Kilmarnock in their final home game of the season at
Ibrox this afternoon, a reversal that ends Walter
Smith's unbeaten domestic run since he returned as
Ibrox Boss in January.
Indeed coincidentally it was also Jim Jefferies, then
Manager of Hearts, who imposed on Walter his last
defeat to a Scottish club in the 1998 Scottish Cup
Final.
A one-minute silence in tribute to Ibrox legend Kai
Johansen was immaculately observed prior to kick-off.
There was a pitiful turn-out of visiting supporters
present, with injury depriving both Stefan Klos and
Dado Prso of a place in the starting line-up in their
final appearance at Ibrox whilst Manager Walter Smith
made just the one enforced change from the Celtic game
with Ian Murray replacing the suspended Alan Hutton.
A dire first-half ended goalless with nary a single
effort on either goal worthy of note, but the 50,085
crowd were brought to life at the interval when
Rangers' Under-19 squad paraded both their League
Championship and Scottish Youth Cup trophies.
Chris Burke was introduced at the interval, replacing
Brahim Hemdani - and within five minutes of the
restart Ugo Ehiogu fed Nacho Novo wide on the right,
his pass inside finding Burke whose effort was inches
wide.
The opening goal duly arrived two minutes later - at
the other end when Grant Murray's cross was volleyed
home by Steven Naismith from eighteen yards with Allan
McGregor found wanting.
A serious of dubious refereeing decisions enraged the
capacity crowd, with both Charlie Adam and Nacho Novo
unjustly booked by Iain Brines.
Youngster Steven Lennon, the hat-trick hero of the
recent 5-0 trouncing of Celtic in the Scottish Youth
Cup Final, replaced Novo in 65 minutes.
Three minutes later Adam's twenty-yard free-kick was
held by Alan Combe.
Lennon's introduction had injected a sense of urgency
into the Light Blue attacks, but the continuing
presence of the ineffective Kris Boyd meant that
effectively the home side were playing with ten men.
Lennon almost secured the equaliser with a turn and
shot from a Burke pass in seventy minutes that was
held by Combe.
Killie were dangerous on the counter-attack however -
and Naismith was inches away from adding a second five
minutes later when his volley from the edge of the box
from a Colin Nish header was inches wide.
Lennon looked like Rangers' only hope of salvation,
and almost underlined that in 81 minutes when he burst
onto an Adam pass only to see his drive held by Combe.
Sixty seconds later Andrew Shinnie replaced Murray -
but time was to run out on Rangers.
At the final whistle Stefan Klos, Dado Prso and Gavin
Rae took a bow in the centre circle, receiving a
standing ovation from the home support - with the
other players forming a guard of honour as they left
the pitch, although Kris Boyd, who scarcely touched
the ball throughout the ninety minutes, must have been
embarrassed to be in the presence of a real
centre-forward.
Afterwards Walter Smith summarised:
"I was dissapointed with today's performance. We
didn't have an edge to our game and played
testimonial football. It was a pity that injury denied
Stefan Klos and Dado Prso a farewell appearance - they
have been popular players and good servants."
Dado Prso was emotional as he reflected on his Ibrox
years:
"It's impossible to describe my feelings for this
club. My greatest memory is of winning the league in
my first year. Injuries have summed up my entire
season. I will return as a fan next season."
RANGERS McGregor; Murray (Shinnie 82), Ehiogu, Weir,
Papac; Ferguson, Hemdani (Burke 45), Thomson, Adam;
Novo (Lennon 65), Boyd
UNUSED SUBS Robinson, Svensson, Rae, McMillan
KILMARNOCK Combe; Murray, Greer, O'Leary, Wright;
Fowler, Locke (Hamill 88), Naismith, Sylla; Nish,
Koudou (Di Giacomo 65)
UNUSED SUBS Harpur, Hay, Dodds, Gibson, Quinn
REFEREE Iain Brines
Attendance 50,085