Rangers moved back to the top of the Bank of Scotland Premier League table
with a four-goal demolition of Kilmarnock.
The Light Blues had to win by two to climb above Celtic on goal difference but
have now earned themselves a useful two-goal advantage to take to Hearts next
week.
Two early strikes from Michael Mols plus goals after the break from
substitutes Shota Arveladze and Claudio Caniggia did the trick but the game also
saw a cavalcade of other inviting chances wasted.
Killie could have been on the end of an even bigger thrashing or, at least, a
repeat of the 6-1 mauling they suffered at Ibrox in October.
Mols put Rangers into a comfortable early two-goal lead to settle the Ibrox
nerves.
He latched on to a Mikel Arteta pass in the fifth minute and fired across
goalkeeper Gordon Marshall and in off the far post.
And, it took him just two minutes to bring his goal tally to the season to 13
after Marshall had come off his line to get to a long ball ahead of Ronald de
Boer and booted the ball only as far as the Dutchman.
Mols was some 25 yards from goal but quickly had the ball airborne and heading
for an unguarded net.
Ibrox erupted and Rangers had achieved their initial objective in double quick
time but Alex McLeish's men might yet rue the ones that got away today.
They were almost too numerous to count even before half-time.
De Boer missed a sitter after just 15 seconds, blazing over from seven yards
out after Greg Shields had missed a bouncing through ball.
And skipper Barry Ferguson added to the two penalties he failed to convert at
Dundee last week with two misses in the final minute of the half.
Both resembled each other and the second would have been a strike to remember
after he had motored past challenger after challenger before ruining all that
good work with a finish that bounced wastefully wide.
Lorenzo Amoruso saw a free header from a corner saved and Marshall did well to
deny de Boer with his legs after the offside trap had been sprung.
An Arteta free-kick also found itself bouncing away off a post after Amoruso
had managed a deft near-post flick.
Killie had hardly threatened at the other end despite their bold 4-3-3
formation and the need for points to keep their UEFA Cup quest at Hearts'
expense alive.
But they did pick up three bookings before the break with Andy McLaren, Alan
Mahood and Paul Di Giacomo all being shown the yellow card, the latter two
following warnings from referee Alan Freeland.
Rangers replaced Peter Lovenkrands with Arveladze at the break while Killie
tried to regroup by sending Gary Locke and Kris Boyd on for McLaren and Gary
McSwegan.
Arveladze had found the net 14 times before today but had probably missed just
as many and promptly added to both totals.
The first was a howler as no challengers were present when he chested the ball
down in the box and promptly failed to find a goal that was at his mercy.
But his goal was pure gold seconds later when he netted with a stunning effort
- finding the top corner on the run from just outside the box.
The next two chances fell to Mols and it took a good block from Marshall to
deny a fierce, low drive.
But he had only himself to blame afterwards when he missed his kick when
through on goal allowing Marshall to get in the way of his second attempt.
With 15 minutes remaining, Hughes was denied by the crossbar as he let fly
from just outside the area.
James Fowler found himself cautioned for a foul on Arteta and, seconds later,
Shields received the same for another rough challenge on the Spaniard.
Mols had been given an ovation when replaced by Caniggia but the newcomer
earned applause of his own with the fourth in the 80th minute.
De Boer played a quick free-kick to send the veteran racing clear and Caniggia
took the ball round Marshall before slotting into the empty net.
Marshall denied him soon after as the Killie defence again failed to cope with
his pace and the 39-year-old 'keeper, who is to be released in the summer, then
repeated the trick from Arveladze.
Teams:
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.
Att: 49,036
Ref: A Freeland (Aberdeen).
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