with a 1-0 win over Hearts this afternoon, a Peter
Lovenkrands goal deciding a tense and dramatic game.
The result leaves the Light Blues in much better heart
than of late going in to Christmas week, and reduces
the gap in the title race.
Hearts visited Glasgow with a fourteen-point lead over
the reigning Champions, but there was never the
slightest chance that the margin would be extended.
Manager Alex McLeish made one change from Kilmarnock
with Hamed Namouchi replacing the suspended (and
injured) Fernando Ricksen.
It was Rangers, wearing all-blue, who controlled the
game from the opening minutes in front of a
near-capacity crowd of 49,723 spectators - but it was
fully 21 minutes before Scotland International
goalkeeper Craig Gordon was called into action,
turning over the bar Namouchi's header from a Bob
Malcolm free-kick.
Four minutes later at the other end former Ranger
Steven Pressley headed over from a Paul Hartley
free-kick.
That was a good opportunity for the Tynecastle men,
but the miss of the season quickly followed in 27
minutes when a Lovenkrands cross found Marvin Andrews
unmarked at the far post right in front of goal - the
Trinidad defender somehow scooping the ball back
across goal into Gordon's arms.
Five minutes later the Gorgie goalkeeper again kept
his side on level terms when he blocked a Burke header
from a Ferguson cross.
The opening goal was merely delayed however -
Lovenkrands netting from close range in 34 minutes
after a Bob Malcolm free-kick was headed across goal
by Marvin Andrews.
Rangers almost added a second before the interval -
Burke's twenty-yard angled drive flashing across the
face of goal.
There was a confrontation at the interval when
Pressley squared up to both Ferguson and Malcolm, but
Referee Mike McCurry somehow calmed everyone down.
Rangers restarted very much on the offensive against
opponents who had adopted a very physical approach in
the first-half, and it was a miracle that the
visitors' goal somehow survived in the opening minute
after the restart when a Lovenkrands corner, met by
Sotirios Kyrgiakos at the far post, was headed
goalwards by Namouchi only for Andy Webster to somehow
deflect the ball wide.
Lovenkrands himself came close twice inside the next
seven minutes, on both occasions from Burke opening -
firstly his shot on the turn flashing just over, then
a header drifting wide.
Hearts were simply not at the races in the first hour
- yet a one-goal lead is never secure, emphasised when
substitute Saulius Mikoliunas tested Ronald Waterreus
with a shot on the turn in 72 minutes.
The Lithuanian made his mark in a less savoury way
twelve minutes later - receiving a straight red card
for a shocking foul on Ferguson. It was the
midfielder's second successive ordering-off against
the Light Blues.
Rangers were worthy winners - and afterwards a content
Alex McLeish reflected:
"This was a good, disciplined performance. The players
are growing in confidence. Chris Burke was exceptional
today. Thomas Buffel gives us something extra. The
defence was more assured today - more like a
Champions' League level."
Hearts' Coach Graham Rix was honest enough to admit:
"We got what we deserved today"
RANGERS Waterreus; Murray, Kyrgiakos, Andrews, Smith;
Burke, Ferguson, Malcolm, Namouchi (Thompson 78);
Buffel, Lovenkrands (McCormack 90)
UNUSED SUBS Klos, Novo, Fanfan, Jeffers, N'Guessan
HEARTS Gordon; Nielson, Pressley, Webster, McAllister;
Cesnauskis (Mikoliunas 63), Hartley, Brellier, Skacel;
Bednar, Jankauskas (Elliott 63)
UNUSED SUBS Banks, Simmons, Berra, Wallace, Tall
REFEREE Mike McCurry
Attendance 49,723