It's time to give Miller some credit, says Smith

Published on Monday 1 September 2008 09:58

Celtic 2 Rangers 4

RANGERS boss Walter Smith hopes Kenny Miller's Old Firm double has finally silenced the critics who have refused to accept him since his return to Ibrox.

However, the former Scotland manager conceded that there are probably sections of the Rangers support that his hitman will never win over, no matter how many he scores against their bitter rivals.

The former Celtic striker, who is back for his second spell with Rangers, has been targeted by the boo boys in pre-season and the opening games of the new SPL campaign, but hit home twice as his side eased their biggest victory at Parkhead in 15 years.

Daniel Cousin and Pedro Mendes were also on the scoresheet as Smith's men recorded a comfortable 4-2 win over Gordon Strachan's side, who hit the back of the net through Georgios Samaras and Shunsuke Nakamura.

Mendes' strike in particular was a thing of beauty, but Miller's goals were the only talking point on an electric afternoon in the east end of Glasgow as he made Celtic pay on his return to Parkhead.

Smith was clearly delighted with the result and to see the player break his scoring duck in the best possible way, saying: "I thought that Kenny played well. It seems to be the case quite often in football that people score against their old clubs.

"Fortunately for us that proved to be the case. It doesn't bother me who scores, as long as we get the right result, but Kenny played well.

"If his performance against Celtic didn't win some people over then they have got a problem; I don't know what he would need to do. But, he has got his first goal out of the way now so hopefully he can go on and get a few more as the season goes on.

"I was pleased with the overall performance – anyone who goes to Parkhead and scores four goals is doing very well."

Smith had surprised the majority inside Parkhead with his decision to start out-of-favour Gabon striker Daniel Cousin alongside Miller, while Kris Boyd was left out of the side altogether – and the move paid dividends with both players netting. The Ibrox side's opener came eight minutes before the break when Cousin beat Mark Wilson all ends up and cut in towards Boruc's goal before finishing from what had looked an impossible angle.

The goal sparked wild celebrations among the visiting players and supporters, but their lead lasted just over a minute before parity was restored. Aiden McGeady swung the ball into the box that was nodded on and Sasa Papac blundered when his mis-hit clearance fell straight to Samaras, who didn't need to be asked twice to rifle the ball home from just outside the six yard box.

Honours even at the break was probably about right, but after the restart Rangers really turned the screw, moving back in front in 52 minutes and it was a goal that will no doubt live long in the memory for Miller.

He got the better of the Parkhead defence when he latched on to a ball in from the left from Charlie Adam at the back post, hitting a superb right-foot volley across Boruc and into the net. The former Derby hitman wheeled away in delight and was smothered by his team-mates as they celebrated his first goal in his second spell for Rangers.

It may have been a special moment for Miller, but the best goal of the game was yet to come and it was from one of the most deserving players on the pitch.

Mendes has made an impressive start to his Ibrox career since his move from Portsmouth and he further enhanced his reputation with what is likely to remain one of the goals of the season, getting on the end of a Steve Davis corner and, with two or three Celtic players left upfield, capitalised on the space in front of him to thunder home an unstoppable effort from almost 30 yards out.

That man Miller made it 4-1, but not before both sides were reduced to ten men, Cousin receiving his second yellow of the game for persistent fouling after challenging with Stephen McManus.

But any numerical advantage the Parkhead side gained was cancelled out 60 seconds later when Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink – who had only been on the field for four minutes himself – was shown a straight red card for lashing out at Kirk Broadfoot.

The Celtic fans were already heading for the exits when Miller hit his second of the afternoon and that may have been some relief for Boruc, whose mistake handed Rangers their final goal.

Mendes was quick to praise the striker for the role he played in Gers' victory under intense scrutiny and said: "To have played and scored like he did was great. I knew the pressure that he was under I think that it says a lot about him, he showed great professionalism."

Adding of his Old Firm debut, Mendes said: "It was a great result and a great game to play in, it was everything that people had told me it was going to be."