GERS’ NEW
PREMIERSHIP LIVE DUNDEE .......... 1 RANGERS .......... 1
A Pt P W D L F 3 2 36 8 33 Celtic ........ 15 10 4 3 38 14 31 Rangers .... 16 9 4 4 25 17 31 Killie ......... 17 9 3 5 23 19 30 Hearts ...... 17 9 4 4 20 20 28 St J’stone 16 8 4 5 17 13 25 Livingston 16 7 3 5 17 15 24 Aberdeen . 15 7 5 5 26 19 23 Hibs .......... 16 6 3 9 16 26 15 M’well ....... 16 4 1 12 12 37 13 Hamilton .. 17 4 3 11 13 33 9 Dundee ..... 16 2 3 12 12 34 9 St Mirren.. 17 2 RANGERS spent four days counting the cost of another red card against Aberdeen.
But a miserable afternoon in Dundee proved, that even if Steven Gerrard’s men are suffering from the affects of receiving them, they’re incapable of profiting when they’re dished out to rivals.
Despite Dundee being reduced to 10 men for over 70 minutes after the dismissal of Nathan Ralph, Rangers fell flat and turned in a miserable show.
In the end a Kenny Miller strike equalised by a brilliant Andy Halliday free-kick saw the spoils shared.
Missing the drive of Scott Arfield and the goals of Alfredo Morelos due to suspension, Gerrard’s side could not lay a glove on a Dee backline who defended for their lives.
This 1-1 draw hauls them off the foot of the table for the first time this season and you couldn’t quibble about Jim McIntyre’s side taking a point based on effort and defensive resilience alone.
Rangers will point to a glaring error made when Kyle Lafferty was incorrectly flagged offside in the 32nd minute.
But in truth, they huffed and puffed for the whole game and having lost twice at Dens last season, their misery on Sandeman Street continues with another insipid performance.
Perhaps given that recent history, Rangers fans approached the clash with a certain air of trepidation.
Unfortunately for Gerrard his centre-halves were also jittery and a moment of hesitation gifted Dundee the chance to take an early lead.
There appeared to be little danger as Ralph whipped a long ball into the Rangers half ninth minute.
But neither Joe Worrall or Connor Goldson took command of the situation and the ever alert Miller was quick to latch onto their hesitancy.
With Allan McGregor left in No Man’s Land due to the dithering of his defensive mates, Miller cleverly poked the ball past the keeper and the Rangers inquest began.
It was just the start Dundee wanted having entered the game on a high after the 4-0 demolition of Hamilton in midweek.
On the back of a stormy 1-0 defeat to Aberdeen, it was a slack beginning for a Rangers side who knew they couldn’t contemplate back-to-back league defeats.
Ryan Jack was booked for dragging back Calvin Miller as in the Dundee sensed this could be their day but with Gerrard on the touchline demanding more, his players took the hint.
Keeper Jack Hamilton looked like a nervous kitten every time the ball landed at his feet and it gave the Ibrox men encouragement.
Lafferty almost nicked a goal from chasing down the former Hearts man but in 19 minutes Dundee’s failure to adequately clear their lines gave Rangers an unexpected route back into it.
Paul McGowan lost possession and Ryan Kent darted towards the box before rolling the ball across the ‘D’ for Daniel Candeias.
The Portuguese was too sharp for Ralph who lunged in recklessly with a shin-high tackle. When he missed the ball and clattered the man, ref Alan Muir was quick to award the free-kick and brandish a red card for denying a goalscoring opportunity.
After protests fell on deaf ears,
ALAN MARSHALL AT DENS PARK