BEALE SAVOURS A TIMELY BOOST
Rangers boss gains first Old Firm win this season as Celtic are slain in Ibrox bear pit
MICHAEL BEALE needed this. Not because the result mattered. Or even because he was required to lay down a marker for next season.
No, the Rangers manager needed this to remind an impatient Ibrox support, and maybe even himself, of what it feels like to beat Celtic.
Having inherited a team that was already trailing the champions by nine points when he took over in November, Beale was never likely to magic up a title challenge.
Defeats to Ange Postecoglou’s side in each of the two cup competitions were a different matter. Under scrutiny after four winless experiences in the Old Firm fixture, he went into this game feeling no little pressure.
His repeated post-match references to taking oxygen from the day’s events offered more than a hint of the strain that had started to tell.
Faced with a huge summer rebuild and a gap to bridge to well-oiled and financially stronger rivals, this wasn’t really an indicator of how Beale’s team might fare in next season’s Premiership campaign.
The league title wrapped up last weekend, Postecoglou took the rare step of leaving out a few of his regulars, most notably his 30-goal striker Kyogo Furuhashi.
With one eye on the last leg of a Treble in next month’s Scottish Cup Final this was a defeat that stung the Australian without inflicting any real damage.
For Beale (right), it was a chance to savour a packed and partisan Ibrox at its most raucous and triumphant. From the first minute his team looked tight, hungry and in sync with the gameplan.
The manager’s promise to hand Robby McCrorie an extended audition in goal continued and, while there may well be a new No1 arriving to replace Allan McGregor in the summer, the 25-year-old again showed that he is capable of stepping up on the big days.
Not that he was required to be the stand-out performer. Instead, that honour fell to one of Beale’s January signings, Todd Cantwell.
Deployed just behind a new-look attack in which the raw pace of Rabbi Matondo and Fashion Sakala was deployed in place of the already checked-out Alfredo Morelos, Cantwell scored early and maintained the buzz until his late withdrawal to a standing ovation.
Beale cannot truly change the complexion of this team until the summer market opens for business but with Cantwell starting to look the part and Nico Raskin busy and industrious in a deeper midfield role, the signs are he is capable of mining value from the market.
With Cameron Carter-Vickers and Alistair Johnston injured, Postecoglou was already without half of his first-choice defence but he also omitted Greg Taylor for Alexandro Bernabei at left-back.
Loose and lacking conviction, the Argentinian showed he has a way to travel before he is ready to seriously challenge for the role.
Most encouraging for Rangers was the omission of Kyogo, who has netted five times in this fixture this season. Hyeon-gyu Oh was instead handed the central striking role and presented a totally different threat.
While Kyogo plays the position like a ghost, constantly floating away from defenders, Oh is a more robust, direct competitor but that played into Rangers’ hands as, one early scare aside, Connor Goldson and goalscorer John Souttar handled his threat without too many wobbles.
Ibrox was a bear pit of noise at kick-off and the home team rode the sound waves, piling forward with intent and breaking through inside five minutes.
John Lundstram hit the target with a shot from 20 yards, an effort that Joe Hart spun left to beat out. Bursting to make a meaningful impact on this game, Cantwell met the loose ball first and smashed home a low finish.
History tells us that Postecoglou’s side don’t go under easily and they almost rebounded instantly.
Liel Abada hasn’t started much this season but he is a proven threat not least when fed the sort of pass with which Reo Hatate sent him scampering on the counter. The little Israeli burned forward and released the ball early for the dynamic Oh, who took a good touch that carried him into a shooting position. An apparent slip from McCrorie made up the South Korean’s mind and he dinked a finish over the keeper only for the ball to bounce off the post.
Celtic’s passing game then started to lock in as Hatate and Matt O’Riley crept higher up the pitch. Half chances fell to Abada and Oh, but nothing troubled McCrorie. Hart wasn’t overstretched either, fielding a Matondo shot carefully but there was zest to Rangers’ play that has too seldom been seen in this fixture over the past couple of seasons. Operating with freedom in the No10 role, Cantwell was revelling in the setting, harrying opponents and demanding the ball with equal vigour, safe in the knowledge the three behind him would cover any missteps. The second goal arrived from a set-piece, James Tavernier swinging over a near-post delivery which was met by Souttar, climbing high above Yuki Kobayashi to plant home a firm header.
Referee Steven McLean dismissed Celtic claims for a penalty after Goldson handled in the area, blocking a cut-back from O’Riley with his arm after going to ground. Considering the position of his body and arm, the officials deemed the act unintentional.
Oh, hovering and hopeful of a tapin until the ball changed direction, protested loudest to no avail. And so Rangers went in at half-time two up and feeling a lot better about themselves.
Ryan Jack looked a little too content soon after the restart, pondering long enough on the ball to allow O’Riley to pick his pocket and beat a trail for goal. The Danish Under-21 cap worked the angle for a shot but McCrorie was equal to his lofted effort, scooping the ball over.
Likewise, Hart was smart to deflect a Cantwell shot past.
On the hour mark, Postecoglou prepared Kyogo and Daizen Maeda for service, with Abada and the frustrated Oh making way.
In truth, the game had already gone. You know Celtic are off it when Callum McGregor starts making mistakes. Normally dependable and sure in his actions, the Parkhead skipper got into an almighty mess with Carl Starfelt 40 yards from his own goal.
As both toppled to the floor, Sakala zipped in and advanced on Hart. There are times when Rangers fans watch the Zambian through raised fingers but this time he did everything right, rounding the keeper and rolling a left-footed finish home.
Beale rounded off the day by giving outings to fringe players Ianis Hagi, Scott Arfield, Glen Kamara and youngsters Alex Lowry and Zak Lovelace.
The sight of Morelos still sulking on the bench signals a much-needed change of the guard at Ibrox.
The question of whether similar can happen at the top of the league remains to be answered. But for Beale, the day at least proved him deserving of both the opportunity and the full backing of his board.