Rangers 4-0 Motherwell - Rampant Rangers Hit Four
(Arteta 45, Ross 46, Namouchi 51, Thompson 54) Attendance 47,579
Manager Alex McLeish made four changes from Tannadice
with Stefan Klos, Paulo Vanoli, Mikel Arteta and Hamed
Namouchi replacing Allan McGregor, Michael Ball, Gavin
Rae and Michael Mols.
The Light Blues made the early running at sun-kissed
Ibrox with a superb piece of wing-skill by Chris Burke
in six minutes creating an opening only for there to
be no-one placed to convert his low cut-back.
Three minutes later Steven Thompson’s header from a
Burke cross was just wide of the target.
‘Well goalkeeper Gordon Marshall almost presented his
old club with the opener in 26 minutes when his
miss-kick went straight to Namouchi, but the veteran
redeemed himself by blocking Hamed’s effort.
old club with the opener in 26 minutes when his
miss-kick went straight to Namouchi, but the veteran
redeemed himself by blocking Hamed’s effort.
Three minutes later another Thompson header - this
time from Arteta’s cross was again inches wide.
time from Arteta’s cross was again inches wide.
The visitors might taken an undeserved lead in 35
minutes when Steven Craig shot into the side-net with
Derek Clarkson unmarked in the middle of the goal.
minutes when Steven Craig shot into the side-net with
Derek Clarkson unmarked in the middle of the goal.
Referee Stuart Dougal was far from a popular man with
the home support, booking both Fernando Ricksen and
Allan Hutton in quick succession, yet allowing
persistent infringements from the visitors to go
unpunished.
the home support, booking both Fernando Ricksen and
Allan Hutton in quick succession, yet allowing
persistent infringements from the visitors to go
unpunished.
All that frustration was soon forgotten however when
Arteta opened the scoring right on the stroke of
half-time with a twenty-yard free-kick.
Arteta opened the scoring right on the stroke of
half-time with a twenty-yard free-kick.
Maurice Ross substituted for Allan Hutton at the
interval, the youngster having taken ill during the
break, and within sixty seconds the Dundonian had made
it 2-0, stroking the ball home after his initial cross
from a superb Burke pass had been blocked.
interval, the youngster having taken ill during the
break, and within sixty seconds the Dundonian had made
it 2-0, stroking the ball home after his initial cross
from a superb Burke pass had been blocked.
Four minutes later - astonishingly - it was 3-0 when
Namouchi coolly netted from a slide-rule Frank De Boer
pass.
Namouchi coolly netted from a slide-rule Frank De Boer
pass.
Rangers were rampant now - Burke’s solo run in 52
minutes ending with a shot that skimmed the crossbar,
but the fourth goal was merely delayed, Thompson
heading home a Vanoli cross sixty seconds later.
minutes ending with a shot that skimmed the crossbar,
but the fourth goal was merely delayed, Thompson
heading home a Vanoli cross sixty seconds later.
The inconsistency of Stuart Dougal continued to anger
the 47,579 spectators, never more so than in 56
minutes when Steven Craigan committed a quite
appalling tackle on Maurice Ross. Knee-high, it
merited nothing less than a straight red card yet the
official awarded only a free-kick after consulting his
linesman.
the 47,579 spectators, never more so than in 56
minutes when Steven Craigan committed a quite
appalling tackle on Maurice Ross. Knee-high, it
merited nothing less than a straight red card yet the
official awarded only a free-kick after consulting his
linesman.
Sixty seconds later Steven Craig hauled back Mikel
Arteta as the Spaniard moved clear, but yet again no
card was issued.
Arteta as the Spaniard moved clear, but yet again no
card was issued.
To ironic cheers, a Motherwell player was finally
yellow-carded when Paul Quinn fouled Fernando Ricksen
in 58 minutes.
yellow-carded when Paul Quinn fouled Fernando Ricksen
in 58 minutes.
Burke was in devastating form on the right wing,
skipping past two defenders on the hour only to see
his cross evade the inrushing Namouchi and Thompson by
inches.
skipping past two defenders on the hour only to see
his cross evade the inrushing Namouchi and Thompson by
inches.
Soon afterwards Ross McCormack made his first-team
debut, replacing Mikel Arteta, and two minutes later
there was another debutant when Gary MacKenzie
replaced the injured Hamed Namouchi.
debut, replacing Mikel Arteta, and two minutes later
there was another debutant when Gary MacKenzie
replaced the injured Hamed Namouchi.
Steven Craig did finally receive a booking in 66
minutes for a foul on Zurab Khizanishvili, but by then
he should have been heading for the dressing room.
Thompson came close to making it 5-0 in 67 minutes
when his header from a Burke cross scraped an upright.
minutes for a foul on Zurab Khizanishvili, but by then
he should have been heading for the dressing room.
Thompson came close to making it 5-0 in 67 minutes
when his header from a Burke cross scraped an upright.
McCormack was full of confidence and running - playing
a one-two with Ricksen in 73 minutes his low cross
only just failed to pick out an inrushing forward.
a one-two with Ricksen in 73 minutes his low cross
only just failed to pick out an inrushing forward.
At the other end, MacKenzie spared Ross’s blushes when
he intercepted a sloppy pass-back two minutes later.
he intercepted a sloppy pass-back two minutes later.
Rangers continued to press for a fifth - Marshall
proving equal to the task when both McCormack and
Ricksen tested him with thirty-yard drives, then with
five minutes remaining McCormack again almost brought
the house down when he cut inside Quinn and sent a
dipping twenty-yard effort inches wide of the target.
proving equal to the task when both McCormack and
Ricksen tested him with thirty-yard drives, then with
five minutes remaining McCormack again almost brought
the house down when he cut inside Quinn and sent a
dipping twenty-yard effort inches wide of the target.
Alex McLeish afterwards expressed his delight at the
afternoon’s work:
afternoon’s work:
"We had eight Under-21’s in our squad. Today augurs
well for the club’s future. Ross McCormack was very
lively and Gary MacKenzie settled immediately. It was
very hot today - we had Motherwell on their knees at
the end."
well for the club’s future. Ross McCormack was very
lively and Gary MacKenzie settled immediately. It was
very hot today - we had Motherwell on their knees at
the end."
RANGERS Klos; Hutton (Ross 45), F. De Boer,
Khizanishvili, Vanoli; Burke, Ricksen, Arteta
(McCormack 61), Hughes; Namouchi (Mackenzie 63),
Thompson
UNUSED SUBS McGregor, Ball
Khizanishvili, Vanoli; Burke, Ricksen, Arteta
(McCormack 61), Hughes; Namouchi (Mackenzie 63),
Thompson
UNUSED SUBS McGregor, Ball
MOTHERWELL Marshall; Quinn, Corrigan, Craigan,
Hammell; Fagan, Adams, Burns, Dair (S. McDonald 79);
Craig (Wright 75), Clarkson
UNUSED SUBS Kinniburgh, Corr, K. MacDonald
Hammell; Fagan, Adams, Burns, Dair (S. McDonald 79);
Craig (Wright 75), Clarkson
UNUSED SUBS Kinniburgh, Corr, K. MacDonald
REFEREE Stuart Dougal