Scottish Football Round-up Part One: Rangers hold on to take SPL lead once again

Rangers put pressure on reigning champions and rivals Celtic with a hard fought three points at home to Aberdeen. The major talking points of the game were the two red cards dished out to Aberdeen’s Charlie Mulgrew and Rangers defender Madjid Bougherra. But despite a first half devoid of clear cut chances, the Second Half proved more fruitful with Kenny Miller setting up a goal and scorign another within the space of two minutes, before Dons youngster Michael Paton pulled a goal back to ensure a nervy ending to the game.

However Rangers held on for victory in their penultimate game and now wait to see if Hibernian can upset the odds against Celtic tomorrow, before the Ibrox side travel to Tannadice next Sunday on the last day of the season to secure the title for the first time in four years.

All the pressure was on the home side as the game kicked off, having to go out for not only the victory but also to score a barrell load of goals that would settle the nerves of the Rangers faithful, but nothing came of the first 45 minutes, which ended in a pretty tight affair. Both Miller and Boyd had chances to open the scoring for Rangers but they failed to connect when sliding in at the back post, but things began to heat up after just 18 minutes. Kyle Lafferty caught Charlie Mulgrew late, who subsequently got to his feet and put his face in front of the Northern Irish international’s, Lafferty lent in towards the defender before diving to the ground feigning a headbutt. However Referee Stuart Dougal was conned into giving Mulgrew a red card before flashing a yellow card at Lafferty for the initial tackle. This decision totally changed the game and can be seen as a measure of how a team desperate for the title, can resort too.

After all the pelavour of the ‘goal that never was’ in midweek against Hibernian and blaming the officials for cheating the Ibrox side out of three points, it is safe to say that there is a huge difference between a split second decision by a linesman, and a player feigning injury conning the referee into getting a player getting sent off. Its was a disgusting act by Lafferty, who should get hammered by the SFA for his antics and hopefully Mulgrew will have his red card rescinded on appeal.

The numbers were evened out six minutes before Half Time when Madjid Bougherra was sent for an early bath. The Algeria defender slid in on Jamie Langfield as the keeper came to collect the ball and caught the Aberdeen keeper square in the face with his studs. Bougherra could not really complain about the decision, but Rangers fans will certainly feel the referee was just levelling things up, but it was a deserved red card for a dangerous challenge. If anyone feels it was harsh, they should take a look at Stephen Hunt’s challenge on Chelsea’s Petr Cech last season and then come back and state if it was harsh or not.

Rangers had the best chances to score in the opening period, with the best falling to Steven Davis, who, finding himself free on the edge of the box unleashed a drive across the box, where Sasa Papac flicked a foot out at the ball to deflect it off the post only to see it bounce to safety. Boyd tested the Dons keeper also with a snapshot from a Maurice Edu cross, but Langfield reacted well to push it wide of the post. With half time fast approaching Neil Alexander in the Rangers goal, was forced into making his first real save of the game. Peter Pawlett ran at the home defence before sending a thumping effort towards the top corner that the goalkeeper had to stretch and tip over. Both teams went in at the break to a chorus of boo’s which could either be interpreted as aimed at the referee’s decision in sending off Bougherra or Rangers performance in the first half with no goals.

In the second half, Rangers looked the side hungry for goals, with both Miller and the ‘Academy Award nominee’ Kyle Lafferty both having chances before the Ibrox side took the lead after 65 minutes. Miller ran down the left wing before being allowed to strike a cross along the six-yard-box. Lafferty was ready to pounce only for Richie Foster to score an own goal while attempting to clear the ball. Barely two minutes later Miller stepped up to double the advantage for his side. A Nacho Novo corner was easily headed beyond Langfield when Miller lost Foster to calmly slot the ball into the net.

Walter Smith’s men started to defend deeper and deeper after their second and were made to pay the price. Substitute Michael Paton was picked out in the box from a long ball that he brought down excellently. The striker was allowed the space to turn and squeezed his shot beyond Alexander into the corner. Despite throwing everything - including the kitchen sink and the urinals they bought off St. Mirren- at Rangers, the points stayed in Glasgow.

The pressure is now back on Celtic to secure three points at Easter Road, which will be no easy task. While Aberdeen will look towards Hearts to do them a favour by keeping his side’s bid for a Europa League place alive with victory against Dundee United later.