Premiership
Murphy is a marvel at Ibrox as Rangers narrow the gap on Celtic
AS anyone who has played against Hearts since Craig Levein’s lockdown will know, you need a moment of great quality to breach one of the best back lines in football and an inspired goalkeeper in Jon McLaughlin if they are in an uncompromising mood.
Graeme Murty went shopping for just that kind of talent when sanctioning the headlong hunt to secure Jamie Murphy’s signature last month.
McLaughlin had an answer for just about everything Rangers bombarded him with yesterday, but not for the mazy run and finish produced by Murphy four minutes before the interval that marked a dream first Ibrox goal for the former Motherwell star.
The benefit of regular football has flicked the switch for Murphy’s career since he moved on loan from the English Premier League and Brighton with a view to a permanent summer transfer.
His third goal in three weeks paved the way for Rangers to move to within six points of Celtic ahead of this afternoon’s fascinating showdown at Pittodrie.
Murty has not always been able to rely on his players to look after their own business so efficiently when the pressure has been on to make a statement, particularly at home.
Here, they did so with admirable professionalism to overcome the sticky moments, nervy stages and anxious noises from the crowd to deservedly prevail.
McLaughlin kept the score down with a string of saves in either half before Murty’s January window work was positively highlighted again.
Russell Martin poked home his first goal since joining from Norwich City with two minutes remaining.
St Johnstone, Hamilton, Hibs (twice) and Celtic have plundered maximum points from Ibrox this season. Hearts, under Jon Daly’s caretaker stewardship, grabbed a stalemate in August but, other than a ten-minute period in the first half, the visitors lacked the composure to cause further trouble here.
So the Carrow Road reunion with Kyle Lafferty and Steven Naismith was an enjoyable one for Martin and, with new heroes to cheer, Rangers fans were in fine voice to berate their former favourites.
Like Murphy, Lafferty and Naismith achieved the childhood dream of playing for Rangers. That they opted to bail out with the club on its knees six years ago was not forgotten by an Ibrox crowd which both came close to silencing.
During that brief first-half ascendancy, Ross Callachan picked out Lafferty with a stunning pass. Wes Foderingham palmed away the powerful drive as it threatened to dip below his crossbar. The goalkeeping masterclass was then left to McLaughlin. Hearts goaded Rangers into beating them from distance — and that is just what Sean Goss fancied.
McLaughlin looked lively to push away his fierce 25-yard shot for a corner and he was again back in action, diving to get a fingertip to Greg Docherty’s drive.
As Murphy dragged wide and Daniel Candeias picked the wrong pass on the break, Murty begged for a killer ball to match the intensity of the Rangers effort as John Souttar and Christophe Berra dealt with the deliveries.
The manager got all he wanted four minutes before the break.
Collecting James Tavernier’s pass down the right, Docherty took over in an advanced position. As he lifted his head, Murphy’s darting move into the penalty box was ripe for the ball to be slipped through. Docherty linked up with him to put Hearts on the wrong foot.
Murphy was magical from there on in. He weaved inside past two maroon jerseys, then evaded McLaughlin before switching feet and keeping his balance to tuck home a right-footed finish.
And how he loved that after scoring at Ayr and Hamilton. His first goal at home in Rangers colours was a move to savour.
The hosts sensed they could continue to dominate the game after the break but were unable to claim the crucial second goal as McLaughlin excelled.
From six yards out, Josh Windass blazed over when a glorious chance for 2-0 was presented by Alfredo Morelos.
On the hour, quick thinking from Morelos sprung Rangers forward from a swiftly-taken free-kick and Candeias chose the perfect time to release Windass in on McLaughlin.
The Englishman, who scored his first professional goal against McLaughlin while an Accrington player, gave the keeper the chance to save with a weak finish.
When he completed a hat-trick of missed chances, Ibrox sighed in wonder at how Windass had taken home two match balls this year.
The nightmare scenario for the home fans after those missed opportunities was Naismith doling out the punishment after his 73rdminute arrival in place of Harry Cochrane was roundly jeered.
When Martin’s clearance cannoned off the Hearts sub and spun up towards goal, Ibrox held its breath. But Rangers went on to make the most of surviving that close shave.
McLaughlin repelled a Windass free-kick but even he was starting to wilt. On 88 minutes, it was job done from Rangers.
Tavernier fed Candeias and he fizzed a ball across goal that was missed by substitute Jason Cummings and everyone else bar Martin, who arrived at the back post to bundle home his first goal since last April.