MORELOS MAKES THE DIFFERENCE

Colombian provides vital spark from the bench but mars his performance with yet another booking

IT IS hard to know what will have pleased Rangers manager Steven Gerrard most about Alfredo Morelos’ cameo performance here: his goal, his assist, or his booking.

The Colombian showed so much of what is good about his game after replacing Kyle Lafferty with just over an hour played, bringing some added zip during an all-too-evident lull, scoring a crucial second for the Ibrox side to ease the tension after Daniel Candeias’ first-half opener and setting up Scott Arfield late on.

There was a little of the bad on show as well. After a comingtogether with Livingston defender Alan Lithgow and the petulant dismissal of referee Nick Walsh’s requests for a word in his ear with three minutes left, another yellow card was flashed Morelos’ way.

These cautions for needless dissent happen far too often with the 22-year-old. On this occasion, though, he might well be forgiven.

Better missing the visit to bottom club Dundee in a fortnight’s time, one might think, than the rather more exacting meetings, on paper at least, with Hibernian and Celtic later in December.

By Gerrard’s own admission, this was hardly a golden afternoon of entertainment. Rangers deserved it, but they were struggling to impose themselves during the second half until the former HJK Helsinki striker’s introduction and will have to play considerably better to get the results they want from the visit of Villarreal and a trip to Tynecastle over the next week.

It was a winning start to a run of 11 games in 35 days that will almost certainly define Rangers’ season, but it did show that the availability of Morelos will be essential if hopes of a title challenge and progress in Europe are to remain intact.

Morelos is not the perfect forward. He still misses big chances. He can look ungainly at times. But he has scored 16 goals so far this term and should manage double that by summer. He is strong, leads the line well and makes Rangers look much more dangerous with his link-up play and aggression in the right areas.

Rangers are a different team with him as their spearhead. That was shown during an encounter that began with Livvy hitting the woodwork after just 10 minutes.

After picking up a poor clearance from a set-piece, Shaun Byrne saw a low shot deflected to Lithgow in space in the penalty area. He released a shot that evaded Allan McGregor — only to go wide of the goalkeeper’s right-hand post.

That close call seemed to bring an extra spark to Rangers’ play and they went close on 17 minutes when Liam Kelly slapped at a ball into the area and Candeias squared to Arfield directly in front of goal.

His shot was saved by the recovering keeper and Candeias’ effort from the rebound was cleared off the goalline by Lithgow.

Four minutes later, the Portuguese handed his side the lead. Glenn Middleton delivered a corner and Candeias peeled off his man to guide an intelligent header past Kelly.

Lafferty was presented with a golden opportunity to double the home side’s advantage just before half-time. Arfield charged down a forward pass from Lithgow and left the Northern Irishman free to move in on goal from the left flank.

He never looked convincing, though, and his shot, when it came, clipped the side netting.

Indeed, it could have been worse for Rangers. Livvy kept themselves in this game throughout with their dogged, resilient style and manager Gary Holt felt Walsh should have blown for a spot-kick when Declan Gallagher went down in the area.

‘We should have had a penalty in the first half, and possibly one in the second,’ stated Holt. ‘The one in the first half was a stonewaller.

‘Middleton doesn’t see Declan coming in, his leg catches him and Deccy goes down. It would have been a soft one, but it was a definite penalty. I asked the referee and he felt there had been no contact.’

Middleton had forced a decent save from a low drive early in the second period, but chances were at a premium when Morelos made his appearance from the bench. Even then, Livingston might have scored a leveller with 12 minutes to play.

Ricki Lamie’s low ball was scuffed straight to Keaghan Jacobs and his snapshot forced McGregor to parry. From the rebound, Scott Pittman fed a cross and substitute Stevie Lawless saw his header held by the keeper.

With seven minutes left, though, Morelos reaped his reward.

Candeias fed James Tavernier, who, in turn, fed Morelos, who had moved away from Craig Halkett before finishing with a crisp shot.

Soon after, Morelos picked up the ball on the right and fed the ball inside, which Arfield buried.

Job done, but the tests are only beginning. Morelos may have shown his qualities, but the next few weeks will let us see what this Rangers team is really made of.