Rangers get the job done

Hodson’s strike settles a feisty affair as the Ibrox men prove too strong for Derek’s despairing Dons

FORGET the pretty patterns and positional rotation so favoured by the manager — this was a day on which Rangers and Mark Warburton simply needed to win.

At times it was ugly but the Ibrox side, backed by a lusty audience, ground out a result that saw them clamber over Aberdeen and into second place in the Ladbrokes Premiership table.

Questions have been asked about Rangers’ ability to deal with their rivals for European football, not least in the wake of a 2-0 defeat at Hearts in midweek, but they responded with punch to score twice through Kenny Miller and Lee Hodson before Andrew Considine claimed a consolation.

These teams had not met here since January 2012 when Maurice Edu and Kari Arnason scored in what was a relatively low-key draw. This was always certain to be a rowdier, noisier affair.

While Rangers, institution and team, have been through the mincer since that day, Aberdeen have shown marked improvement under their current manager Derek McInnes. This result does not by any means plunge the Dons into crisis but, on the back of last weekend’s hefty League Cup Final defeat to Celtic, this has been the sorest of weeks for the team from the north east and their manager.

Some regard McInnes as an obvious choice to be the next Rangers manager but, just as scrutiny of Warburton intensified after the comprehensive loss at Tynecastle, McInnes has felt some backlash following a weak display at Hampden last Sunday.

Nobody expected such a meek showing from either side and so the onus fell on referee Steven McLean to try and keep a lid on a game which was often scrappy and occasionally badtempered.

He had his hands full throughout and, as the bookings totted up, he ended up showing two red cards late in the game, one to Rangers defender Clint Hill and another to Dons captain Ryan Jack.

The team lines suggested that McInnes was more confident that the preceding performance had been a blip, with two changes to his line-up.

Mark Reynolds and Jayden Stockley came in for Anthony O’Connor and Adam Rooney, with the most significant alteration being the move to a 3-5-2 formation, with Graeme Shinnie operating as a wing-back and Jonny Hayes joining Stockley in attack.

Warburton reacted to the Tynecastle capitulation by dropping James Tavernier and Danny Wilson from defence, while Matt Crooks, Joe Dodoo and Harry Forrester also slipped to the bench. In came Lee Hodson, Hill, Michael O’Halloran, Barrie McKay and Joe Garner.

James Maddison’s controversial late free-kick had settled the outcome when the teams met at Pittodrie in September and the on-loan Norwich playmaker was first to threaten with an early setpiece which cleared Wes Foderingham’s post, yet nonetheless had the Rangers No1 scrambling to make sure.

With Garner providing a threat to the Aberdeen back three, both teams were showing heightened levels of desire and although Foderingham was proving the busier keeper as he made a second save to deny Stockley, it was Rangers who squandered the best chance of the opening period.

The sight of Lee Wallace galloping into the opposition area was a given in the lower leagues, and has been less prevalent since promotion, but the Scotland full-back got his legs working to motor in behind after some neat play between Garner and McKay. Perhaps the towering frame of Joe Lewis clouded Wallace’s thought process as he pulled his shot wide of the far post.

Initially, McInnes’s half-time pep-talk seemed to compose Aberdeen. Their passing became crisper and a quick opening sent Hayes into a footrace with Rob Kiernan, which he won before lifting his head and planting a left-foot cross onto the head of Stockley.

While the move was incisive, the striker’s finish was unassured and landed a yard wide. That was to prove Aberdeen’s big moment of regret.

Sometimes all it takes is a piece of quick thinking to turn a game. Garner drew Considine into a free-kick 30 yards out and rather than wait for the set-piece, Andy Halliday played a quick pass to Jason Holt, who fed Garner as he got to his feet.

At almost 37, Miller’s thinking faculties are as sharp as ever and he stole a march on the Dons defence with a perfectly timed run that took him onto the end of Garner’s cross for a sound back-post finish.

Aberdeen’s game plan had revolved around getting Maddison on the ball but even when he did get on the ball, he flattered to deceive.

The same could not be said of Hodson, virtually the last man afield you would have expected to produce a match-winning strike. Included in the wake of Tavernier’s failure to defend his back post in midweek, the closeseason signing from MK Dons has featured only sporadically, ostensibly because he does not possess the running power of the club’s regular right-back.

Yet, here the Northern Irishman was, smashing a most emphatic shot into the roof of Lewis’s net after some neat build-up play involving substitute Martyn Waghorn and McKay.

Aberdeen chased for a lifeline but could not grab one as Rangers, now chasing, jumping and tackling that little bit harder dug in. In Hill’s case, too much force was used as he twice saw yellow for fouling Maddison late.

McLean had no choice but to send off the defender, who was embarrassed by the ovation he received as he made his way down the tunnel, his hand gestures attempting to cool the response.

The bad blood continued into added time. As Maddison stood over a freekick, the teams jostled for position inside the penalty area and a glorified game of push-and-shove broke out, yielding the day’s second red card with Dons skipper Jack ordered from the fray for a second booking.

Maddison finally produced a telling ball with the cross, inviting Considine to head home his consolation. The pocket of away fans let loose in a brief outburst of celebration but Aberdeen were out of time.