Ross County 0-3 Rangers (Igamane 6, Danilo 37, Tavernier 85)
Attendance 6,011
Rangers secured a third consecutive Premiership victory with a comfortable 3-0 defeat of Ross County in Dingwall on Sunday afternoon.
Philippe Clement made one change from the midweek victory over Kilmarnock with Connor Barron coming in for Mohamed Diomande.
Rangers’ last visit to Victoria Park saw the Ibrox men suffer a 2-3 defeat that not only was County’s first-ever victory over Rangers but was also a significant setback to hopes of a Premiership title success.
The earlier meeting of the two clubs back in August had seen the Light Blues overwhelm their opponents 6-0 at Hampden – but Rangers have only scored three goals on the road in Premiership fixtures since then.
On a bitterly cold afternoon, Rangers were intent on attack from the first whistle – but it was the ‘Staggies’ who threatened in a swift counter-attack with an Alex Samuel drive from the edge of the area flashing just over.
It was however the visitors who made an early breakthrough in just six minutes following a Jefte break down the left Hamza Igamane’s dipping twenty-yard shot nestled in the top corner of the net with the aid of a slight deflection, appearing to catch Jack Hamilton by surprise, the ‘keeper perhaps thinking the ball was going over the bar. It was Igamane’s fourth goal in as many games
Two minutes later it was almost 2-0 when from an Igamane lay-off Vaclav Cerny rifled in a drive that whistled just over.
Rangers had made an excellent start to the game – but the home side continued to threaten on the break – never more so than on the half-hour mark when a miss-placed pass from Cerny led to Ronan Hale finding Noah Chilvers whose twenty-yard shot was turned wide by Jack Butland.
That should have been a wake-up call for ‘Gers who, despite their early breakthrough had remained guilty of failing to capitalise on the frequency of their attacks – and three minutes later that was underlined when Cerny was released through on goal by an excellent Danilo through-ball, only for the Czech to carry the ball too far, allowing himself to be dispossessed by Hamilton, then shortly afterwards the ‘keeper had to scramble to prevent a bizarre own goal when from a James Tavernier cross the ball inadvertently struck the back of Eli Campbell’s head.
Rangers badly needed that second goal – and it duly arrived on 37 minutes when Hamilton took much too long in dealing with a Josh Nisbet pass-back, allowing himself to be dispossessed by Danilo, who coolly turned the ball home.
County Boss Don Cowie, clearly recognising that change was required, made a double change at the interval with James Brown and Jordan White replacing Michee Efete and Chilvers.
The ‘Staggies’ may have been two goals behind – but they had clearly not yet conceded defeat, underlined on the hour when from a George Harmon corner Akil Wright rose almost unchallenged to head goal-wards only to be denied by a fine Butland save.
Home ‘keeper Hamilton was looking much more assured in the second 45 minutes – although he did create panic in his own area when dropping a Tavernier corner, only for Ianis Hagi to let him off the hook by slicing over the bar.
Cerny was not having the best of games – underlined midway through the half when he broke clear on the left only for his weak effort to be turned wide by Hamilton, who also shortly afterwards denied Igamane, beating behind his powerful angled drive.
Philippe Clement made a double substitution in the 71st minute, introducing Nedim Bajrami and Dujan Sterling for Danilo and Cerny.
Bajrami was soon involved, his twenty-yard drive beaten away by Hamilton – but the ‘keeper could do nothing to prevent Tavernier making it 3-0 on 85 minutes – a thunderous drive from the edge of the area finding the back of the net.
Rangers kept going for more – Hamilton again denying Bajrami from a Dessers pass four minutes later.
The points however were secured – and at the final whistle the Ibrox men had secured their most emphatic away Premiership win of the season thus far.
Ross County: Hamilton; Wright, Allardice (Grieves 83), Campbell; Efete (Brown 46), Nisbet, Chilvers (White 46), Randall, Harmon (Reid 79); Samuel, Hale (Brophy 66)
Unused Subs: Leak, Telfer, Amissah, Loturi
Rangers: Butland; Tavernier, Souttar, Balogun, Jefte; Cerny (Sterling 71), Barron (Diomande 80), Raskin, Hagi (Dowell 85), Igmane (Dessers 80); Danilo (Bajrami 71)
Unused Subs: Yilmaz, Kelly, Propper, McCausland
Referee: Kevin Clancy
