Rangers 'not at the races' but pundit praise for comeback catalyst Kemar Roofe

Kris Boyd paid tribute to Kemar Roofe’s influence in dragging Rangers back from behind to win and return to the top of the cinch Premiership table against St Mirren.

Kemar Roofe celebrates with Alfredo Morelos (right) after making it 1-1 during the cinch Premiership match between St Mirren and Rangers. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

The Jamaican international struck the equaliser from the penalty spot and was later given the man of the match award by the Sky Sports pundit.

Boyd, a former Ibrox striker himself, praised Roofe’s work-rate and confidence which tipped the scales back in Rangers’ favour after Steven Gerrard’s team “were not at the races” in the early stages, falling behind to stunner from Connor Ronan.

Asked why he stood out, Boyd listed “the confidence to step up - you want your strikers to be scoring goals - but I thought his all-round play and work ethic”.

He added: “It wasn’t the best start for Rangers as a team but I thought Kemar Roofe was the one who went, pressed and tried to get Rangers back into it and that’s exactly what happened.”

And furthering his reasoning for praise he added “to stand up there with the confidence and dispatch it because Rangers were not at the races at the opening 15 or 20 minutes of this match.”

Roofe assumed spot-kick duty from captain James Tavernier - who struck 10 last season en route to the club’s top scorer award.

Boyd went on: “I said after St Johnstone, where Tavernier has hit the penalty, you see full-backs and other players hitting penalty kicks - not for me. I think strikers should be taking them.”

The penalty was Roofe’s eighth goal of the season. He also scored his first at international level for Jamaica against Honduras earlier this month.

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