Kilmarnock 1 (Naismith 72) Rangers 3 (Boyd 3 [8 Pen, 29, 59 Pen])
Attendance 11,894
Manager Walter Smith made two changes from the Hearts
game with new signing Kevin Thomson from Hibernian and
Chris Burke replacing Nacho Novo and Libor Sionko.
Rangers took an early lead in eight minutes when Boyd
netted from the penalty spot after he himself had been
upended by Simon Ford as he moved onto a Brahim
Hemdani pass.
If the spot-kick was a soft award, then the officials
wasted no whatsoever in evening things up, for five
minutes later Barry Ferguson found the net with a
header from a Charlie Adam free-kick only for an
offside flag from linesman Willie Dishington to
disallow the goal when in fact the Ibrox Captain was
at least TWO YARDS onside.
The visitors suffered an injury blow in 25 minutes
when Ugo Ehiogu limped off to be replaced by Karl
Svensson.
Four minutes later however it was 2-0 when Boyd headed
home an Alan Hutton cross.
Killie had been totally outplayed in the opening
half-hour, but finally managed to test Allan McGregor
in 33 minutes when Steven Naismith's eighteen-yard
shot from a Jamie Fowler was held by the goalkeeper.
Eight minutes later Naismith volleyed just wide
following a Grant Murray throw-in.
There was yet another injury blow at the interval when
Thomson was replaced by Novo – and within three
minutes the little Spaniard was clean through only to
see his shot blocked by Alan Combe, the rebound
falling to Burke who somehow with the net gaping
managed to hit Fowler on the goal-line.
If that miss was bad enough then sixty seconds later
Ferguson had an even worse one when through on a
Hutton pass only to shoot wide of an open goal.
It was all Rangers – Boyd almost completing his
hat-trick in 54 minutes with a shot on the turn that
flashed over following an Ian Murray cross.
Three minutes later the home side were presented with
an ideal opportunity to reduce the deficit when
Referee Dougie McDonald awarded a penalty after Hutton
had inexplicably pushed Naismith as the youngster
homed in on a Murray cross.
Former Ranger Peter Leven saw his spot-kick turned
wide by McGregor however.
Before the hour-mark had passed it was 3-0 when Boyd
netted once again from the spot – with there being no
doubt about this award after Novo, through on a Boyd
flick, was barged off the ball by Fowler.
Fowler amost made amends in 66 minutes when his
twenty-yard drive from Leven's pass whistled over.
Six minutes later the deficit was reduced when
Naismith headed home from a Paul Di Giacomo corner –
but the goal should never have counted for McGregor
was blatantly impeded as he attempted to cut the ball
out.
That was never going to be anything more than a
consolation – and afterwards Walter Smith summarised:
“It's always important to win. This was always going
to be a tough game – Kilmarnock have been playing
confidently. Everyone at the club is looking forward
to Tel Aviv.”
Walter also revealed that both Ehiogu and Thomson had
suffered hamstring injuries that would mean their
absence on Wednesday. Just like old times…
KILMARNOCK Combe; Murray, Ford (Johnston 62), Greer,
Wright (Locke 45); Quinn (Di Giacomo 67), Fowler,
Leven, Dodds; Naismith, Wales
UNUSED SUBS Smith, Hamill, Campbell, Flannigan
RANGERS McGregor; Hutton, Weir, Ehiogu (Svensson 25),
Muuay; Burke, Ferguson, Hemdani, Thomson (Novo 45),
Adam; Boyd
UNUSED SUBS Robinson, Papac, Sionko, Lennon, Furman
REFEREE Dougie McDonald