Rangers’ performance over Kilmarnock didn’t have to be pretty – it quite simply had to produce a victory.
Whilst it wouldn’t be fair to say this was a stodgy victory – Rangers were far and away deserved 1-0 winners in the Scottish Premiership for the seventh time this season – this was a match which came at an interesting juncture.
The first of the 10 final Scottish Premiership matches which will surely herald a first league title in a decade, the match also comes directly before the return to Europa League football.
Not only that, but the prospect of more dropped points after the 1-1 draw with Hamilton might’ve heaped unnecessary pressure back onto the side with tougher matches to come.
I say unnecessary for a reason – even a defeat here wouldn’t have derailed our title charge but with eyes fixed on success elsewhere, it would’ve been a needless stick to beat this side with.
That includes from nervous fans.
The draining conversation about retrospective action also threatened to roll on for another week had the club not managed to get three points without Alfredo Morelos and Kemar Roofe.
Rangers midfielder Ryan Jack produced an outstanding moment of quality to win the tie 1-0 with a stunning volley midway through the first half.
But it wasn’t the only bit of quality in a largely turgid match as the Gers showed flashes of that one-touch high-tempo football which has defined much of our season.
The team blew several chances to extend the lead whilst Kilmarnock rarely threatened the Rangers goal and Allan McGregor barely had a touch of the ball.
It was a comfortable win against a side toiling for goals and any kind of urgency in the final third and Rangers never really looked back from Jack’s wonderful goal.
It would help Rangers to their seventh 1-0 win in the Scottish Premiership this season and fourth since Boxing Day – a quite incredible stat – and hand the club a strong foundation as the season enters its final furlong.
Here’s how the Rangers fans reacted to Ryan Jack’s goal as he slammed in the winner with a fine volley from the edge of the Kilmarnock box.
