Rangers get the recovery win but this scoreline is deceptive as anxiety and lack of trust continue at Ibrox

Appearances can be deceptive. Rangers got the win they needed, a 3-1 triumph at Ibrox over Kilmarnock, but it was not as straightforward as a quick scan of the scoreline would suggest.

For the first 45 minutes of this game, Kilmarnock meekly played the role of sacrificial lambs served up at Ibrox to salve the pressures of a wounding Viaplay League Cup defeat to Celtic. The Rugby Park side duly lived up to their billing as a team who lose their sense of self whenever they take to the road. Rangers scented their vulnerability and manipulated it to atone for their own deficiencies, pummelling their frustrations onto the Rugby Park side. They scored three, there could have been ample more and while it restored an early sense of equilibrium to Michael Beale’s team, it took only a hint of Kilmarnock asserting themselves to undo it.

Rangers did not just blot their copybook with the concession of a Jeriel Dorsett goal on the hour mark but seemed to allow it to unnerve them for the 15 minutes that followed. In such moments it does not take long for the unease around the club to surface as loud grumbles and angry groans reverberated inside the ground; minutes later when Connor Goldson was slightly ponderous in possession he heard the full weight of Ibrox yelling their disapproval.

It only served to underline the anxiety and lack of trust that swirls around this team. Inevitably, it has been compounded by the defeat at Hampden last weekend to a Celtic team who will now be regarded as odds on to go on and win a domestic treble, but the reality for Rangers is that they cannot afford to lose their way, no matter how tentative that is.There seemed little sense of anything other than a straightforward afternoon when the Ibrox side were quick out the traps as they looked eager to get the Celtic defeat out of their system. Indeed, the opening goal after just six minutes seemed to be the dog-whistle for any sense of belief Kilmarnock had as Rangers set about dismantling them.

Connor Goldson opened the scoring for Rangers at Ibrox against Kilmarnock.

For Derek McInnes’ side it was indicative of a season in which they have been undone by a succession of similar cheap goals. And the opener was cheap. Kilmarnock allowed Rangers a whopping four bites at the cherry before Goldson gleefully knocked the ball into the back of the net from close range. Todd Cantwell had had two shots blocked before Antonio Colak was denied by Sam Walker with Goldson given the simple task of tapping in the rebound.

By the time the 20-minute mark rolled around the game should have been over as a competitive contest. Sakala had missed a glorious chance at the back post after Ryan Kent had whipped in a delicious cross while Nicolas Baskin had looked odds on to score. Inevitably, it was a stay of execution. Sakala doubled Rangers’ lead before there was third delivered from the spot by the boot of James Tavernier.

To Rangers’ surprise, Kilmarnock emerged from the break with something to contribute. There was a shout for a penalty when Allan McGregor clattered into Rory McKenzie but it was a portent of what was to come. Dorsett’s header proved to be little more than a statistical footnote but was sufficient in spooking Rangers for a spell.

They found their feet again but one wonder if they can stay on them between now and the end of the season.