Saints 2-1 Rangers

The Gers dominated the first half as they piled the pressure on Saints however, they were up against a resolute Saints defence. Rangers came close to the opener on 20 minutes when Fashion Sakala saw his header hit the crossbar.

Saints took the lead on 41 minutes as James Brown sent a stunning thunderous strike from 20 yards high into the net.

Saints doubled their lead just after the hour mark as Nicky Clark did well to get in front of Borna Barišić to turn a Stevie May cross beyond Allan McGregor.

James Tavernier pulled a goal back from the Light Blues with 16 minutes remaining and the Govan side almost got a second shortly after as John Lundstram saw his long-range effort comeback off the crossbar.

Saints though saw the game out to earn a deserved three points which moves them into the top six in the cinch Premiership.

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

MATCH REPORT

The Sky Sports cameras were in Perth this lunchtime as Saints welcomed Rangers to McDiarmid Park for a cinch Premiership match. An Ash Taylor own goal after 4 minutes saw Saints defeat Kilmarnock 1-0 last weekend as they made it back-to-back wins. Callum Davidson made three changes to his starting eleven this afternoon as there was a change between the sticks as Elliott Parish came in to replace the injured Remi Matthews. Adam Montgomery and David Wotherspoon also came into the starting eleven as they replaced Liam Gordon, who was ill, and Drey Wright, who dropped to the bench. Rangers lost 3-1 to Ajax in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday evening and manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst made two changes to his starting eleven this afternoon. Both Scott Arfield and Steven Davis dropped to the bench and they were replaced by John Lundstram, who missed the midweek match due to suspension, and Ben Davies.

Ryan Kent got the match underway for the visitors and the Ibrox side were quick out of the traps they created a couple of early chances. In the first minute of the match Malik Tillman beat Ryan McGowan to the ball on the halfway line. The forward, who is currently on-loan at Ibrox from Bayern Munich, then advanced forward before playing in Ryan Kent but his delivery into the box was cut out by Andy Considine for a corner. Then on 6 minutes Tillman got involved in the action again as he got on the end of a James Tavernier cross however, his effort from a tight angle was saved by Elliott Parish.

The Light Blues had numerous corners in the early stages but the Saints defence stood strong as they cleared the danger. Then on 10 minutes Antonio Čolak did well to hold the ball up in the box before playing it back to Lundstram but his low strike was well saved by Parish at his near post as he turned the ball behind for a corner. Tavernier took the corner from the right and his delivery was met by Fashion Sakala but his header was cut out by Nicky Clark as he turned the ball behind for another corner.

PHOTO: Malik Tillman is tackled by Melker Hallberg

The opening period was all one-way traffic towards the Saints goal and on 13 minutes Kent played a short corner from the left to Borna Barišić and the defender delivered a good cross into the box which Čolak got on the end of but the header from the forward was well held by Parish.

Rangers continued to search for the opener and on 20 minutes they came within inches of making the breakthrough as Barišić’s corner from the left was met by Sakala but his header came back off the crossbar.

Saints started to grow into the match as the first half progressed and on 41 minutes the Perth side took the lead. David Wotherspoon played the ball to Stevie May in the box but his strike was blocked by Ben Davies. The loose ball then broke to James Brown and he unleashed a thunderous strike from 20 yards which flew high into the net past a helpless Allan McGregor.

PHOTO: James Brown scores to make it 1-0 to Saints

Into the second half and on 56 minutes Kent unleashed a strike from distance which was straight at Parish.

Play then switched to the other end as great play by May saw him skip past Barišić on the byline before picking out Wotherspoon in the centre of the six-yard box however, with his back to goal he tried to turn Tavernier but McGregor was out quick to smother the ball.

May was looking lively up top and on the hour mark he picked out Clark however, he couldn’t direct his effort on target.

Clark though got his next effort on target on 62 minutes as he doubled Saints lead. The ball was played down the left channel to May and the forward made a good touch to take the ball around Leon King as he sent an inviting cross into the centre of the box and Clark did well to get in front of Barišić to get on the end of it to turn it into the net.

PHOTO: Nicky Clark celebrates his goal that put Saints 2-0 up

Rangers continued to search for a way back into the game and on 70 minutes Tavernier played the ball into the path of Lundstram however, the English midfielder dragged his strike narrowly wide.

The Govan side did eventually pull a goal back on 74 minutes as Barišić’s corner from the left was only cleared as far as Tavernier and the Light Blues captain brought the ball down on the edge of the box before firing a low strike through a ruck of bodies and into the net.

Incredibly Rangers were inches away from levelling the match 2 minutes later as Lundstram unleashed a thunderous strike from 25 yards which rattled the crossbar before the danger was cleared.

The Gers continued to press forward and on 77 minutes Kent sent a curling cross into the box from the left which Tavernier got on the end of however, Parish made a good save as he got down well at his near post to turn the header from the Rangers captain behind for a corner.  

Saints then made their first changes of the game as they freshened things up as Drey Wright and Connor McLennan came on to replace David Wotherspoon and Stevie May.

Saints were putting in a strong defensive performance and on 83 minutes they came under pressure again as this time substitute Glenn Kamara played in Lundstram but Parish made a good save.

With 5 minutes remaining Saints created a good chance for a third as McLennan played in Clark however, his curling left footed effort went high into the Ormand Stand. Then shortly after Graham Carey was through on goal as Saints hit the Light Blues on the break however, the Rangers defence recovered as King got back and blocked Carey’s strike before clearing the danger.

PHOTO: Graham Carey's shot is blocked by Leon King

As the match entered 4 minutes of additional time Saints made a couple more chances as Graham Carey and Nicky Clark were replaced by Daniel Phillips and Theo Bair. The closing minutes saw Rangers push for an equaliser however, Saints brilliantly saw the game out to secure the 3 points to make it three wins in a row which moves them into the top six in the cinch Premiership.

PHOTO: Alex Mitchell and Andy Considine celebrate at full time

Saints: Parish, Brown, McGowan, Mitchell, Considine, Montgomery, Hallberg, Carey (Phillips 90+1), Wotherspoon (Wright 79), Clark (Bair 90+2), May (McLennan 79)

Unused Substitutes: Sinclair (GK), Gallacher, Murphy, Crawford, Kucheriavyi

Booked: Montgomery, McLennan

Scorers: Brown (41), Clark (62)

Rangers: McGregor, Tavernier, King, Davies (Arfield 61), Barišić, Lundstram, Sands (Kamara 79), Sakala (Wright 84), Tillman (Morelos 61), Kent (Matondo 79), Čolak

Unused Substitutes: McLaughlin (GK), Davis, McCann, Yfeko

Booked: None

Scorer: Tavernier (74)

Referee:  Steven McLean

VAR: Alan Muir

Attendance: 7,487

Match Report by Daryl Scott

Picture: James Brown celebrates his goal