Attendance 12,426
It was a nerve-wracking affair for the Light Blue legions who turned out in force to give full backing to their heroes as the Scottish Champions chalked up their first win in eleven matches.
And just to compound the shock – the hat-trick hero was a certain much-maligned Peter Lovenkrands, who today at least provided the perfect answer to his many critics.
To the surprise of most, Manager Alex McLeish was still in place for today’s crucial fixture which the home side went into leading their more illustrious opponents by two points. The Ibrox boss made just the one change from the eleven who had performed so heroically against Internazionale Milan on Tuesday, with Steven Smith replacing Hamed Namouchi.
Both sides were on the attack from the opening minutes – but it was Rangers who struck first in sixteen minutes when a long through-ball from Bob Malcolm found Lovenkrands beating the offside trap to control the ball and slot it past home goalkeeper Alan Combe.
Within two minutes an apoplectic Killie Manager Jim Jeffries had been ordered to the stand by Referee John Underhill – clearly protesting that the goalscorer had been offside. However television clearly demonstrated that the Dane had been played on by not one but two defenders.
Kilmarnock came right back at the visitors – a Danny Invincible cross being cleared by a flying header from Sotirios Kyrgiakos with Kris Boyd (the subject of intense transfer speculation linking him with a move to Govan recently) poised to strike.
The home side had a strong penalty claim waved aside by the referee in 26 minutes when from a Gary Hay free-kick Boyd’s downward header appeared to strike Bob Malcolm on the arm.
Four minutes later Combe denied Buffel with a superb one-handed save – the Belgian meeting a Lovenkrands cutback after the Dane had cleverly turned Frazer Wright on the touchline.
Rangers were well on top – and deservedly went 2-0 ahead in 41 minutes in a lightning break – Buffel releasing Lovenkrands who rifled the ball home from a tight angle.
The Ibrox men were rampant now – and almost made it three before the break when a Lovenkrands shot was blocked by Combe, then from the rebound Chris Burke’s volley was cleared off the line by Simon Ford.
Alan Hutton replaced Fernando Ricksen at the interval, perhaps with a view to next Saturday when the Dutchman will be suspended.
Rangers were so much in command that the two-goal lead was scant reward for some exhilarating attacking play – yet once again the second-half would be an entirely different story.
There was no hint of the drama to come when the game restarted – the Light Blues forcing the pace and dominating play so much that it seemed only a matter of time before a third goal was secured – yet unbelievably when one did arrive on the hour it came at the other end courtesy of a Marvin Andrews error following a Ronald Waterreus save from Boyd – Steven Naismith squaring for Gary McDonald who netted from close range.
Suddenly the game was back in the melting pot – and Kilmarnock scented blood, as a collective panic appeared to spread through the ranks of Light Blue players and fans alike.
Frayed nerves were eased in 72 minutes however when a ‘Gers counter-attack saw Barry Ferguson release Buffel with a slide-rule pass, the Belgian advancing on Combe before rounding the goalkeeper then, as he was about to place the ball in the net up popped Lovenkrands to quite literally nip the ball off his toes and secure his hat-trick.
The Dane had thus secured the first Ibrox hat-trick since Christian Nerlinger in a League Cup-tie against Forfar Athletic in October 2003 – and he was substituted immediately afterwards by Nacho Novo, making a welcome return after almost three months absence through injury.
The game should have been secure – yet unbelievably nine minutes later the deficit was again halved when a Stevie Murray free-kick saw Boyd net (again from close-range) following a Kyrgiakos mistake.
There was a collective groan from the travelling support as the vision of Rangers yet again blowing a two-goal lead loomed large, although they were denied a stonewall penalty in 86 minutes when Novo, clean through from a Malcolm long-ball, was upended by Frazer Wright – but John Underhill turned a blind eye.
The final whistle brought immense relief to all with Rangers dear to their hearts – and afterwards a relieved Alex McLeish reflected:
“It’s great to get a win. We played some great stuff. I was delighted at some of our outfield play. Thomas Buffel and Peter Lovenkrands have made all the difference up front. We have perhaps taken our eye of the ball with our Champions’ League adventure. We should have had more goals, but never underestimate Kilmarnock’s fighting spirit. Jim Jeffries has built a good side. Our current squad is much less experienced than in previous years.”
On the loss of the two goals:
“We score and lose goals together.”
KILMARNOCK: Combe; Fowler, Ford, Greer, Wright; McDonald, Invincible (Murray 56), Johnston, Hay; Naismith, Boyd
UNUSED SUBS Smith, Lilley, Dodds, Dillon, Di Giacomo, Campbell
RANGERS: Waterreus; Ricksen (Hutton 45), Andrews, Kyrgiakos, Smith; Burke, Malcolm, Ferguson, Murray; Buffel, Lovenkrands (Novo 72)
UNUSED SUBS Klos, Thompson, Jeffers, Fanfan, McCormack
REFEREE: John Underhill