Derek McInnes was gutted to see his spirited Kilmarnock side blow a two goal lead to fall to defeat against Rangers.
Whilst incoming Rangers manager Barry Ferguson made the headlines, in the opposition dugout it looked like Derek McInnes might be about to mastermind another shock against his former club.
In the end it wasn’t to be for McInnes and Kilmarnock as Rangers produced a stirring comeback on a memorable night at Rugby Park.
But Derek McInnes has some choice words for the officials come full-time after a crucial decision helped swing the game in Rangers’ favour.
Derek McInnes on ‘mental’ Rangers decision
Derek McInnes was left furious at full-time after Rangers were awarded a corner in the second half with the score 2-1.
Cyriel Dessers would stoop low to nod in an equaliser and set Rangers on their way in the second period but according to McInnes, it should never have been allowed to happen.
It comes after Ianis Hagi mis-hit a shot across the Kilmarnock boss with the ball crossing the byline without touching a Killie player.
”I know the second goal comes from a set play but it’s not a corner,” McInnes told Sky Sports.
”Don Robertson’s 10 yards from it and he actually gives the goal kick and I think his linesman has overruled him from 30 yards away, which is madness.
”They give them a corner. We’ve still got to defend the corner and we don’t defend it well enough.
”But it’s not a corner in the first place, which is poor. I think that was an all-important goal in terms of giving them plenty of encouragement at the start of the second half.”
Cyriel Dessers scores rare Rangers goal from corner
Barry Ferguson might have masterminded a Rangers comeback v Kilmarnock but the fact the Gers scored directly from a corner will not be lost on supporters.
James Tavernier’s curling ball in was met by a stooping Cyriel Dessers to nod the Ibrox side level and lay the foundations for a stirring fightback.
Rangers’ inefficiency from set-plays has been a bugbear for supporters all season long with the Gers’ lack of physicality equally apparent at the other end of the field.
Rangers have got to defend and attack set-plays better and we saw the best and the worst of both worlds in the win over Killie.
Cyriel Dessers’ headed effort was Rangers’ first goal from a corner in the Scottish Premiership since John Souttar headed in on the second phase against Ross County.
Robin Propper also scored by heading home a corner in the 3-0 win over Celtic with the Gers’ paltry return of three goals from these set pieces raising eyebrows amongst fans.
Soccer Stats report that Rangers earn around 6.89 offensive corners per game in the Scottish Premiership, a total of 193 across 28 games this season.
That effectively means it takes between 64 and 65 corners (64.33) for Rangers to find the back of the net.
