A SUPERB two-goal salvo inside a minute from Rangers saw them come from behind to claim three points against St Mirren this afternoon.
After going down to a wonder goal from Connor Ronan on just four minutes, Kemar Roofe levelled matters from the penalty spot on 42 minutes before Alfredo Morelos grabbed his 100th goal for the club on 43 minutes.
Boss Steven Gerrard named just the one change to his side for this afternoon’s Scottish Premiership match at a blustery St Mirren Park, with Jon McLaughlin taking over in nets from Allan McGregor.
That meant it was a back five of McLaughlin in goal with captain James Tavernier, Connor Goldson, Leon Balogun and Borna Barisic in front of him.
Joe Aribo, Steven Davis and John Lundstram were in midfield with Kemar Roofe and Ianis Hagi playing in support of Alfredo Morelos.
The home side began on-top and grabbed a lead inside four minutes. Gers were loose in possession in midfield allowing Connor Ronan to bring the ball forward and unleash the most incredible, curling drive which cracked into the top corner from fully 25-yards.
Jak Alnwick denied Goldson with a smart stop on the end of a Tavernier corner as Gers looked to hit back, before the goalkeeper repeated the feat a few minutes later as the centre-half again showed his prowess in the opposition box.
Alnwick then saved well from Hagi as Gers finally began to assert themselves on the game around the half-hour mark, before Hagi had a super snapshot on the turn deflected wide from the edge of the area, albeit, no corner was given.
Hagi was starting to have so much more of an impact on the game, and on the 40 minute mark, he won a penalty. Kemar Roofe did superbly initially, winning the ball high up the park and getting it wide for Barisic and then Hagi, who cut inside the area and was felled by Joe Shaugnessy as he did so for a clear spot-kick.
It was Roofe who took the penalty, and while Alnwick made a fine effort to get across to his left to save, the striker’s effort was terrific and right in the corner.
All of a sudden, Rangers were everywhere, and just a minute later, it was 2-1, and that man Alfredo Morelos had his 100th goal for the club.
The ball came right for Aribo to play it onto Tavernier in the advanced area. He sent in a searching cross from the right which Conor McCarthy missed at the front post, and alive for the loose, bouncing ball at the back post was Morelos to spark complete and utter pandemonium among the Colombian, his teammates and both ends of St Mirren Park where the terrific away support was housed.
It could have been three before the break as Alnwick denied the terrific Hagi with a curling 25-yarder, but 2-1 is how Gers went in at the break.
Alnwick saved well from a Tavernier header at the start of the second half as fellow full-back Barisic picked him out with a cross, while Morelos sent one wide on the end of a Roofe cutback following brilliant Aribo work to keep the ball alive.
Balogun sent an effort over on another corner, while St Mirren were forced to see the game out with 10-men as, having used all three substitutes, Jamie McGrath was forced off with an injury.
For as much as Gers would have liked to have added more goals to their tally, they were extremely comfortable in that second half with McLaughlin not having a save to make.
Gers then open up a three-point gap at the top of the Scottish Premiership with the league action coming thick and fast with Aberdeen the visitors to Ibrox on Wednesday.
RANGERS: McLaughlin, Tavernier, Goldson, Balogun, Barisic, Aribo, Davis, Lundstram, Roofe (Patterson, 86), Hagi (Arfield, 78), Morelos (Fashion Jr, 69).
SUBS NOT USED: McCrorie, Bassey, Kamara, Bacuna,
ST MIRREN: Alnwick, Tanser (Tait, 46), Shaugnessy, McCarthy, Power, McGrath, Brophy, Erahon (Flynn, 45), Fraser, Ronan, Millar (Main, 76).
SUBS NOT USED: Lyness, McAllister, Dunne, Dennis.
REFEREE: Steven McLean
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