Clinical Rangers go clear at the top

Celtic 1 Rangers 3:NO OLD Firm occasion is complete without its share of controversy and verbal jousting, and yesterday's derby victory by Rangers supplied both in spades. This one ended with complaints from Celtic manager Neil Lennon over the performance of the referee, with Rangers' Walter Smith responding that undue pressure was exerted on the official by the Parkhead club before the game.

Lennon had issued a veiled warning to the referee, Willie Collum, who was taking charge of his first Glasgow derby, on Friday. Sadly for Celtic’s manager, Collum proved the main post-match discussion point after his decision to award Rangers a dubious second-half penalty, which Kenny Miller scored to earn a 3-1 lead.

“It looked soft to me,” Lennon said of the penalty, given after Kirk Broadfoot tumbled over Celtic defender Daniel Majstorovic. “If you look at him [Collum], I’m not sure he saw it so I don’t know why he has given it.”

Lennon was riled that Rangers midfielder Lee McCulloch, already on a booking at that juncture, was not dismissed for a challenge on Georgios Samaras.

“I want to know why McCulloch was still on the pitch after a blatant obstruction when we were breaking. You have to get the big decisions right and there’s another big decision that’s gone against us.”

While the penalty decision was debatable, Rangers were the better team by a considerable margin during the second period.

Collum was first called into action within a minute, booking Anthony Stokes for a wild lunge on Sasa Papac. The remainder of the first half was drab, with Gary Hooper’s opener for Celtic an all too rare moment of goalmouth action. The striker pounced after Steven Whittaker had accidentally diverted a corner into his path.

There was an element of fortune about the Rangers equaliser, with the ball flying off Kyle Lafferty’s thigh and subsequently the midriff of Celtic’s Glenn Loovens before entering the net.

Rangers completed the comeback with Miller volleying home from 14 yards after a mix-up in Lennon’s defence. Miller’s penalty took his tally to seven goals in 11 Old Firm games since he re-signed at Ibrox. From the moment his shot from 12 yards flew beyond Fraser Forster, Celtic never demonstrated enough attacking threat to hint even one goal in response would be forthcoming.

CELTIC: Forster, Wilson, Majstorovic, Loovens, Izaguirre, Stokes (McCourt 68), Ki, Ledley, Maloney (Juarez 14), Samaras, Hooper. Subs not used: Zaluska, Cha, McGinn, Towell, Filip Twardzik. Booked: Stokes, Ki, Samaras.

RANGERS: McGregor, Whittaker, Weir, Bougherra, Papac (Broadfoot 46), McCulloch, Naismith, Davis, Edu, Lafferty (Beattie 89), Miller (Weiss 79). Subs not used: Alexander, Fleck, Foster, Hutton. Booked: McCulloch, Bougherra.

Referee: William Collum (Scotland).