By Valencia05
A RYAN KENT-inspired Rangers secured three points in a thrilling 3-2 win at Kilmarnock.
On a night when Alfredo Morelos kept his cool to bag a double, it was the 26-year-old winger who stole the show as he ran riot, netted and showed why manager Michael Beale has so much faith in him.
Kent said: “I need to keep trying to get on the scoresheet, keep getting into those areas. A player in my position with my quality definitely needs to be adding more goals to my game.”
Life’s a real pitch at times — or maybe not. After Sunday’s 120 minutes on Hampden’s ploughed field, Rangers headed down the M77 for 90min in sub-zero temperatures on Rugby Park’s plastic ice rink.
The Rangers boss made three changes to the team that started the Viaplay Cup semi-final win over Aberdeen as Jon McLaughlin, Glen Kamara and Scott Arfield came in for Allan McGregor, Ryan Jack and Malik Tillman.
Before the action got under way, Beale volleyed away transfer rumours with an effortless ease which Andy Murray would have been proud of Down Under, with the Ibrox manager saying he “can’t confirm” the club had a bid for Swansea winger Morgan Whittaker rejected.
“He’s a player that we know,” he told BBC Radio Scotland. “He’s been recalled to his parent club because he’s done very well, so there’s nothing more on that at the moment.”
With the pre-match pleasantries over and the Celsius levels ever lowering, referee Kevin Clancy’s whistle to start the action was warmly welcomed by the 8,461 brave souls inside the ground.
The Killie fans didn’t have long to wait to heat their hands up as the home side took the lead after five minutes — with Rangers fans looking through their fingers watching a familiar story unfolded. A corner swung in, a header, a goal. Chris Stokes took the acclaim; the Ibrox men looked around for someone to blame in neon-orange.
To this observer, at least, there is a sense of déjà vu about Beale being in the dugout. Going a goal behind seems to be ‘his thing’; much like the months before he departed for Villa in 2021.
However, that déjà vu feeling played out perfectly in 23 minutes. As much as going behind seems to be ‘his thing’, Beale’s teams love a leveller — and it was Morelos who stepped up for a much-needed goal.
James Tavernier found Fashion Sakala on the right-hand side and he pulled the ball back for Morelos to calmly side-foot it home. Déjà phew.
Morelos must have enjoyed seeing the referee jot down his name because it was scribbled down again by Clancy 10 minutes before the break, this time for a booking after catching Danny Armstrong late and earning a yellow card.
With neither manager making any changes at the break, it seemed both were satisfied with their sides’ first-half efforts and hoped someone could make an instant impact in the following 45 minutes.
Kent wasted no time in showing why Beale’s faith is bringing the best out of him again. Not long after a wayward pass on the break, he composed himself on this occasion to fire home a Morelos angled ball from the right in 51 minutes.
Killie reacted — in the wrong manner — and saw red. Armstrong, booked in the first half, threw an elbow into the face of Barisic and he trodded off with no complaints.
Morelos flashed a smirk then soon reverted to his trademark celebratory scowl as the Columbian and Barisic concocted the perfect revenge when the left-back dinked over a cross and Morelos arrowed a header the bottom corner.
Joe Wright made Rangers’ nerves jangle five minutes from the end by making it 3-2, which was a fitting bookend to this game for the Light Blues.
Sloppy start, sloppier finish — but another thrilling chapter in the Rangers rebuild under Beale.
Kent has revealed he will be sitting down with manager Beale to discuss his future soon.
The Englishman is out of contract in the summer and could leave Ibrox on a free, however many will want him to remain in Scotland.
He said: “I’m just concentrating on the remainder of this season. I am sitting down with the manager discussing my future.”
Kilmarnock (5-3-2): Walker, Alebiosu, Taylor, Stokes, Wright, Armstrong, Power, Polworth, McKenzie, Vassell, Doidge. Substitutes: Hemming, Sanders, Waters, McInroy, Lyons, Alston, Murray, Robinson, Lafferty.
Rangers (4-2-3-1): McLaughlin, Tavernier, Goldson, Davies, Barisic, Lundstram, Kamara, Arfield, Fashion Jr., Morelos, Kent. Substitutes: McGregor, Jack, Sands, Wright, McCann, King, Devine, Lowry, Tillman.
CROWD – 8,461
