Rangers emerged from Fir Park with three precious points after coming through
a frantic away day that featured late goals and controversy.
Alex McLeish's men had been cruising at 3-1 up thanks to two first half goals
from Gregory Vignal and a third soon after the restart from Dado Prso.
When Kevin McBride pulled one back from the penalty spot it looked like being
only a consolation effort for the home side but, when Barry Ferguson was sent
off and Martyn Corrigan made it 3-2, the stage was set for a nerve-jangling
finale.
Rangers hung on to take the win they needed to climb above Celtic, who had
lost 2-0 at home to Hearts on Saturday, at the summit of the Bank of Scotland
Premier League.
The challengers are now a point ahead with a superior goal difference of six
goals.
Beforehand, McLeish had been forced into changes after Thomas Buffel returned
from international duty with Belgium with a thigh strain.
That opened the door for Hamed Namouchi and, with Maurice Ross nowhere to be
seen, skipper Fernando Ricksen dropped back to right back so Alex Rae could
start in midfield.
McLeish had been annoyed at Buffel deciding to play in midweek when he knew
his fitness was suspect.
Namouchi, who had dropped out of the first team frame after an encouraging
start to the campaign, set up the opening goal within four minutes and also
supplied the second.
His first assist needed a slice of good fortune as, after accepting a clever
ball from Ricksen, his delivery from the right found only the head of Well
defender Stephen Craigan.
The Northern Irishman could only head it to where Vignal was lurking just
inside the box, however, and the Frenchman produced a crashing first-time finish
to give Gordon Marshall no chance.
He did so using his "wrong" foot - his right - and, just after the half-hour
mark, the on-loan left back from Liverpool had netted another.
This time he used his head to meet a faultless cross from Namouchi that no
challenger could cut out and Vignal, the man who had refused a contract offer to
stay beyond the end of the season, had put his employers in an impregnable
position.
Well had little to offer in return apart from the pace of Scott McDonald,
although the Australian had been too zealous in the eighth minute and was booked
for a foul on Ricksen.
He forced Ronald Waterreus into two saves in quick succession but neither was
too taxing, although the Dutchman was required to throw himself in the air to
keep out a venomous drive from Scott Leitch.
Rangers had been the hungrier side from kick-off, with Prso leading the line
in exemplary fashion and Ferguson controlling the midfield.
Sotirios Kyrgiakos was also getting stuck in at the back alongside Bob
Malcolm, although the Greek was booked in the final minute of the first half for
overdoing a challenge on Martyn Corrigan.
Within six minutes of the restart Well must have been fearing a repeat of
their 5-1 Hampden hounding in the CIS Insurance Cup final last month when Prso
headed home a Ricksen free-kick. The Croat had won it himself, wide on the left,
and rose the highest to nod the ball in off Marshall's left-hand post.
Corrigan passed up a chance to pull one back by firing over after Kevin
McBride had done the spadework. Ferguson was booked in the 56th minute for a
late challenge on McBride.
Well sent on Richie Foran for Paterson three minutes later and Vignal sent a
hat-trick attempt from distance well over. It was to be his final contribution
of the day as he was replaced in the 61st minute by the fit-again Peter
Lovenkrands.
Namouchi's afternoon was over five minutes later when Shota Arveladze was
given his chance to return to the first team fray following injury.
Bob Malcolm, who had been deputising for the injured Marvin Andrews while the
defender ponders whether to have the knee operation the club has demanded,
conceded a penalty that McBride converted in the 71st minute.
Malcolm had used an arm to control a ball into the box from Stevie Hammell and
McBride's emphatic conversion set up a breath-taking finale that had been
entirely unexpected.
Rangers had to play out the final 11 minutes a man down when Ferguson was
shown a yellow and then a red card for a touchline tussle with David Clarkson,
who was booked along with Foran for his part in the recriminations.
The referee had acted on the advice of linesman Stewart Shearer who had been a
few feet away when the Scotland captain swung out an arm to grapple with the
teenager.
Corrigan's deflected 25-yarder, which flew past Waterreus off Malcolm's
shoulder, set up a fraught ending that somehow failed to see another goal.
Arveladze had one chalked off for a foul on the last defender and Lovenkrands
somehow managed to blaze over an open goal after Prso had set him up.
At the other end, McDonald failed to pick out substitute Gerry Britton in
front of goal and there was another moment when it looked as though Malcolm had
again used an arm in the box.
Rangers somehow hung on to claim what could be three of the most precious
points of the season.
Teams
Motherwell Marshall, Paul Quinn, Craigan, Partridge, Hammell,
McBride, Leitch, Corrigan, Paterson (Foran 59),
Clarkson (Britton 81), Scott McDonald.
Subs Not Used: Kerr, Corr, Wright, Kinniburgh, Fitzpatrick.
Booked: Scott McDonald, Clarkson, Foran, Craigan.
Goals: McBride 71 pen, Corrigan 84.
Rangers Waterreus, Ricksen, Kyrgiakos (Khizanishvili 71),
Malcolm, Ball, Namouchi (Arveladze 66), Ferguson, Alex Rae,
Vignal (Lovenkrands 61), Prso, Novo.
Subs Not Used: Burke, Thompson, McGregor, McCormack.
Sent Off: Ferguson (79).
Booked: Kyrgiakos, Ferguson, Ricksen.
Goals: Vignal 4, 32, Prso 51.
Att: 10,210
Ref: D McDonald (Scotland).
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