NO RESPITE
RANGERS BREAK ALLOA HOODOO BUT HEARTS HIT FIVE AT DUMBARTON — ALL THE CHAMPIONSHIP ACTION
Ryan McCord marshalling Hutton in the middle of the park.
But, with the snow billowing, Rangers should have doubled their lead. Kenny Miller raced clear of the Alloa defence but crashed his shot against the inside of the post.
Then home striker Kevin Cawley saw his curling right-footed effort deflected high and wide.
As Rangers burst forward, Daly found David Templeton in space on the right but the winger’s low shot hit the legs of Alloa keeper Craig McDowall.
Templeton then turned provider, picking an excellent through pass to Miller, but McDowall once again blocked with his legs.
Rangers pushed in search of a second and Miller almost grabbed it in style. Richard Foster pumped in a cross which Miller met with a backheeled volley which was saved.
At the back, Rangers looked suspect and Alloa sensed an equaliser. But Simmons’ shot from the edge of the box lacked power.
Mark Docherty then whipped a free-kick which narrowly missed the head of team-mate Ben Gordon.
Rangers were content to dominate possession after the restart but McDowall was eventually called into action on the hour when he fumbled Daly’s 30-yard piledriver.
Simonsen was then tested, though, as Cawley slid in to direct a bobbling effort at the stopper.
Wasps boss Barry Smith added an extra striker in Spence — Rangers’ tormentor-in-chief here last month — midway through the half.
Kris Boyd and Fraser Aird came on for the visitors.
Aird unleashed a powerful rightfooted shot which McDowall saved.
Spence — never on the losing side against Rangers — almost embarrassed the Ibrox men once more, but Simonsen reacted superbly to save his thunderous 30-yard free-kick at the death.
Coming on the back of last weekend’s win over Dumbarton, Law admitted three more points had been crucial for confidence levels, given that Hearts come calling to Govan on Friday night.
‘The two wins back to back give us a little bit of confidence,’ he said. ‘We haven’t been great in those two games by all means.
‘But, as you’d expect with the form we’ve been on, confidence was as low as it has been in my time at the club. Hopefully now we can push on.’
ALLOA (4-4-2): McDowall; Doyle, Gordon, Benedictus, Meggatt; Docherty (Spence 63), Simmons (Ferns 82), McCord, Cawley; Holmes, Buchanan.
Subs (not used): Tiffoney, Marr, Hetherington, Weatherston, Couser.
Booked: None.
RANGERS (4-4-2): Simonsen; Foster, McCulloch, McGregor, Wallace; Templeton (Aird 65), Law, Hutton, Smith; Miller (Clark 83), Daly (Boyd 65).
Subs (not used): Black, Faure, Shiels, Robinson. Referee: Greg Aitken.
Attendance: 3012. Main man: Craig McDowall.