season with an overwhelming 2-0 victory over Celtic at
Ibrox this afternoon, the final score not even
beginning to underline the Light Blues' superiority in
a game where the Parkhead men were comprehensively
outclassed and outplayed.
The visitors, as is their wont, took defeat in an
ungracious and unsporting manner with no fewer than
five players booked and both Neil Lennon and Artur
Boruc gesturing to the Ibrox fans as they departed the
scene - underlining their club's role as the world's
worst losers in the sporting world.
Manager Walter Smith fielded an unchanged side from
Easter Road - and it was the Ibrox men who were on top
from the opening minutes with Nacho Novo seeing his
wide-angled shot from a Kevin Thomson pass being held
by Artur Boruc in thirteen minutes.
Celtic were scarcely in the game - and their fans in
the Broomloan Road Stand were polluting the air with
sickening racist songs.
Rangers had a strong penalty appeal waved aside on the
half-hour when Kros Boyd was fouled by Stephen
Pressley as he moved onto a misshit shot from Charlie
Adam following Novo's cross, but Referee Craig
Thomson, in charge of his first 'Old Firm' game, was
too far behind play to make a judgement.
The opening goal was only delayed three minutes
however - Boyd finding the net with a left-foot volley
from a Novo cross. It was the striker's first-ever
goal against Celtic - and he ran to the touchline to
embrace Ally McCoist in celebration.
Rangers were in total command, with Celtic barely able
to muster an attack worthy of the name - and Novo came
close to underlining the home side's superiority in 43
minutes with a 25-yard shot from a Kevin Thomson
lay-off that flashed just over.
At the half-time whistle, Celtic Captain Neil lennon
departed the field of play arguing bitterly with the
referee before gesturing to the Rangers' fans.
Sporting as always.
Celtic Manager Gordon Strachan, recognising that his
team were being outplayed, replaced the ineffective
Thomas Gravesen with former Ranger Kenny Miller at the
interval - the striker joining ex-Ibrox squad player
Steven Pressley in the visitors' ranks.
Controversial Celtic goalkeeper Boruc ludicrously took
an eternity at a goal-kick in 47 minutes, lacing his
boots then adjusting his gloves. It was a classic
example of time-wasting, overlooking the fact that his
team were trailing.
Five minutes later Celtic created their one chance of
the entire game when Aidan McGeady's cross found Jan
Vennegoor of Hesselink who fed Shansuke Nakamura, the
Japanese player's flick failing to hit the target.
The scoreline took on a more realistic look in 55
minutes when Charlie Adam once again found the net
with a 25-yard free-kick, his low drive under the wall
catching Boruc by surprise.
Celtic were now a beaten and outclassed side - and
they should have been reduced to ten men sixty second
later when Lee Naylor floored Novo off the ball, but
once again both referee and linesman saw nothing.
Filip Sebo replaced Boyd in 63 minutes and the Ibrox
legions taunted the visiting fans with:
"Sebo's on, we're taking the piss."
The Slovakian striker almost brought the house down
three minutes later when his run through the Celtic
defence from a Barry Ferguson pass ended with Boruc
blocking his effort.
The resultant Adam corner was met by Alan Hutton on
the edge of the box, his volley producing a superb
one-handed save by Boruc.
Chants of "Lennon Must Stay" rang around the stadium
as the Parkhead captain sliced his shot well wide of
the target.
Sebo shot wide in 82 minutes following a mazy run, but
sixty seconds later the game threatened to explode
when Hutton clashed on the touchline with Naylor.
Incredibly Lennon ran thirty yards to get involved,
and was yellow-carded for his involvement, as were the
two original protaginists.
Rangers were well on top to the end, with Adam's shot
in the dying seconds flashing just wide from
substitute Chris Burke's lay-off.
At the final whistle, Neil Lennon made his way to the
Broomloan Road Stand to applaud those Celtic fans
still present, but his team-mate Artur Boruc was
guilty of gross provocation by running the full length
of the pitch to take a Celtic 'Champions' flag from
one fan before waving it at the home support as he
left the pitch. It was yet another example of bad
sportsmanship from a bigot, as was the conduct of his
captain who yet again gestured at the Ibrox legions as
he left the field of play.
Sporting to the end.
Afterwards a happy Walter Smith commented:
"We played very well today - it was a good win. The
Champions League place was all-important. We gave
Celtic few opportunities. The first goal was
important."
Gordon Strachan was honest enough to admit:
"The better team won."
RANGERS McGregor; Hutton, Weir, Ehiogu, Papac; Novo,
Ferguson, Hemdani, Thomson (Burke 79), Adam; Boyd
(Sebo 63)
UNUSED SUBS Gallacher, Rae, Svensson, Elmslie, Shinnie
CELTIC Boruc; Caldwell (Doumbe 69), Pressley, McManus,
Naylor; Nakamura, Lennon, Gravesen (Miller 45),
Hartley, McGeady (Riordan 79); Vennegoor of Hesselink
UNUSED SUBS Brown, O'Dea, Bjarnason, Jarosik
REFEREE Craig Thomson
Attendance 50,384