Rangers stop the bleeding but St Mirren win comes with cautionary note amid supporter disaffection

There was a cautionary note for Rangers even as they certainly stopped the bleeding in Paisley.

Rangers forward Abdallah Sima celebrates after scoring to make it 2-0 over St Mirren. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)

Following two ragged defeats and the ousting of manager Michael Beale, the smooth nature of a 3-0 win over St Mirren is entitled to be a source of blessed relief for all within the Ibrox club. Yet, in truth the result seemed more to do with the self-inflicted wounds the hosts inflicted than any obvious cauterising properties from the players under the charge of interim Steven Davis. Still, every little helps for a club bloodletting since the circumstances surrounding Beale’s bumping after 10 months at the helm. In the form of the gruesome defeats by Aberdeen and Aris Limassol either side of the Englishman’s ejection.

Indeed, it was novel to see hearty acclaim from their travelling support as the Rangers players and Davis made their way to acknowledge them at the close. A bold move when the sorry 2-1 loss in Cyprus on Thursday night had led to these same individuals being eviserated as ‘heartless, passionless, leaderless/not fit to wear our colours’ in a banner display early in the confrontation that seemed to be created by the Union Bear ultras in that end.

Such dissaffection was temporarily assuaged by a victory that has moved Rangers into second place in the Premiership – leapfrogging their beaten opponents, who were handed a first league defeat of the season – and back within seven points of Celtic. Incredibly, it is the first time this season the Ibrox club have occupied a position that no-one at the club would consider lofty.

An encounter that seemed still waiting to begin even as it had moved past the mid-point of the first period, only to then to be swifty ended by a ridiculous act from Ryan Strain. Though the right-back’s loss of all sense was refreshing in that it led to a VAR intervention, Steven Kirkland in front of the control room screens, no-one disputed. With his all-seeing cameras, he clocked, good and proper, that Strain had stuck out his arm to prevent a Zak Lovelace cross from the right reaching Abdallah Sima for a tap-in, as he had let his opponent nick goalside behind him. Missed by all in the ground as it happened in real time, including the pitch officials, justice was served by Walsh analysing his pitchside monitor. And that was that for the outcome. St Mirren were neutered as Rangers proved competent and committed in producing what was required of them following James Tavernier sticking away the penalty that ensued from Strain’s folly.

An occasion that either side of the interval was as flat as the latest iPhone, Rangers put some gloss on a display that was of the matt variety with two late goals. St Mirren’s defence went walkies in the 71st minute as Nicolas Raskin darted into the space in front of him on the right channel to square for Sima to rifle in. A fourth goal in as many games, and a fifth in six games, for the attacker who has found the net seven times, the Brighton loanee is becoming the one outfield summer arrival that cannot be held in contempt as such recruitment is rubbished.

And whatever Tavernier’s failings, as a leader or a defender, he could never be accused of lacking a certain bouncebackability, with the club captain doubling his goal returns for the afternoon with a thunderous drive in the 90th minute to cap a rare day of recent times. The Rangers squad not required to run the gauntlet heading to their team bus.