Rangers 2-0 Saints

James Tavernier gave the Light Blues the lead from the spot on 15 minutes after James Brown was penalised for handball.

Saints afternoon got worse with 11 minutes of the first half remaining as Nicky Clark was sent off for a foul on Ryan Jack.

Jack then avoided getting sent off 2 minutes later as he was shown a yellow card for a late tackle on Adam Montgomery and the decision stood following a VAR review.

Saints got a great chance to level the match in first half stoppage time as Drey Wright rounded Allan McGregor however, the midfielder lost his balance just as he was about to shot.

Rangers then sealed the win on 57 minutes as a neat flick from Alfredo Morelos played in Glen Kamara who slotted the ball beyond Remi Matthews.

Next up for Saints is a trip to Motherwell on Wednesday evening, kick off 7:45pm.

MATCH REPORT

Saints and Rangers met for the second time in a week as Saints made the trip to Glasgow to take on the Govan side at Ibrox this afternoon. A strike on the stroke of half time by Borna Barišić was enough for Rangers to defeat Saints 1-0 at McDiarmid Park to progress to the Fifth round of the Scottish Cup last Saturday and Callum Davidson made one change for this afternoon’s cinch Premiership match as Stevie May dropped to the bench and he was replaced by Nicky Clark. There was also a couple of changes to the Rangers starting eleven this afternoon as Michael Beale brought in Glen Kamara and new signing Todd Cantwell, who joined the club earlier this week from Norwich City for an undisclosed fee, and they replaced John Lundstram and Fashion Sakala who both dropped to the bench.  

It was Armed Forces Day at Ibrox as Rangers honoured the brave men and women of the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force and prior to the match personnel from the Royal Marines abseiled from the Sandy Jardine Stand and handed the match ball over to referee Willie Collum.

Ryan Kent got the match underway for the hosts and they created the first chance of the match on 6 minutes as Malik Tillman won the ball from Connor McLennan before playing in Alfredo Morelos but Remi Matthews was out quick to make a good save. The loose ball then broke to the Columbian forward who tried to pick out Tillman in the centre of the box however, Liam Gordon got to the ball first to turn it behind for a corner.

Rangers created another chance on 13 minutes as Ryan Kent went on a powerful run from midfield before slipping the ball into the path of Morelos but his effort was turned behind for a corner by Matthews. Then a minute later Rangers were awarded a penalty. Borna Barišić’s cross into the box following a corner deflected off Connor Goldson’s back before hitting James Brown’s arm and referee Willie Collum pointed to the spot. James Tavernier stepped up to take the penalty and the Light Blues captain powerfully planted it high into the net.

PHOTO: James Tavernier scores from the penalty spot

On 16 minutes Saints were awarded a free kick out wide on the right following a foul on Drey Wright by Barišić. Cammy MacPherson took the free kick however, his delivery into the box was cleared by the Rangers rearguard. Saints were having a good spell in the game and 3 minutes later Nicky Clark played in Wright on the edge of the box however, his effort lacked power as Allan McGregor comfortably gathered the ball.

Good play by Glen Kamara on 22 minutes saw the Finnish midfielder play in Morelos who did well to beat the offside trap but Matthews was out quick to block the strike from the Light Blues forward.

Saints got a great chance to level the match 6 minutes later as Melker Hallberg’s cross into the box from the right was met by Clark however, his volley went narrowly over.

Play then quickly switched to the other end as Tillman played in Kent however, Matthews made another good save. The hosts were then awarded a free kick just before the half an hour mark following a foul by Daniel Philips on Tavernier. Barišić took the free kick as he lifted it up and over the wall however, Matthews was able to comfortably gather the effort.

Saints afternoon got even tougher with 11 minutes of the first half remaining as the Perth side were reduced to ten men. Clark clattered into Ryan Jack which left the Rangers midfielder in a heap. The Ibrox screens then showed that there was a VAR review for a possible red card before Collum went to his pocket and send off Clark. Callum Davidson was also shown a yellow card as he showed his frustration with the decision on the side-lines.

PHOTO: Nicky Clark is sent off after a challenge on Ryan Jack

There was calls for another red card on 38 minutes as Jack fouled Adam Montgomery on the edge of the box. Referee Willie Collum showed The Gers midfielder a yellow card however, he was then asked to go and review the incident on the monitor by VAR official Nick Walsh but Collum decided to stick with his original decision.

Then just before half time Rangers were awarded another free kick this time on the edge of the box following a foul on Kent by James Brown, who was booked for the foul. Both Tavernier and Barišić stood over the free and it was taken by the former however, Matthews made a brilliant one-handed save to claw away the free kick.  

There was 6 minutes added on at the end of the first half and deep into stoppage time Saints got a great chance to level the match as Phillips played in Wright who did well to beat the offside trap before taking the ball around McGregor however, just as he was about to pull the trigger the midfielder lost his footing and the chance was gone.

PHOTO: Drey Wright rounds Allan McGregor but stumbles before he can put the ball in the net

Rangers made a change before the second half got underway as John Lundstram came on to replace Ryan Jack.

Rangers used their man advantage to apply pressure early in the second half as on 50 minutes Barišić broke down the left channel before sending over a cross which was met by Todd Cantwell however, he couldn’t direct his effort on target. The hosts created another chance shortly after as Morelos played in Kent but Matthews was equal to the effort as he made another top save as he turned the ball behind for another corner.

The early second half pressure from the Govan side eventually told on 57 minutes as they doubled their lead. Cantwell played the ball to Morelos who produced a neat flick to setup Kamara and the midfielder slotted the ball beyond Mathews.

PHOTO: James Brown gets above Ryan Kent

On 66 minutes good play by Saints saw MacPherson’s strike turned behind for a corner by Ben Davies. MacPherson took it from the left and his delivery broke to Andy Considine however, the downward header from the defender was saved by MacGregor at the far post.

Saints made their first change of the game on 74 minutes as Melker Hallberg was replaced by Stevie May, who earlier this week signed a contract extension to remain in Perth until the summer of 2025. That was followed by a double change shortly after as Graham Carey and David Wotherspoon came on to replace Daniel Phillips and Drey Wright.

With 5 minutes remaining Rangers created a chance to extend their lead as Kamara did a neat turn to get away from his man before playing in Fashion Sakala however, Considine did well to get back and turn the strike from the forward behind for a corner. Tavernier took the corner from the left and his delivery was gathered by Ianis Hagi who did well to play in Sakala. The Zambian than advanced towards the Saints goal before unleashing a strike which took a deflection off Montgomery however, Matthews did well to react to the deflection to turn it behind for another corner.

PHOTO: David Wotherspoon is closely watched by Connor Goldson

Saints made another change on 89 minutes as Connor McLennan made way for Ali Crawford. Callum Davidson’s side continued to fight until the end but it just wasn’t their day.  

Rangers: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Jack (Lundstram 45), Cantwell (Sakala 63), Kent (Wright 72), Kamara, Morelos (Čolak 72), Davies, Barišić, Tillman (Hagi 73)

Unused Substitutes: McLaughlin (GK), Sands, Arfield, Devine

Booked: Jack, Tillman, Hagi

Scorers: Tavernier (15 pen), Kamara (57)

Saints: Matthews, Gordon, Considine, Brown, Montgomery, Wright (Wotherspoon 81), MacPherson, Phillips (Carey 81), Hallberg (May 74), Clark, McLennan (Crawford 89)

Unused Substitutes: Parish (GK), Mitchell, Bair, Murphy, O’Halloran

Booked: Matthews, Brown, Phillips

Sent Off: Clark

Referee: William Collum

VAR: Nick Walsh

Attendance: 49,672

Match Report by Daryl Scott

Picture: Daniel Phillips is closed down by Glen Kamara