The gulf between the haves and have-nots was resoundingly demonstrated at Dens
Park, as a Rangers display rich in quality overwhelmed a poor Dundee side.
Rangers made short work of establishing their superiority - two ahead inside
12 minutes - and once in control, the visitors' dominance was virtually
absolute.
Charlie Miller broke the deadlock after eight minutes with a low drive and in
the visitors' next attack Stephane Guivarc'h slotted into an empty net after
fine work by Neil McCann.
Enjoying a rare opportunity to impress, Miller struck his second and Rangers'
third with another composed finish two minutes from the break.
With the outcome beyond doubt, the pace slowed after the interval, but
substitute Jonatan Johansson injected urgency into proceedings and struck his
team's fourth after 76 minutes.
The emphatic result extends Rangers' lead at the top of the Premier League to
seven points over Kilmarnock and 13 clear of Champions Celtic, who have a game
in hand.
Having overcome the culture shock of Dens Park, three sides of terracing and
an ageing main stand making for a dated venue, Rangers now have the look of
title-winners.
They started the game without suspended trio Colin Hendry, Giovanni Van
Bronckhorst and Barry Ferguson, leading to a welcome start for Miller and debut
for Barry Nicholson.
Dundee were without veteran duo Jim McInally and Willie Miller and were never
given time to settle in a contest that was effectively over before it had chance
to begin.
Rangers moved ahead with their first attack, a Rod Wallace lay-off into the
stride of Miller who fired across Robert Douglas and into the bottom corner.
Gavin Rae did attempt a Dundee riposte making time and space for himself
before sending an ambitious shot from distance wide of the mark, but Rangers
swiftly re-grouped.
Iain Anderson failed to intercept a Jorg Albertz ball down the line which
McCann raced onto before squaring for Guivarc'h to slip the ball into an empty
net.
A weak Eddie Annand volley was comfortable for Stefan Klos as a shaken Dundee
were out of their depth and beginning to sink under the tide.
After 25 minutes, Albertz's corner found an unmarked Wallace, but the forward
mishit his volley badly when in position to have done better.
On the half hour, a surging Andrei Kanchelskis burst down the right invited a
simple finish for Guivarc'h, but he fired over from six yards.
It only delayed the inevitable as a Kanchelskis ball from the right caused
further panic in the Dundee defence exploited by a Miller drive for Rangers'
third.
Rangers continued to press straight from the restart, McCann's precise shot
met on the volley by Kanchelskis with power but no accuracy.
The Russian was three yards from goal yet conspired to send his strike well
over the crossbar for what must rank as one of the season's most glaring
misses.
Dundee's misery was compounded after 56 minutes when influential defender
Brian Irvine was stretchered off to be replaced by Barry Smith, once of Celtic.
On the hour mark, an Albertz cross was missed first by Guivarc'h then
Kanchelskis at the back post, but Rangers could afford such profligacy.
Finn Johansson replaced Guivarc'h, and the switch revived their spark. The
striker's first contribution set up Albertz for a long-range effort wide.
McCann was denied by Douglas' bravery after 67 minutes, then Johansson had a
snap shot blocked by Smith but he was soon to make his mark.
Albertz provided a neat pass, and Johansson confidently placed the ball away
from Douglas' reach to leave Dundee waiting anxiously for the whistle to end
their punishment.
Johansson still found time to hit another powerful effort into the
side-netting, but a reeling Dundee were to survive the closing stages - whether
they will survive the rest of the season looks doubtful.
Teams:
Dundee: Douglas, Adamczuk, Irvine (Smith 56),
Anderson (Strachan 74), Annand, Grady, Maddison, Falconer, Rae,
Robertson (McSkimming 84), Tweed.
Subs Not Used: Rogers, Langfield.
Rangers: Klos, Porrini, Amoruso, Kanchelskis, Albertz,
Guivarc'h (Johansson 64), Wallace, McCann, Nicholson, Vidmar,
Miller (Feeney 78).
Subs Not Used: Amato, Wilson, McGregor.
Goals: Miller 8, Guivarc'h 12, Miller 43, Johansson 76.
Att: 9,453
Ref: J McCluskey (Stewarton).
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