victory with an overwhelming 4-0 win over Hearts at
Tynecastle this evening.
The margin of victory, whilst emphatic enough, does
not even begin to reflect the Ibrox men's superiority,
for this was truly a majestic performance from the
visitors who simply outclassed and outplayed their
opponents throughout.
Manager Walter Smith made two changes from Sunday with
Christian Dailly (making his first start) and Charlie
Adam replacing Chris Burke and Daniel Cousin.
Rangers were on top from the opening stages and were
denied the lead in twelve minutes when Barry
Ferguson's corner to the back post was nodded back
across goal for Steven Naismith whose header produced
a stunning save from home goalkeper Steve Banks who
touched the ball over the bar.
There would be no denying the Light Blues however -
the opening goal arriving in 24 minutes when a clever
move involving Steve Davis and Ferguson saw the Ibrox
Captain's flick release Jean-Claude Darcheville who
expertly beat the offside trap before slotting the
ball home.
Two minutes later Rangers had a strong penalty claim
when Naismith was bundled to the ground by Jose
Goncalves - but Referee Stuart Dougal waved play on.
The 'Gers fans were in good voice as they relished
their team's superiority. "There's only one Paul
Gascoigne" resounding around the old ground, a
distinct contrast to the vile and shameful chants
heard in Paisley on Sunday, spewed out by the
travelling hordes in green-and-white.
The visitors looked likely to add to their score at
any time, Ferguson seeing a low twenty-yarder from
Naismith's headflick touched wide by Banks in 42
minutes.
It made little difference however - from the resultant
Ferguson corner Carlos Cuellar's header was helped on
by Naismith to Darcheville who touched the ball over
the line from close range.
Rangers were in total command - and Nacho Novo
replaced Darcheville at the interval.
The little Spaniard was soon involved in the action,
having a goal incorrectly disallowed for offside early
in the second-half, but he would not be denied, making
it 3-0 in 53 minutes when he netted from a Charlie
Adam cross after Ferguson had released his colleague
wide left.
Another Adam cross, this time from the right, was
flicked home by Novo for Goal Number Four in 69
minutes as the Hearts fans poured out of the ground in
their thousands. Indeed so marked was their departure
that it was audible as well as visible.
Four minutes later Novo was denied a stonewall penalty
when he was clean through on a Davis pass only to be
upended by Christos Karipidas. Stuart Dougal must have
been the only man in the 16,173 present in the ground
who did not recognise the clear-cut nature of the
decision he should have made, although he was perhaps
aware that it was also a certain red card.
It scarcely mattered however - this had been a
momentous performance from the Light Blues with both
Ferguson and Davis outstanding in midfield.
Kevin Thomson made a brief but welcome return from
injury in 84 minutes when he substituted for Davis.
Novo was denied his hat-trick in the final minute when
he saw his shot from Naismith's pass blocked by Banks.
Afterwards a contented Walter Smith commented:
"I was delighted with both the performance and the
result. We played very well tonight at what has in the
past been a difficult venue for a great many
teams.However we must stay focused on the games to
come, starting with Aberdeen on Saturday."
HEARTS Banks; Neilson, Berra, Karipidas, Goncalves
(Ksanavicius 53); Cesnauskis (Mikoliunas 45), Jonsson
(Zaliukas 63), Palazuelos, Wallace; Nade, Elliot
UNUSED SUBS Basso, Ivaskevicius, Tall, Mole
RANGERS McGregor; Broadfoot, Weir, Cuellar, Whittaker;
Naismith, Ferguson, Dailly, Davis (Thomson 84), Adam;
Darcheville (Novo 45)
UNUSED SUBS Cousin, Alexander, Boyd, Furman, Lennon
REFEREE Stuart Dougal
Attendance 16,173