RANGERS maintained their winning run under Michael Beale with a 2-1 victory over Ross County at Ibrox in the Scottish Premiership this afternoon.
A goal from Malik Tillman on the stroke of the interval put the home side in charge heading into half-time, but they were pegged back midway through the second half as Jordan White levelled for the Staggies.
However, Borna Barisic netted his second goal in three games with 17 minutes remaining as his free-kick beat Ross Laidlaw to ensure all three points remained in Glasgow.
Michael Beale named three changes to his side from their dominant midweek victory over Hearts, with Jon McLaughlin, Ryan Jack and Todd Cantwell replacing Allan McGregor, Glen Kamara and Malik Tillman.
It was Borna Barisic who initially threatened at goal for the Light Blues, collecting a square pass from Alfredo Morelos on the edge of the penalty area but his ensuing effort was always rising as it sailed over the crossbar.
The manager was forced into an early reshuffling of his pack as John Lundstram was forced off through injury; Tillman replacing him with only ten minutes having elapsed.
Serenaded by his chant as he entered the fray, the 20-year-old was among the action only moments later. Ryan Jack threaded a gorgeous slide rule pass through to the midfielder and, after his resulting strike at goal was blocked, the ball fell invitingly to Cantwell whose curling effort skimmed the top of the crossbar.
There was an undoubted confidence to Tillman’s play in the opening exchanges, feeding James Tavernier with a perfectly-weighted pass that the Gers captain strode forward onto and fired a thunderous effort off target.
County’s threat going in the opposite direction was fleeting, although they called McLaughlin into a comfortable save when Yan Dhanda’s free-kick delivery was met by Alex Iacovitti who steered his header into the arms of the Rangers stopper.
The home side threatened with a headed chance of their own on 24 minutes – their most dangerous of the half until that point – as Morelos powered Barisic’s wicked delivery goalwards but beyond the far post.
Barisic’s deliveries were causing anxiety among the away side’s defence in the opening half-hour as Keith Watson and goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw almost got in each other’s way attempting to clear the danger from a delicious cross from the Croatian.
A sweeping Rangers counter-attack very nearly engineered the opening goal of the afternoon with six minutes remaining until the interval. Cantwell did superbly to pinch the ball from Eamonn Brophy, helping spring Tillman forward 50 yards on the break. The USA international released Morelos to his left, only for Iacovitti to position himself perfectly to sniff out the Colombian’s pull-back across goal.
Tillman was the next player to get on the receiving end of a dangerous Barisic delivery, meeting the Croatian’s whipped cross at the far post as his glancing header trickled wide.
The 20-year-old was at the heart of everything positive for the Light Blues, and it was little surprise that he was the source of the opening goal for Beale’s men on the stroke of half-time.
It was Cantwell and Morelos who initiated the move, playing a neat give-and-go that allowed the former to cut through the County rearguard and lift his head on the byline. Keeping his composure, he produced a clipped cross that was met by Tillman from close range as the midfielder steered his header beyond Laidlaw.
The hosts ought to have doubled their advantage before referee Euan Anderson had blown his whistle for the interval as Morelos headed over from Kent’s stood-up cross.
County were standing firm as the Light Blues looked to double their lead early in the second period, typified by Jack Baldwin’s block on Morelos after the Colombian turned smartly on the edge of the danger area and unleashed at goal.
There remained an energy to Rangers’ play without the ball as Kent did ever so well to steal the ball high up the pitch, firing a dangerous delivery across the face of the goal that only narrowly evaded Morelos at the far post.
Jon McLaughlin was forced into a fantastic stop from Nohan Kenneh on 62 minutes after the Hibernian loanee worked half a yard on the edge of the penalty area and arrowed a goalbound effort that looked destined for the roof of the net.
However, the Light Blues’ defence was breached only moments later as the Staggies restored parity in Govan. A short corner routine allowed Dhanda the space to send a dangerous delivery into the penalty area where Jordan White rose highest to plant a header beyond McLaughlin.
25 minutes remained for the Gers to haul themselves back ahead, going agonisingly close in the 72nd minute through Kent. The Light Blues did well to work the ball down the left as Barisic placed a pass into the Gers winger whose curling left-footed effort dipped onto the crossbar.
Rangers showed their spirit of perseverance, however, as they restored their advantage less than 60 seconds later. Connor Goldson was felled on the edge of the penalty area as he looked to burst into the penalty box, drawing a free-kick within striking range for Barisic. The Croatian duly accepted the invite as his curling effort took a nick off goalscorer White and trickled into the bottom corner to bring Ibrox to its feet.
Kent and Morelos combined expertly to almost manufacture a third goal of the afternoon for the Light Blues as the Colombian fired a low, driven effort that forced Laidlaw into a smart intervention.
The Ibrox crowd welcomed deadline day arrival Nicolas Raskin onto the pitch for his debut with eight minutes remaining, with the Belgian showing several lively touches of the ball in his brief cameo.
County looked to wreak havoc in the closing stages, throwing several crosses into the Rangers penalty area as the home side stood tall to seal a seventh successive victory in all competitions.
RANGERS: McLaughlin, Tavernier, Goldson, Davies, Barisic, Jack, Lundstram (Tillman, 10), Cantwell (Raskin, 82), Fashion Jr. (Kamara, 61), Kent (Wright, 82), Morelos (Colak, 82)
Subs not used: McGregor, Hagi, Sands, Lowry
ROSS COUNTY: Laidlaw, Randall, Baldwin, Iacovitti (Cancola, 74), Dhanda (Callachan, 65), Loturi, Watson, Harmon, White, Brophy (Murray, 45), Kenneh (Sims, 83)
Subs not used: Munro, Tillson, Samuel, Smith, Stones
REFEREE: Euan Anderson