Historic win gets Rangers party started
STEVEN Gerrard’s Invincibles smashed through the 100-point barrier for the first time in Rangers’ history as the champions kicked off their trophy-day celebrations in style.
A 4-0 win over Aberdeen ensured an undefeated campaign. But the match was merely a distraction ahead of the main event.
Thousands of fans locked outside Ibrox were really waiting for the moment when skipper James Tavernier finally lifted the trophy the club have waited a decade to recapture. It has been a momentous, record-breaking season for Gerrard and his team, who have finished a monstrous 25 points clear of Celtic.
They have now set a new Scottish clean-sheet record with their 26th shut out, and the 13 league goals they have conceded this term is also a record low – beating the previous benchmark of 15 set by Jose Mourinho’s 2005 Chelsea side.
The champions needed only five minutes to take the lead. Ianis Hagi clipped a tidy ball out to Tavernier on the right-hand side.
The skipper’s cross took a big deflection off Dons youngster Jack Mackenzie before Lewis’s attempted punch to clear went all wrong, with the ball flying backwards off his fist and into his own net.
Aberdeen are still getting the hang of Stephen Glass’s new methods. But they were unlucky not to level when a slick counterattack saw Florian Kamberi release Jonny Hayes down the left, with the Irishman’s cross just out of Callum Hendry’s reach.
Ryan Kent got a lucky break as he went up against Connor Maclennan but there was no catching the winger as he darted towards the byline, cutting back for Roofe to slot home past Lewis.
While the visitors continued to fire blanks, Rangers’ finishing was laser-guided. Tommie Hoban’s loose pass was pounced on by Hagi as he fed Roofe, who swept home his second with a low finish on the hour.
Rangers were being careless, however, and SPFL Player of the Year Allan Mcgregor underlined his credentials with a fine block after Hedges was allowed to surge through on goal.
Greg Stewart then slid in Defoe to score as Rangers ensured the party started with a bang.