Kai Watson: Rangers FINALLY Get a Win
This time last week I was writing about how impressive St. Mirren were and they probably would have fancied their chances going to Ibrox on Sunday. Rangers were off the back of a defeat to Hibs and drawing with Jagellonia to exit the Europa League so it was the perfect time to face them.
St. Mirren had also won their two opening games whilst playing some impressive football without conceding a goal, Craig McLeish would have gone into this one with a quiet confidence.
Derek McInnes has bemoaned the recruitment and constantly stated that his team needed to add quality. On Saturday James Penrice’s signing was confirmed with a section of fans bemoaning the signing of ‘another ex-Hearts player’ but that criticism disappeared by 6PM on Sunday evening.
He started this game with Tuur Rommens out injured and slotted in as if he had been at the club for years and now the Belgian may have a hard time getting back into the team.
It was an open start to the game but it only took eight minutes for the scoring to be opened. Naderi won a flick on and Gassama drove at the St. Mirren defence, his shot was deflected up into the air but he won the header and the German striker turned it in off what looked like his hip.
Around ten minutes later it was two, a decent Penrice free-kick was headed out, Yokota challenged and the ball bounced off of his back into the path of Vanja Dragojevic who controlled it on his chest then smashed a volley into the top corner, a truly incredible strike! If you haven’t seen it, please go and watch it.
Naderi then had a shot cleared off the line before another brilliant strike from range, this time a curling effort by Gassama, hit off of the bar and bounced on the line. Rangers were sloppy on the 29th minute though and a slack pass by Dragojevic was pounced on by Chris Mochrie who took a touch past Raskin and powered an excellent strike beyond Pandur into the top corner, a really exciting opening half hour and St. Mirren were right back in it!
It was 2-1 at half-time but Rangers counter expertly in the 52nd minute from a St. Mirren free-kick, Curtis played Penrice in down the left and he played in Gassama first time who calmly placed it beyond Chapman. Just a minute later, another sweeping counter, started by some lovely play from Chukwuani, resulted in a scramble inside the box which eventually fell to Penrice.
He smashed it in to get a goal and assist on his debut for his boyhood club, what a day for him. Curtis then had a decent effort saved by Chapman before the St. Mirren goalie denied Penrice with a smart save down to his right.
Manny Fernandez clumsily brought down Sule in the box around the 66th minute to potentially provide St. Mirren with a life line. Killian Phillips took the penalty before the whistle was blown so had to retake it but Pandur got down brilliantly to his right to deny the Irishman.
The scoring was then complete in the 74th minute, after some more good work from Penric down the left, his cross was met by Shankland whose inventive effort hit the post before forgotten man Ross McCausland turned in the rebound to make it 5-1.
Luke Thomas did hit the post late on but that was the last of the action.
Rangers needed that win, Derek McInnes needed it and so did the fans.
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