Rangers make no mistake

Scottish Premier League: The Premier League lead changed hands again yesterday as Rangers eased Celtic off the top spot after four days.

The Old Firm are level on points with the Ibrox team two goals ahead as Rangers prepare to play Hearts at Tynecastle next Sunday and finish with Dunfermline at home while Celtic entertain Dundee this week and end at Kilmarnock.

Rangers went into this game against Kilmarnock knowing precisely what they had to do to reclaim the lead and they set about the task with relish.

The Rangers manager Alex McLeish confirmed: "It was a great win. The performance was very pleasing.

"Over the last month I have chopped and changed. I hadn't really wanted to but we had one or two players off the boil. But today it all came together. You could see what was at stake."

Ronald de Boer had missed a good chance when the game was only a few seconds old and McLeish admitted he had feared it might be costly.

"Ronald is normally so assured from that position but he snatched at it and I did wonder briefly if it was to be one of those days but we scored twice quickly after that and now the only prediction I will make is that it will go to the last day. That kind of performance must give the players a lot of confidence going into the next game."

There was little the Kilmarnock manager Jim Jefferies could do other than agree and he admitted wryly: "We were brilliant for five seconds.

"Rangers were different class and I don't think I have seen them play as well this season. They missed a hatfull of chances and I was delighted to get away with just 4-0."

In only the first few minutes, besides De Boer's miss, Andy McLaren had been booked for a trip on Fernando Ricksen and Michael Mols had scored twice.

The first goal, after six minutes, ended a fine move involving De Boer, Ricksen and Mikel Arteta and the second followed a minute later from a chip after De Boer and the goalkeeper Gordon Marshall had collided going for a Barry Ferguson pass.

Thereafter it was a procession towards Marshall, with Ferguson, De Boer, Lorenzo Amoruso, Ferguson again, Arteta and Shota Arveladze all missing relatively simple opportunities.

It took Rangers 59 minutes to make it 3-0 with Arveladze's dipping volley finding the net. Substitute Claudio Caniggia completed the rout three minutes later.

RANGERS: Klos, Ricksen, Moore, Amoruso, Numan, Arteta, Ferguson, Hughes, de Boer (McCann 87), Mols (Caniggia 76), Lovenkrands (Arveladze 45). Subs Not Used: McGregor, Malcolm. Goals: Mols 6, 7, Arveladze 59, Caniggia 80.

KILMARNOCK: Marshall, Shields, McLaughlin, Dindeleux, Fowler, Canero, Fulton (McDonald 71), Mahood, Di Giacomo, McLaren (Boyd 45), McSwegan (Locke 45). Subs Not Used: Stewart, Hay. Booked: McLaren, Mahood, Di Giacomo, Fowler, Shields.

Referee: A Freeland.

Guardian Service