ARIBO FINDS A SPARK
Rangers have just enough in the tank to see off Dundee as Cummings rues penalty miss
AMID pandemonium at petrol pumps across the country, Rangers produced a performance which did not hit top gear. Again.
The mileage may be low in the new campaign but displays from the reigning champions have yet to hit the heights of last season. They are passing obstacles but not exactly motoring.
Yes, they won here against a Dundee team who sit bottom of the league and are no closer to solving their scoring problems. It’s now five games without finding the net for James McPake’s men, who are also winless in their opening seven Premiership matches.
But, sitting top of the league, Steven Gerrard can look in the rear-view mirror and see his side’s league rivals sitting behind them.
The problem is, only one point separates second-place Hearts from the Ibrox club. Of course, a challenge from anyone outside Celtic seems a long shot in the grand scheme of things, but hitting top speed will be a must as the weeks and months progress.
Joe Aribo’s first-half goal did the damage at Dens Park. Rangers’ inability to add to that strike did not matter in the end.
They were helped by the fact Dundee wasted chances to punish them — the greatest being midway through the second half when substitute Jason Cummings saw a penalty saved by visiting goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin.
Dundee fumed that the stopper should have been sent off rather than receive just a booking by referee Bobby Madden.
McPake’s anger was still boiling at full-time and he was shown a red card by the official after the final whistle.
Cummings had come on just before half-time in place of Leigh Griffiths. The on-loan Celtic striker has been charged by Police Scotland with ‘culpable and reckless’ conduct after kicking a flare into a stand during the midweek Premier Sports Cup defeat to St Johnstone.
The SFA and SPFL are yet to confirm whether or not the Dundee player will face disciplinary action.
Naturally, the narrative of this match was set up to focus on Griffiths. He was taunted and received relentless abuse from Rangers fans before his exit due to injury.
The noise continued from the travelling support until the end but they will hope there are more comfortable and convincing wins than they witnessed yesterday.
Gerrard’s two changes from his team’s victory against Livingston in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final saw captain James Tavernier come in for Nathan Patterson, while Scott Wright was dropped for Ianis Hagi, who replaced his team-mate at half-time on Wednesday night.
There were no prizes for guessing McPake’s game plan from the moment the first whistle sounded. Paul McMullan charged forward, jinked his way towards the box before the danger was thwarted.
The hosts spurned a perfect chance to take the lead on 14 minutes when captain Jordan McGhee met Liam Fontaine’s cross six yards out but his header was straight at McLaughlin, who had hesitated when the ball had been delivered.
How they were made to rue that miss when Gerrard’s men struck the opener two minutes later. The move involved Tavernier and Morelos on the right, the latter slipping a neat ball to Aribo, who guided his effort beyond Dundee goalkeeper Adam Legzdins.
Griffiths was trying to silence the Rangers fans. He attempted a few snap shots which failed to cause any problems, much to the delight of the away support beyond the goal.
Kemar Roofe had flashed a shot wide prior to Aribo’s strike but, on 33 minutes, he came closer to scoring when he shifted onto his left foot 18 yards out and let fly but Legzdins pushed the ball over. Griffiths’ afternoon was over six minutes before the break when he hobbled off with an ankle injury and was replaced by Cummings. Again, the Rangers support revelled in his early departure from this match while Dundee’s fans clapped him off the pitch. Two minutes after the restart, Dundee winger McMullan delivered a free-kick from the left which was met by Ryan Sweeney but the defender’s header was straight at McLaughlin. Much like the first half, the hosts started the second period with promise.
McMullan darted in again from the left but he was at too tight an angle to cause any danger and
McLaughlin gathered comfortably.
Rangers sensed a chance to double their lead when John Lundstram unleashed a shot from 20 yards but Legzdins pushed the ball away.
However, Dundee were then presented with a golden opportunity to equalise when McMullan, who had raced in behind Connor Goldson, was upended by McLaughlin inside the box.
The hosts screamed for a red card but referee Madden only produced a yellow, much to the relief of the Rangers goalkeeper.
Up stepped Cummings (left) but his spot-kick was too near the middle of the goal as his effort struck McLaughlin’s leg, looped up in the air and the keeper eventually clutched the ball.
If ever there was a moment to sum up Dundee’s fortunes in front of goal this season, here it was.
The game huffed and puffed, Dundee were desperate to put that wasted chance behind them, while Rangers didn’t exactly go charging on to end this encounter as a contest.
Morelos and Hagi soon made way for Fashion Sakala and Scott Wright, respectively.
Dundee’s best bet to cause Rangers problems was with aerial balls into the box. There had been an edginess about the Premiership champions here in defence.
With 11 minutes remaining, Jordan Marshall swung in a delivery from the left which was met by McGhee, but the skipper’s header drifted wide of the far post.
Rangers were in a mood for this to be over and to head down the road. Bookings for Aribo and Juninho Bacuna due to time wasting were evidence of that.
DUNDEE (3-5-2): Legzdins; Ashcroft, Fontaine, Sweeney;
Kerr, McGhee, Byrne (Jakubiak 74), Anderson (McGowan 62), Marshall; McMullan, Griffiths (Cummings 39).
Subs (not used): Lawlor, McCowan, Panter, Sheridan.. Booked: Marshall.
RANGERS (4-3-3): McLaughlin; Tavernier, Goldson, Balogun, Bassey; Aribo, Lundstram, Kamara; Hagi (Wright 73), Morelos (Sakala 67), Roofe (Bacuna 82). Subs (not used): McGregor, Davis, Patterson, Barisic. Booked: McLaughlin, Aribo, Bacuna.
Referee: Bobby Madden. Attendance: 8,574.