PERHAPS the only worry facing Alex McLeish as he contemplates the month ahead is how his side can possibly emulate the month just ending.
November brought six wins from six games for McLeish’s Rangers side and with it a place in the CIS Cup semi-final, enhanced European prospects and now a return to the top of the league table after 13 long months. December has a lot to live up to.
Dundee had a major role to play in Gers’ spring to SPL supremacy – holding Celtic to a 2-2 draw – while the Ibrox side recovered from falling behind to an early Hearts goals to eventually battle their way to vital three points that saw them leapfrog Martin O’Neill’s side at the top of the table.
On the back of two matches against the Edinburgh side where they had failed to produce a goal – nevermind a victory – Rangers always knew they would be in for a tough afternoon and so it materialised.
Hearts, fresh from an impressive UEFA Cup win in Switzerland in midweek, were never going to be intimidated by the prospect of a visit to Ibrox and this was reflected in John Robertson’s decision to field three strikers in an unconventional starting formation.
The towering figure of Mark de Vries was asked to spearhead the three-pronged attack and the Dutchman’s ongoing spar with marker Jean-Alain Boumsong proved to be one of the most intriguing aspects of this fiercely-contested match.
For once Boumsong, usually Rangers’ rock of dependability in the heart of the defence, was given an uncomfortable afternoon, never more evident than when Hearts opened the scoring with 16 minutes gone.
A hopeful header forward by Andy Webster found de Vries in the box only for Boumsong to slide in to nick the ball away from his toe as the striker prepared to test Stefan Klos.
At first look it seemed a legitimate tackle by the Frenchman – he appeared to have played the ball before the man – but ref Dougie McDonald disagreed, immediately pointing to the penalty spot.
Klos leapt the correct way but was helpless to prevent Paul Hartley’s fiercely struck spot kick from finding the back of his net.
That aside, the remainder of the scoring opportunities in the first half all belonged to the home side.
Within the first two minutes Dado Prso had shot glaringly wide from a promising position before his strike partner Nacho Novo saw his well-struck effort comfortably held by Craig Gordon.
It was a similar story after Hartley had, somewhat controversially, put Hearts in front as Rangers dominated without really forcing Gordon into action.
Prso’s run and shot thudded straight into the keeper’s midriff after 22 minutes and the same player was unable to direct his header on target after Novo had over-hit his cross after a mazy run had carried him to goal line.
Just when it seemed they would slump up the tunnel a goal behind, Rangers equalised in the final minute of the first half.
A long Zurab Khizanishvili punt found its way to the back post for Peter Lovenkrands to drill a low cross across the face of the Hearts goal.
Under pressure from Prso, the luckless Jamie McAllister bundled the ball past his own goalkeeper from a matter of yards.
The goal seemed to reinvigorate Rangers and they were met with further good news during the break with word that Celtic had been held to a 2-2 draw at Dens Park.
Both teams made changes at the start of the second half, Hearts withdrawing Steven Pressley for Christophe Berra while McLeish handed 19 year-old Steven Smith his first start in place of Mo Ross.
Within 11 minutes of the re-start Rangers were in front. A delicious pass from Zura – think Beckenbauer in his prime – sent Novo scampering clear of McAllister and with the cutest of dinks the Spaniard lifted the ball over Gordon and into the back of the net.
Perhaps Strathclyde Police should have a word with Novo about the recent blaze in the Shack and Trash nightclubs in Glasgow as the Spaniard has been on fire for several months now.
The goal clearly settled Rangers and with Smith enjoying an accomplished debut and Marvin Andrews racing forward to set up attacks a third goal for the home side looked likely.
Instead it was the visitors – who had offered next to no threat as an attacking force – who were next to score after Namouchi conceded possession on the edge of the Hearts box.
The ball was fed out to Robbie Neilson wide on the touchline and his precise delivery was nodded past Klos by the impressive de Vries to draw the visitors level.
Hearts, buoyed by that equaliser, could soon have been in front had de Vries been able to direct his header on target from McAllister’s driven centre as Rangers lived dangerously for a number of minutes.
With all attacking inhibitions now shed by both sides, play raged from end to end and only a fine Gordon save kept out a thumping Andrews header from Fernando Ricksen’s corner.
The go-ahead goal was not long in coming, however, and substitute Stephen Hughes – on for the tiring Namouchi – had a pivotal role to play in it.
A Prso shot ricocheted wide to Hughes and from his chipped cross Novo headed past Gordon from around six yards out with nine minutes remaining.
The young Scot had two late chances to seal the victory – a stinging drive that the goalkeeper did well to parry and then a header that was deflected for a corner – but it mattered not as Gers held on for the three points and with it a seat at the top of the table.
RANGERS (4-4-2): 1 Klos; 15 Khizanishvili, 4 Boumsong, 5 Andrews, 21 Ross (S Smith 46); 31 Namouchi (Hughes 74), 2 Ricksen, 8 Rae, 26 Lovenkrands; 10 Novo, 9 Prso
Subs not used: G Smith, Hutton, Malcolm, Mladenovic, Fetai
Booked: Boumsong (15)
HEARTS (4-2-3-1): 1 Gordon; 12 Neilson, 4 Pressley (Berra 46), 6 Webster, 14 McAllister; 3 Kisnorbo, 10 Hartley; 19 Hamill, 7 Wyness (Weir 60), 15 Pareira (Stewart 70); 9 de Vries
Subs not used: Moilanen, Macfarlane, Janczyk, Sloan
Booked: Hartley (31), Wyness (35), Kisnorbo (90)
Man of the Match: Nacho Novo