Rangers 3 - 2 Celtic: Rangers have something to savour at last

IF delaying the inevitable can ever be regarded as a triumph, then Rangers are entitled to savour their victory in this most bizarre and tumultuous of Old Firm games in those terms.

Celtic will assuredly still win the SPL title and the disappointment of failing to make a little piece of history by clinching it at the home of their great rivals will quickly subside. For Ally McCoist and his players, it was perhaps far more significant that they avoided becoming the first team in Rangers’ 140-year existence to lose four successive games at Ibrox.

After two months submerged by the trauma of administration and the threat of liquidation, this was an afternoon of precious respite for everyone connected with the outgoing Scottish champions.

Neil Lennon left Govan stoked with a sense of injustice at the contribution of referee Calum Murray to the drama. He sent off two Celtic players, Cha Du Ri after just 28 minutes and Victor Wanyama 13 minutes into the second half. Lennon also received the managerial equivalent of a red card at half-time for his protests. By the time Rangers defender Carlos Bocanegra was dismissed in the 88th minute, the home side were 3-0 up and apparently cruising to their satisfying win through goals from Sone Aluko, Andrew Little and Lee Wallace.

But shortly after Scott Brown converted the penalty conceded by Bocanegra, Thomas Rogne headed home in stoppage time for the nine men to briefly hint at the unlikeliest of comebacks.

Rangers, who actually played their best football of the match when both sides had 11 men, deserved their victory. That it ended up being by such a narrow margin allowed the Celtic fans to temper their dismay at the outcome.

Even before his goal, Aluko was the brightest spark in a Rangers side who made by far the more dynamic start to the contest. Playing just off lone striker Lee McCulloch, the Nigerian winger gave the Celtic defence several uncomfortable moments.

Cha’s difficult and ultimately shortened afternoon saw him cut out the first threat posed by Aluko, getting across to block his fourth minute shot at the expense of a corner. With most of their recognised first team regulars back from suspension or injury, there was a more solid and purposeful look to the home side than has been evident in recent weeks.

Rhys McCabe was the only one of the younger or fringe players to retain his place in McCoist’s starting line-up and he did much to prove his inclusion was fully based on merit. The teenage midfielder performed with great assurance and no little ability in his first Old Firm fixture, appearing quite unruffled by the intensity of the occasion.

Looking to get on the ball as much as possible, McCabe was arguably the most effective player on the pitch for the first hour before he limped off to a standing ovation from the home support.

While McCabe had been influential in the general control Rangers exerted on the match, Aluko’s 11th minute opener was very much his own work. Picking the ball up around 40 yards from goal, he embarked on a slaloming run which saw him flick the ball between Rogne’s legs, then cut inside Charlie Mulgrew before steering a low right foot shot beyond Fraser Forster from around 14 yards.

Celtic’s response was instant and only the excellence of Allan McGregor denied them a rapid equaliser. Georgios Samaras came close to netting a goal which would have matched Aluko’s for individual brilliance, the big Greek forward beating three Rangers defenders in a surging run before his shot was blocked by McGregor, the goalkeeper also keeping out Anthony Stokes’ miscued follow-up effort.

Stokes then produced a far more impressive effort, collecting the ball on his chest on the right of the Rangers penalty area and turning to smash in a volley which McGregor managed to dive to his right to turn behind.

But Celtic could not sustain that momentum, Aluko getting Rangers back onto the front foot with a fine run and pass to the unmarked Wallace who should have done better than blaze his left foot shot over.

It was another charge forward from Wallace which prompted the first dismissal of the afternoon. Cha, caught on the wrong side of Wallace, pulled him back by the shoulder just outside the penalty area. Regarded as the denial of a clear goalscoring opportunity by Murray, the red card was duly produced.

Lennon, who sacrificed Stokes and sent on Emilio Izaguirre to reshuffle his 10 men, was incensed by the decision and others made by Murray which went against his team. He waited at the mouth of the tunnel at half-time to share his views with the officials and was excluded from the technical area for the rest of the day as a result.

He watched the second half on television in the media room and his view of proceedings would not have been enhanced by Wanyama’s rashness which saw Celtic reduced to nine men in the 57th minute. The powerful Kenyan midfielder’s two-footed challenge on Steven Whittaker saw him win the ball but his raised studs meant Murray reached for his red card once more.

Rangers replaced McCabe with Kyle Lafferty as they looked to take full advantage of the situation. The Northern Ireland forced a decent save from Forster shortly after entering the fray. The Celtic ‘keeper also made a fine double save from McCulloch and Whittaker before Rangers finally increased their lead in the 73rd minute. Little, only on the pitch for around 30 seconds after replacing Aluko, netted the goal with his first touch. Forster saved from both McCulloch and Wallace but was beaten by Little’s close range shot.

Suddenly, it looked as though Celtic could find themselves on the wrong end of heavy beating. That prospect increased when Wallace made it 3-0 for Rangers, dispossessing Adam Matthews in the centre circle and playing the ball to Steven Davis to spark a rapid counter attack. Wallace’s supporting run was rewarded when he collected Davis’ return pass and slotted a low left foot shot under Forster.

Celtic might easily have settled for reaching full-time with no further damage inflicted at that stage. But they provided their fans behind McGregor’s goal with a thrilling finale. Two minutes from the end of regulation time, Bocanegra calculatedly fouled Samaras inside the area just as the striker was about to shoot. It was a clear penalty and Bocanegra was sent off. Celtic captain Brown converted the spot-kick emphatically, beating McGregor to his left even though the ‘keeper dived the right way.

In the second of four minutes of stoppage time, Celtic then threatened to pull off a remarkable recovery when Rogne rose to powerfully head home a Kris Commons free-kick from close range. They were unable to forage an equaliser but the full-time whistle was nonetheless greeted with a sense of celebration from both sets of fans on this most curious of Old Firm occasions.

RANGERS (3-5-1-1): McGregor, Goian, Bocanegra, Papac; Whittaker, McCabe (Lafferty 61), Davis, Edu, Wallace (Kerkar 78); Aluko (Little 72); McCulloch. Subs not used: Alexander, Bedoya, Perry, Mitchell.

CELTIC (4-4-2): Forster, Cha, Rogne, Mulgrew, Matthews; Brown, Ki (Commons 70), Wanyama, Ledley (Hooper 90); Samaras, Stokes (Izaguirre 32). Subs not used: Zaluska, K.Wilson, Brozek, McGeouch.

Referee: C.Murray. Attendance: 50,191.