Harry Curran left Premier Division champions Rangers shaken despite being only
on the Ibrox pitch for 20 minutes.
Just as it seemed that Rangers would take the three points - even though they
had laboured long and hard to overcome Dunfermline's stout defence - the little
midfielder struck.
With referee Jim Herald checking his stop-watch Curran drove the ball low
beyond the Finnish keeper Antti Niemi to cancel out Sergio Porrini's opener.
It was no surprise that the 49,019 fans were stunned - but not as much as the
Rangers players who had dominated throughout and must now be regretting their
missed chances.
Indeed, Dunfermline's attacks throughout the 90 minutes could be counted on
the fingers of one hand, so overpowering was the Rangers' stranglehold on the
game.
The last time Dunfermline came to Ibrox, they conceded seven goals and it
would not have been out of character if that had been repeated.
Rangers, with midfielder Rino Gattuso in control in the first half in
particular, piled in corner after corner as the sought to break down the
resolute defence.
But with Dave Barnett and Andy Tod in commanding form they stood resolute.
Pars' keeper Ian Westwater, who had earlier stated his determination not to
loose by seven again, was in top form as he continually came off his line to
defy the scoring attempts.
As early as the seventh minute, Rangers defender Richard Gough had time to
move forward and send a header narrowly past the post. And then just before the
half hour mark Jorg Albertz powered a free-kick high over the bar.
Rangers were lining up to take pot shots and just before the interval Paul
Gascoigne was at the end of a delightful move, shooting just inches wide.
In 53 minutes it was Albertz again as his shot across the face of the goal was
just wide of the far post. Next it was Brian Laudrup, then Gascoigne, then Marco
Negri and then Gattuso each spurning goal-scoring opportunities.
It could not continue and in 72 minutes Rangers at last breached the defence.
Yet another corner was won on the left and this time the scrambling defenders
could only get the ball out as far as Porrini, whose header over a crowded
goalmouth left the keeper helpless.
Rangers did not want to stop there but somehow they failed to add a second and
make sure of the three points.
They lived to regret it for in the final seconds Dunfermline mounted one final
attack.
The ball was forced into the goalmouth and for once a gap opened and Curran
gleefully accepted the opportunity to slide the ball past keeper Niemi - the
only time he had seen it during the game.
Teams
Rangers: Niemi, Vidmar (Durie 61), Albertz, Gough, Porrini,
Bjorklund, Gattuso, Gascoigne, Negri, McCall, Laudrup.
Subs Not Used: Ferguson, Johannson.
Booked: Bjorklund.
Goals: Porrini 72.
Dunfermline: Westwater, Shields, McCulloch, Tod, Barnett,
Fraser (Curran 70), Shaw (Bingham 82), Robertson, Smith,
Biemen (Miller 85), Petrie.
Goals: Curran 90.
Att: 49,019
Ref: J Herald (Newton Mearns).
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