Rangers Scorers: Mols 2 {5, 14}, Ferguson 2 {33, 69 Pen}, De Boer 26, Moore 67
Kilmarnock Scorer: Fulton 44
Rangers completely overwhelmed Kilmarnock 6-1 at Ibrox this afternoon to consolidate their position as League leaders.
On a dreich bitterly cold afternoon of driving rain the Ibrox men turned in a quite devastating first-half that completely outclassed their opponents.
The Light Blues showed three changes from Thursday night with Craig Moore, Stephen Hughes and Michael Mols (making his first start in six months) replacing Bert Konterman, Mikel Arteta and Claudio Caniggia against a Kilmarnock team containing two ex-Rangers in Gordon Marshall and Greg Shields with a third (Gary McSwegan) on the bench.
Making a less than welcome return was controversial Referee Willie Young.
Both sides were committed to attack from the whistle. A Mols flick found Hughes whose goal-bound shot was deflected wide, whilst at the other end a Steve Fulton corner was only partially fisted clear by Stefan Klos, Jose Quitongo volleying the loose ball onto the top of the net.
Rangers were clearly in the mood, and opened the scoring in the fifth minute when Mols demonstrated his classic turn from a Fernando Ricksen throw before firing a low left-foot shot in off the post. It was the Dutchman’s first competitive goal of 2002.
The home side kept pouring forward. Eight minutes later Mols again created space from a throw-in, taken this time by Arthur Numan, enabling Ricksen to fire in a shot that was held by Gordon Marshall.
Sixty seconds later it was 2-0 when the Killie defence was sliced open like butter. A Ricksen pass released Ronald De Boer wide on the right, his low cutback placed perfectly for Mols who, having cleverly created space for himself, stroked the ball into the net.
It was one-way traffic. Twice in a minute Marshall prevented the loss of a third goal, firstly when he held a 25-yard drive from Stephen Hughes in 23 minutes, then when he turned wide Peter Lovenkrands’ stabbed shot following a delightful piece of skill from Hughes.
There was no stemming the flood tide however, De Boer scoring a quite magnificent third goal in 26 minutes when he received a Barry Ferguson pass before cleverly outwitting two defenders and curling the ball into the corner of the net.
It was truly rampant Rangers now – seven minutes later it was 4-0 when Ricksen fed Mols who laid the ball off into the path of Ferguson, the Ibrox skipper finishing off the move with an unstoppable shot past Marshall.
This was truly a regal performance from the Light Blues – it might have been five in 38 minutes when Lovenkrands’ flick from a De Boer cross was inches wide, then sixty seconds later Mols was denied his hat-trick when, going through on a De Boer pass, he saw Marshall divert his shot wide.
Such was Rangers’ utter superiority during the first-half that the score could easily have been doubled, yet all against the run of play Kilmarnock reduced the deficit in 44 minutes when the overweight Willie Young, 75 yards behind play, awarded a non-existent free kick to Kilmarnock. Gary Locke’s kick found Steve Fulton who headed home. Yet again Rangers had lost a goal from a dead-ball situation.
Even then the half finished with Rangers on the attack – a Numan cross presenting Mols with an ideal opportunity to complete his hat-trick only to sclaff his shot wide.
With such a commanding interval lead it was perhaps inevitable that Rangers would ease off in the second-half, although both Caniggia and Hughes were inches away from extending the lead in 55 and 57 minutes respectively.
Michael Mols received a standing ovation on the hour when he was substituted by Billy Dodds, and then sixty seconds later Marshall was again tested when he turned Numan’s thirty-yard shot over the bar.
Goal Number Five duly arrived in 67 minutes when Craig Moore headed a Ricksen corner home, then two minutes later Willie Young awarded a penalty when Chris Innes elbowed Ricksen as the two players rose to meet a
Maurice Ross cross. Barry Ferguson did the needful from the spot.
Rangers played out time content with a 6-1 victory.
Manager Alex McLeish described his team’s performance as "ruthless." On Mols, he commented: "Michael was excellent, he did everything that was asked of him, then some more. He made a rod for his back with his first season, and is looking to return to that form. I have talked to his agent about his future."
RANGERS Klos; Ross, Moore, Malcolm, Numan; Ricksen, Ferguson (Konterman 73), Hughes, De Boer (Caniggia 45); Mols (Dodds 61), Lovenkrands
UNUSED SUBS Muscat, McGregor
KILMARNOCK Marshall; Shields, McLaughlin (Innes 42), Dindeleux, Sanjuan; Canero, Locke, Fulton, Boutal (Fowler 45); Boyd, Quitongo (McSwegan 67)
UNUSED SUBS Hay, Meldrum
REFEREE Willie Young