Rangers 3-1 Ross County

Rangers 3-1 Ross County

A CYRIEL Dessers double helped Rangers to three points in the Scottish Premiership with a 3-1 victory over Ross County this evening.

The striker found the target inside the opening five minutes, before the Highland side responded through Simon Murray. 

In first-half injury time, Dessers got his second of the match with a header, before John Souttar added a third in the final minutes of the match.

There were seven changes from the weekend’s victory over Ayr United as Ridvan, John Lundstram, Tom Lawrence, Todd Cantwell, Ross McCausland, Rabbi Matondo and Cyriel Dessers all came back into the starting line-up. 

It was the same line-up as last week’s league win against Aberdeen, with Jack Butland in goal behind a back four of James Tavernier, Connor Goldson, John Souttar and Ridvan. 

John Lundstram and Tom Lawrence are in midfield with Todd Cantwell in the advanced position. Cyriel Dessers is back up front with the support of Rabbi Matondo and Ross McCausland. 

It was Ross County who got the action underway in this one as interim boss Don Cowie took his first match in charge of the Highland side. 

Clement couldn’t have asked for a better start as Rangers took the lead with less than five minutes on the clock. Captain James Tavernier lifted a ball over the Ross County defence and into the path of striker Cyriel Dessers. It was a composed finish from the number nine as he touched beyond George Wickens for his 13th goal of the season. 

Tavernier came close to doubling the advantage shortly after as his effort from distance was tipped over for a corner by Wickens. 

It was relentless from Rangers in these opening stages as Ridvan picked out Dessers who had again made a good run into the box, but this time Wickens was able to block the shot from the striker. 

Matondo was next to have a go as he got on the end of a lovely weighted pass from John Lundstram and tried to curl a low right-footed effort towards goal but it was just wide of the post. 

Another good move saw a one-two between Tom Lawrence and Rabbi Matondo with the latter picking up the ball in the box but Wicken’s somehow managed to touch his strike onto the crossbar and out for a Rangers corner. 

John Souttar headed over from a Ridvan corner as Rangers continued to pile the pressure on the visitors at Ibrox, before Tom Lawrence’s powerful strike from distance was held by the Ross County goalkeeper. 

The chances kept coming for Clement’s men as Tavernier fired over from a Ross McCausland cut-back with just 25 minutes played. 

Despite the early dominance from Gers, it was Ross County who managed to get the next goal in this match with their first chance of the game on the half-hour mark. Eamonn Brophy made his way down the right and managed to get a cross into the box, which Simon Murray converted beyond Butland. 

Cantwell almost had Rangers back ahead on the stroke of half-time as his long-range shot was spilled by Wickens. Dessers picked it up in the box and directed the ball back towards goal but defender Ryan Leak was on the line for County to clear the shot and keep the game level. 

However, with five minutes added on Rangers were able to capitalise and head in at the break with a 2-1 lead . James Tavernier again provided the assist with a superb delivery in from the right and Dessers guided a header into the bottom corner for his second goal of the evening. 

At half-time, Clement turned to his bench with one change at the break. Oscar Cortes was introduced in place of Rabbi Matondo. 

Early in the half, Tom Lawrence found space on the edge of the area to try a shot but it was deflected wide for a corner. 

Cortes had an instant impact, and almost had his first goal for the club had it not been for George Wickens. The Colombian started the move in midfield before finding Ross McCausland on the right. McCausland fed the ball into Cantwell who laid it off for Cortes but the Ross County goalkeeper was able to block the shot from inside the box. 

Cantwell was next to have a shot of his own as his low strike was deflected just wide of the post as Rangers pushed to increase the advantage early in the second-half.

Michee Efete headed over for County from  a corner which was whipped into the box by James Brown before John Lundstram had a shot saved by Wickens. 

It had been a busy evening for the Ross County goalkeeper and he pulled off another good block to deny Dessers a hat-trick with a close range shot from inside the box. 

For Dessers it was his last action of the evening as the striker and Ross McCausland were replaced by Scott Wright and Fabio Silva for the final 20 minutes at Ibrox as Clement looked to freshen up his attack. 

Wickens again denied Rangers as he tipped an impressive long-range effort from Todd Cantwell onto the bar and out for another corner to the home side. 

In another change for the Light Blues, Mohamed Diomande was introduced in place of Tom Lawrence.

Rangers came so close to a third with 85 minutes played at Ibrox as Fabio Silva’s right footed shot was blocked by the goalkeeper before Cortes’ rebound strike was also kept out as a County defender got a block.

There were seven minutes added on at Ibrox, as Gers continued to push to increase their advantage. It was 3-1 to Rangers with a couple of minutes of the seven played as James Tavernier’s cross was headed beyond Watkins by defender John Souttar.

Rangers: Butland, Tavernier, Goldson, Souttar, Ridvan, Lundstram, Lawrence (Diomande, 79), Cantwell, McCausland (Wright, 71), Matondo (Cortes, 46), Dessers (Silva, 71). 

Subs: McCrorie, Davies, Barisic, King, Raskin. 

Ross County: Wickens, Brown, Dhanda (Henderson, 79), Loturi, Murray (Sims, 79), King (Sheaf, 71), Efete, Brophy (White, 55), Ayina, Leak, Reid (Harmon, 71). 

Subs: Laidlaw, Borthwick-Jackson, Khela.