GOLD STRIKE
Late Connor Goldson header gives Rangers winning start to the new Premiership season with victory at Kilmarnock
3 Connor Goldson is mobbed by Rangers fans who spilled on to the pitch after he scored in the 90th minute to give the Ibrox side a 2-1 win over Kilmarnock at Rugby Park yesterday.
Is this a case of new season, new, resilient Rangers? The Ibrox side were a matter of minutes away from doing precisely what Steven Gerrard asked them not to by throwing away points after failing to press home an early advantage.
But, giving the manager hope for the season ahead, they exhibited battling qualities to ward off the very real threat of beginning another league campaign in underwhelming fashion.
On the contrary, some Rangers fans celebrated as though the league title was already won. Perhaps this result will be one of those which proves significant come the season’s end. There were shades of when Scott Brown hit a last-ditch winner at the same end of the same ground last season on an afternoon when it was felt Celtic had all but retained another championship. Fans spilled onto the pitch side, trampling on the roof of a wheelchair enclosure in the process, and engulfed the celebrating Rangers players, chief of whom was reliable centre-half Connor Goldson.
It was his powerful header with 90 minutes on the clock that swept away, for the time being at least, any anxiety that Rangers might be tripped up by the same flaws as last season.
In what’s often regarded as breaking a sacred law of football, under pressure Kilmarnock manager Angelo Alessio decided to make a substitution as his side were preparing to defend a corner. With the home side having equalised just a few minutes earlier throughstephen O’donnell, pictured, he was clearly intent on shoring up his defence in these last moments, hence Alex Bruce, a defender, being sent on to replace winger
Rory Mckenzie.
But it only served to create confusion. Goldson took full advantage of being left unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box to plant a header past new Kilmarnock ‘keeper Laurentiu Branescu. The 25-year-old, who is on loan from Juventus, had conceded the corner when tipping past the post a Joe Aribo shot that seemed destined for the top corner. Late equalisers at Aberdeen and Motherwell had put Rangers under pressure from the off last season. O’donnell’s rocket into the roof of the net with just seven minutes left was therefore bound to cause dejection within the Rangers ranks. But they shrugged it off on this occasion to secure what was the Ibrox side’s first league win at this ground for eight years – since they last won the Scottish title in fact.
The unconfined joy was therefore understandable but the fact it threatened the safety of others, including wheelchair users beneath a flimsy looking roof above the disabled enclosure, was regrettable.
Gerrard mentioned last week about wanting Rangers to be more clinical. He felt at times last season they had sought to score the perfect goal. The fact yesterday’s win came via two setpieces was particularly satisfying for him. A James Tavernier corner had been the source of Rangers’ opener after 16 minutes. The skipper’s corner was headed towards goal by the impressive Nikola Katic and while Branescu pawed the ball away, Scott Arfield took a touch and tapped in the loose ball.
However, early days though they are, there was little to get carried away about on the back of this Rangers performance. They were a bullet header away from dropping points and allowing Celtic – and Aberdeen – to steal a deflating early march on them.
After showing little adventure in the first half, Kilmarnock came back at Rangers in the second and should have equalised long before they eventually did. Eamonn Brophy somehow managed to put the ball the wrong side of the near post after an exceptional ball into the box from Chris Burke after 56 minutes. The hosts had definitely upped the ante. A thudding challenge by Greg Taylor stopped Alfredo Morelos in his tracks and seemed to send more belief coursing through the home ranks.
When Kilmarnock did eventually level, it was made all the sweeter – for a few brief moments at least – by Jordan Jones having just come on for Rangers. The home fans gave their former favourite a cool reception. Jeers turned to cheers after Burke’s cute free-kick found O’donnell at the far post. His marker’s whereabouts were unknown but the right-back did not lose a moment considering this question and rifled the ball beyond Wes Foderingham, who was in for the suspended Allan Mcgregor. Suddenly Rugby Park seemed a far happier place again.
In his programme notes, Alessio conceded his opening home game against Welsh side Connagh’s Quay Nomads “did not go to plan”. An article in the latest issue of Killie Hippo,
“No matter how much they huffed and puffed at times, they showed they had the heart lacking at times last season as well as a desire to win ugly, if that’s what it takes”
the Kilmarnock fanzine, described that false start in starker terms: “Embarrassing doesn’t cover this”.
The fan wanted a fillip. The manager needed one. There was ample evidence here to suggest that the European defeat can be put down to teething issues and Kilmarnock are not a side in freefall, as some have already contended.
But it’s Rangers who departed with the tangible reward they craved. No matter how much they huffed and puffed at times, they showed they had the heart lacking at times last season as well as a desire to win ugly, if that’s what it takes. No wonder Goldson thumped his chest at the end as the players applauded the fans, now safely back in the stand.