Rangers 4-0 Saints

The Perth side almost took the lead on 18 minutes as Theo Bair connect well with the ball whilst on the deck however, he effort went the wrong side of the post.

Rangers dominated possession and they took the lead on 32 minutes as Malik Tillman got on the end of a James Tavernier cross and headed home off the underside of the crossbar from a tight angle.

Rangers second came just after the hour mark as Rabbi Matondo caught Drey Wright in possession in the box before getting the ball to Antonio Čolak who fired low into the net.

Scott Arfield then came off the bench to score Rangers third of the afternoon with 10 minutes remaining before the midfielder turned provider 3 minutes later to setup fellow substitute Tom Lawrence who slotted home to seal a comfortable win for the hosts.

Saints are back in action next Saturday as they welcome Aberdeen to McDiarmid Park, kick off 3pm.

MATCH REPORT

For the second week in a row Saints were on the road as they headed to Govan to take on Rangers at Ibrox. An injury time goal from Stevie May saw Saints defeat Motherwell 2-1 last weekend and Callum Davidson decided to go with the same team that started at Fir Park this afternoon. There was also a place on the bench for Daniel Phillips who joined the club on a two-year deal earlier this week. Rangers staged a great comeback on Tuesday evening as they overcame a two-goal first-leg defeat to beat Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise 3-0 to win the tie 3-2 on aggregate to progress into the UEFA Champions League play-offs and manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst made four changes to his starting eleven this afternoon. Ryan Jack, Rabbi Matondo, Scott Wright and Ben Davies came in to replace James Sands, Tom Lawrence, Scott Arfield and Ryan Kent.

Ibrox was bathed in sunshine as Antonio Čolak got the match underway for the hosts and it was the Govan side who almost took the lead on 4 minutes. Cammy MacPherson was closed down in midfield but Alex Mitchell looked like he had dealt with the danger as he played the ball back to Remi Matthews however, on-loan Bayern Munich forward Malik Tillman chased down the ball as Matthews clearance hit off him before trundling wide. 

Saints were forced into a change on 7 minutes as Daniel Phillips came on to make his debut, replacing an injured Cammy MacPherson.

Saints got a sight of goal on 14 minutes as they look to hit Rangers on the break. Jamie Murphy carried the ball forward before playing it to Graham Carey who took a touch before unleashing a strike from 25 yards which was comfortably gathered by Jon McLaughlin.

PHOTO: Graham Carey has a shot at goal

Callum Davidson’s side came even closer 4 minutes later as Bair couldn’t make a clean connection with Murphy’s cross into the box however, whilst on the deck the Canadian forward was able to get a second stab at it but he put his effort inches wide.

Rangers continued to create chances and on 22 minutes Connor Goldson sent over an inviting cross from the right into the Saints box however, Rabbi Matondo couldn’t make a clean connection with the ball as the it went out for a throw-in. Such was the heat in Govan there was a water break a minute later. Then on 27 minutes a good passing move saw the ball played to Tillman on the edge of the box and quick feet from the American saw him create space for himself before he blasted his powerful effort over.

The one-way traffic towards the Saints goal continued and on 31 minutes Ryan Jack squared the ball to John Lundstram on the edge of the box but Matthews made a great save as he pushed the ball over for a corner. The hosts pressure eventually told a minute later as they took the lead. Borna Barišić’s corner from the left missed everyone and Scott Wright picked up the loose ball before playing it to James Tavernier. The Gers captain sent a deep cross into the box which Tillman got on the end of at the back post to head home from a tight angle as the ball went in off the underside of the crossbar.  

The Light Blues were awarded a free kick on 38 minutes after Melker Hallberg had fouled Lundstram. Barišić took the free kick as he whipped the ball into the box and Goldson got up well to get on the end of it however, his header was comfortably gathered by Matthews.  

PHOTO: Theo Bair reacts to a missing his chance to put Saints ahead

There was final chance for the home side before half time as in the second minute of the two minutes added on Goldson played in Jack however, the strike from the midfielder was brilliantly palmed away by Matthews.

5 minutes into the second half great holdup play by Phillips helped Saints start an attack. McGowan then carried the ball down the right channel before playing in Drey Wright who got the break of the ball to pick out Carey in the box however, his delivery to the back post was gathered by McLaughlin as the Rangers keeper cut out the danger before Bair could make connection with the cross.

Play quickly switched to the other end as Matondo saw his curling 20-yard effort hit the crossbar a minute later. Then on 56 minutes Barišić was inches away from doubling Rangers lead as the Croatian’s free kick looked like it was heading for the top corner however, it skimmed the roof of the Saints goal.

On the hour mark Saints brought on fresh legs as Theo Bair and Adam Montgomery made way for Stevie May and James Brown.

PHOTO: Drey Wright runs at Borna Barišić

However, a minute later Rangers made it two. Matondo did well to close down Wright in the Saints box before playing in Čolak and the Croatian forward made no mistake as he turned and despatched the ball low beyond Matthews.  

With the temperatures in the mid-twenties there was another water break midway through the second half. When play resumed the hosts continued to create chances to further extend their lead and with 13 minutes remaining Tavernier’s corner from the right picked out Jack on the edge of the box but the midfielder dragged his effort wide.

Saints then made a couple more changes as Michael O’Halloran and Ali Crawford came on to replace Drey Wright and Jamie Murphy.

PHOTO: Callum Davidson talks to his players during the second half water break

The third goal for Rangers eventually came with 10 minutes remaining as Jack’s long ball forward played in Matondo who did well to take the ball around Matthews before cutting it back at the byline to Scott Arfield and the substitute slotted the ball into the net from close range.

Then 3 minutes later The Light Blues made it 4-0. Tavernier did well to cut the ball back to Arfield and he crossed the ball into the centre of the box and Tom Lawrence got on the end of it to knock it into the net to cap off a tough afternoon for Saints.

Rangers: McLaughlin, Tavernier, Lundstram (Kamara 79), Goldson, Jack, Čolak (Morelos 77), Matondo, Wright (Arfield 66), Davies (King 78), Barišić, Tillman (Lawrence 77)

Unused Substitutes: McGregor (GK), Yilmaz, Davis, Sakala

Booked: Goldson

Scorers: Tillman (32), Čolak (62), Arfield (80), Lawrence (83)

Saints: Matthews, McGowan, Mitchell, Considine, Montgomery (Brown 60), Hallberg, MacPherson (Phillips 7), Carey, Bair (May 60), Murphy (O’Halloran 77), Wright (Crawford 77)

Unused Substitutes: Parish(GK), Gordon, Ballantyne, Kucheriavyi

Booked: Montgomery, Phillips

Referee: Nick Walsh

Attendance: 48,665

Match Report by Daryl Scott

Picture: Malik Tillman tries to close down Graham Carey