangers lost 2-0 at home to Hamilton on the last meeting of the clubs and there was some initial unease for the visitors after Hamilton spent the opening stages pushing Rangers back to the extent it was no surprise when they opened the scoring after five minutes.
It was a moment to forget for Greg Docherty, who was making his first league start for Rangers since joining from yesterday’s opponents. He conceded possession in the far corner and Darren Lyon, pictured, took advantage when the ball came to him, driving into the far corner.
Hamiltonhadalreadythreatened twice, with David Bates and Russell Martin forced into last-gasp headed clearances. Docherty found his feet at a venue he should know so well and crossed for Morelos, whose header hit the bar.
Rangers equalised soon afterwards on 11 minutes with Morelos deserving ample credit. He showed great upper body strength to ease Xavier Tomas off the ball after a neat one-two with Daniel Candeias. The Colombian then cut the ball back for Jamie Murphy to sweep in his second goal for the club.
Windass was grateful to Gary Woods for getting off the mark – indeed the Hamilton keeper probably deserves an assist. The Rangers player seemed to take an eternity mulling over whether to take a shot or not from around 20 yards out. He will be glad he opted to test Woods. The keeper made a hash of collecting the effort that was well hit but straight at him. The ball seemed to bounce off his chest and then Woods fumbled it into the roof of the net.
But Hamilton secured a lifeline when David Templeton struck against his former club. A poor clearance upfield from Martin was headed back to the edge of the box towards Templeton. He took a couple of strides and hit a sweet drive into the far corner with Martin’s desperate attempt to block rendered a futile effort.
All this and we were only 22 minutes in. But having got themselves back into the contest, Hamilton contrived to undo their good work. Fullback Kenny van Der Weg, who only joined Hamilton last week after being released by Ross County, hit a loose ball into midfield and which was picked up by Bates. The ball broke to Morelos who transferred it out wide to Murphy.
Woods blocked his shot but the midfielder showed good awareness to collect the rebound and square the ball for Morelos, who swept in.
The next goal, nine minutes before half-time, was the best of the afternoon. It might be among the best-worked goals Rangers have scored this season. James Tavernier played in Murphy, whose neat back heel fell into Windass’ path and the midfielder drilled past Woods.
Docherty was robbed of a significant goal on his return to Hamilton when his shot hit the junction of bar and post. But a sweeping move down the right saw Morelos set up Windass for his hat-trick and Rangers’ fifth after 71 minutes.
There was still plenty of time left for further scoring. It was Hamilton who rounded off the afternoon when substitute Dougie Imrie confidently converted a penalty awarded for Martin’s handball when blocking Lewis Ferguson’s shot.