Kilmarnock 2-1 Rangers: Jordan Jones nets winner as Killie go second

Jordan Jones (right) celebrates scoring the winner for Kilmarnock - against his future employers. Picture: PA

Kilmarnock winger Jones may have signed a pre-contract agreement to join the Ibrox club in June but he left no-one in any doubt as to the level of his continuing commitment to the cause for Steve Clarke’s admirable side.

Jones struck the winner for a Killie side who leapfrog Gerrard’s men into second place in the table, just a point behind leaders Celtic.

It also saw Jermain Defoe upstaged on his debut for Rangers, the former England striker having opened the scoring before Eamonn Brophy equalised. As the euphoria of their pre-winter break Old Firm victory quickly dissipated for Rangers, it is Kilmarnock who now lead the pursuit of the champions.

It had been 10 months since Defoe had experienced the joy of what he has traded on so successfully throughout his career, adding perhaps even a greater sense of personal euphoria to his celebration of the 12th minute poacher’s effort which gave Rangers the lead.

The 36-year-old, whose last goal as an increasingly peripheral figure in Bournemouth’s squad came in a 2-2 draw at Watford last March, showed he has lost none of his instinctive ability to pop up in the right place at the right time in and around the six yard box.

While Defoe lapped up the acclaim of the large travelling support, Kilmarnock goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann was left aggrieved by the manner in which the goal was conceded. He made two fine saves to keep out efforts from Andy Halliday and James Tavernier but the ball continued to ricochet around his penalty area.

Ryan Kent was next to latch onto it and when his effort was blocked on the line by Stuart Findlay, the ball appeared to rebound off the arm of Steven Davis before dropping into the path of Defoe who unhesitatingly tucked it away. Bachmann was booked for dissent as he protested vigorously to referee Don Robertson that the goal should not have stood.

It was the ideal start for Gerrard’s men and looked as if it might give them the platform to assert some authority over their hosts. They were unfortunate not to double their lead eight minutes later when Kent’s corner from the left was met by a thumping Alfredo Morelos header, only for the ball to rebound off the flat-footed Bachmann’s left hand post.

But before Rangers could settle into any kind of dominant rhythm, they found themselves back to level terms when Kilmarnock took full advantage of a lamentably sloppy error by Joe Worrall.

The on-loan Nottingham Forest central defender dallied needlessly in possession midway inside his own half and was robbed of possession by Brophy. The Killie striker was able to race clear of the stumbling Rangers man before composing himself impressively to fire a precise low shot beyond Allan McGregor.

Kilmarnock were visibly energised by the equaliser and began to play with greater purpose. By contrast, Rangers looked increasingly unsure of themselves, especially at the back. Worrall’s central defensive partner Gareth McAuley was booked for a blatant foul on Jordan Jones when he was unable to cope with the pace of his Northern Ireland international team-mate.

The visitors’ efforts to get back onto the front foot before half-time were generally laboured, although Bachmann was called into action again in the 38th minute when he got his positioning spot-on to hold a well struck 20 yard shot from Kent.

Rangers did have the ball in the net four minutes into the second half as they tried to increase the tempo of their work but Morelos clearly used a hand as he bundled home a Tavernier cross from close range. It earned him his 14th yellow card of the season.

Davis had perhaps not been as influential as he would have hoped of his second ‘debut’ for Rangers but the 34-year-old midfielder rolled back the years in the 64th minute with a surging run through the middle before finding Kent in space on the left. The winger’s first-time cross was brilliantly cut out by Stuart Findlay with both Morelos and Defoe waiting to pounce.

Just as it seemed Rangers might be gaining the upper hand, it was Kilmarnock who took the lead two minutes later. It again stemmed from some sloppiness from the visitors as Kent cheaply gave the ball away just inside his own half.

Jones pounced on the loose ball and sprinted in behind the Rangers central defenders to the edge of the penalty area. McGregor looked slightly slow to react to his future team-mate’s low right foot shot and although the ‘keeper got a fingertip to the ball, he couldn’t prevent it nestling just inside his right hand post.

Both of Gerrard’s high profile January signings were replaced as he sought to rescue the situation in the closing stages, Davis and Defoe making way for Daniel Candeias and Kyle Lafferty.

Bachmann made decent saves to keep out headed efforts from Worrall and Morelos as Kilmarnock saw out yet another memorable victory over one of the Old Firm clubs under Clarke’s exceptional stewardship.

KILMARNOCK: Bachmann, O’Donnell, S.Boyd, Findlay, Taylor; Power, Dicker; Tshibola, Jones (Ndjoli 90+1), Burke; Brophy (Broadfoot 89). Subs not used: MacDonald, McKenzie, K.Boyd, Kiltie, Waters.

RANGERS: McGregor, Tavernier, Worrall, McAuley, Halliday; Jack, Davis (Candeias 70), Arfield, Kent; Defoe (Lafferty 79), Morelos. Subs not used: Foderingham, Flanagan, McCrorie, Katic, Coulibaly