By Barry Ferguson’s own admission, Rangers striker Cyriel Dessers can be a little frustrating at times.
But when his radar is perfectly calibrated, when he’s double-knotted his shooting boots, there are few centre-forwards in the Scottish game, if any, capable of doing what he can do.
Cyriel Dessers took his tally to 20 for a second successive season as Rangers came from 2-0 down to put four past Kilmarnock on Barry Ferguson’s managerial debut on Wednesday night.
If his first was pretty simple – a close-range header, unmarked from a corner – then the goal which put Rangers in front for the first time in Ayrshire around the hour mark was anything but.
Remember that glorious Robin van Persie volley for Manchester United against Aston Villa back in 2013, assisted by a booming Wayne Rooney lobbed pass? Well, OK, this was not quite so spectacular.
But as Ridvan Yilmaz chipped the ball over the top of the Killie backline like an golfer pitching his way out of the bunker, Cyriel Dessers darted in behind and lamped one of the most aesthetically-pleasing strikes you will see all season into the far corner.
Cyriel Dessers praises Ridvan Yilmaz as Rangers beat Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes was frustrated that Dessers was given the time and the space of execute such a finish. All the man himself was concerned about, however, was crediting first-half substitute Yilmaz for picking him out in the first place.
“I have a very good relationship with Ridvan and he knows the types of runs I like to make,” Dessers smiles, ensuring that he now averages a goal every 1.6 Scottish Premiership start on average with 26 now from 42 appearances in the Rangers XI.
“His ball was perfect. I faced the goal and I wasn’t even thinking, it was like I was on auto-pilot. It was a nice moment and an important goal.”
Ridvan Yilmaz was arguably Rangers’ best performer in a poor first-half at Rugby Park. And its telling that he only played the final 20 minutes of it.
Ferguson put Clinton Nsiala out of his misery after the youngster was given the runaround by a Killie side who stormed into a 2-0 lead in the blinking of an eye. Yilmaz then came in at right-back as James Tavernier produced an ‘exceptional’ display in the centre.
Dessers reiterates Barry Ferguson’s point ahead of Motherwell
Ferguson is delighted to get a first win on the board – a 100 per cent record so far as Rangers’ interim boss – but he knows that Rugby Park fightback will count for little if his team lose at home once again this weekend when Motherwell travel to Glagsow.
That is a point Dessers is determined to reiterate.
“We have to take confidence from this and we showed we can play football. Now, we need to find consistency,” says the experienced marksman.
“Today is a good start but we have to build on this. If we can keep up this intensity, then we can do beautiful things.
“Saturday against Motherwell, we want to give the fans something back.”
In addition to Dessers’ quickfire brace, Vaclav Cerny and Nedim Bajrami also found the net against Kilmarnock.
