ROOFE & READY
Kemar Roofe refused to get shirty with Gers kitman Jimmy Bell for misspelling his name on his jersey, claiming it brought him luck.
The striker wants it signed and framed for his wall after his goal sent Rangers on their way to victory against a dogged Killie side.
Mind you, he doesn’t fancy wearing it again, because he joked his mum would take the hump.
The former Anderlecht man opened his account with a well-taken strike five minutes into the second half.
That settled any nerves against the Rugby Park side before Ryan Kent showed why Leeds United are so keen on him as he rounded off an impressive display with a killer second.
Steven Gerrard went with Roofe after Alfredo Morelos was left out of the squad – and the Englishman repaid his gaffer’s faith by breaking the deadlock.
However, he played with his No. 25 shirt bearing the name ‘ Roffe’ on the back and the frontman was only alerted to the gaffe by Jermain Defoe.
Roofe smiled: “I realised it when I came off and JD told me – I thought he was winding me up!
“I checked and it was so I’ll have to get the players to sign it and put it on my wall. My mum won’t be happy they are changing my name!
“But I’m not messing with Jimmy. I want my daily stories from him. Every day I come to the training ground to get my kit I get a story from him.”
Roofe offered a glimpse of life without Morelos with the Colombian’s Ibrox future in doubt after a warning from Gerrard to show his hunger.
But the 27-year-old said: “I don’t know his (Morelos’) situation. I stay out of politics and concentrate on football.
“The standard here is high and the gaffer knows with his experience that you have to work hard and prepare correctly and hope to be selected.
“My first start was good and the most important thing was that we won and got the three points.
“Scoring was a bonus. Getting the minutes was good and it was important to get my fitness up too.
“The only disappointment is that no fans were here but there’s nothing I can do about that. Hopefully they were happy watching at home.”
With this win Gers asked the question of Celtic – something they haven’t done enough – ahead of their tea-time Tannadice trip.
They will have the chance to do the same again when they travel to Hamilton on Saturday with the Hoops in action 24 hours later.
Gers kept another clean sheet with the rock- solid rearguard equalling a club- record five consecutive clean sheets at the start of the season, which dates away back to 1929/30.
Gerrard has been accused of being too rigid in persisting with a 4- 3- 3 formation and fans clamouring for a change got their wish, but they didn’t get to see a strike pairing of Roofe and Cedric Itten, despite both starting in the absence of Morelos.
Instead, towering Swiss ace Itten was deployed on the right of a 4-2-3-1 formation, with former Leeds United and Anderlecht man Roofe central.
The new boys were two of the four changes from the drab goalless draw at Livingston six days earlier with Steven Davis and Brandon Barker also coming into the starting XI.
Making way for that quartet along with Morelos were Ianis Hagi, Glen Kamara and Scott Arfield who all took their place on the bench alongside Allan McGregor as Gerrard kept faith with Jon McLaughlin between the sticks.
The home side started on the front foot and Barker fluffed his effort from a Borna Barisic cross before Kent tested Danny Rogers from distance.
Killie all but ended Rangers’ title dream with a 2-1 win at Rugby Park a month before Scottish football was halted due to the virus crisis.
The Ayrshiremen have already held champions Celtic to a draw and were looking to bounce back from last week’s defeat to St Johnstone.
They carved out a decent chance inside 15 minutes when Eamonn Brophy, who netted a last-gasp winner at Rugby Park in February, shot just wide from Aaron McGowan’s cross.
Itten then had a chance to open his account when Kirk Broadfoot’s headed clearance from a Davis cross fell to his feet but his angled drive was off target.
You could feel the frustration as the clock ticked towards half-time and ref Kevin Clancy added to that when he blanked loud appeals for a penalty.
Gers players were adamant the ball had struck Stuart Findlay’s hand from Ryan Jack’s cross.
Moments later Killie keeper Danny Rogers denied the home side after great play from Kent to create space and get a shot away but the Irishman palmed his effort round the post.
Filip Helander then headed over from Barisic’s corner and Findlay brilliantly cut out Barker’s cross with Roofe ready to convert as the teams went in deadlocked at the break.
Gers were nearly celebrating an early second-half goal when Roofe’s header from Barisic’s cross struck an upright.
The striker was desperately unlucky but was in the right place moments later when he got on the end of Barisic’s low cross to turn the ball past Rogers.
Roofe hadn’t had much luck up until that point but was alert when he needed to be –something the watching Ally McCoist was renowned for.
That goal allowed Gers to relax and they made sure of the points with 13 minutes left. Skipper James Tavernier’s shot was blocked but when the rebound came back to him he shifted the ball to Kent who curled past Rogers.