Rangers 2 Ross County 0: Defoe scores before being stretchered off as Morelos makes comeback
HE AGREED a new deal at the weekend.
Then Jermain Defoe showed he was the real deal to keep Rangers’ title challenge on track.
The Englishman – who’s signed a pre-contract to make his move from Bournemouth permanent this summer – scored one and made the other as his side laboured to break down the stuffy Staggies.
However, there was a real concern for Steven Gerrard when the man he’d picked ahead of suspension-free Alfredo Morelos was stretchered off just before the hour.
Defoe was chasing a long ball when he crumpled in a heap.
He was stretchered off after treatment but although Morelos was warming up, it was Joe Aribo who went on.
Defoe, with his fourth goal in six games, and Scott Arfield got the goals which maintained Rangers’ position hot on Celtic’s heels on a blustery night.
THE VERDICT
Rangers: McGregor 6, Polster 6, Goldson 6, Katic 6, Barisic 6, Davis 6 (Jones 73, 4), Ojo 5, Arfield 7, Kamara 5, Kent 6 (Morelos 67, 5), Defoe 7 (Aribo 62, 5).
Booked: Goldson, Polster
Ross County: Baxter 6, Fraser 6, Donaldson 6, Watson 6, Kelly 6, Mullin 6, Vigurs 6 (Spence 72, 5), Tillson 6, Cowie 6 (Draper 73, 4), Spittal 5, McKay 6 (Erwin 77, 4).
Booked: Mullin, Kelly, Spence, Fraser
Referee: D. Robertson 6
Under relentless rain, Rangers made heavy weather of it at times but County, though they were organised and stuck doggedly at it, didn’t force a meaningful save out of Allan McGregor.
They’re now seven without a win and clearly struggling for goals.
For Rangers, it was a successful start to a run of three Ibrox fixtures – Aberdeen and Hibs are the visitors in the next seven days - where they will aim to take maximum points.
Morelos returned from suspension but had to settle for a place on the bench as Steven Gerrard nursed his top scorer’s calf injury with Saturday’s visit of the Dons in mind.
Scott Arfield replaced injured Ryan Jack, while Rangers also brought in American Matt Polster for his first Premiership start and Sheyi Ojo started his first league game since the win in Dingwall in October.
Aribo moved to the bench with Jon Flanagan – hooked at the break at Tynecastle - axed from the squad altogether.
County – who’d never beaten Rangers in ten previous meetings – made one change from the side which lost at Celtic Park on Saturday, Billy McKay coming in up front in place of Lee Erwin.
Polster had looked impressive when he came on at Tynecastle and the first few Rangers raids came down his right side.
One cross caught in the blustery conditions and County’s loan ‘keeper Nathan Baxter had to step behind his goal-line to gather the ball – leading to claims from the stands he’d carried it over, but ref Don Robertson was unmoved.
However the Chelsea keeper made a more assertive contribution after nine minutes when Ojo’s run set up Ryan Kent, who skipped past Marcus Fraser and fired for goal – but the County stopper got down to turn it round the post for a corner.
It was a bright and positive opening by Rangers but they failed to build on it.
Too much of the rest of the first-half lacked pace and drive, and Ross County’s five-man midfield successfully stifled the home side.
The Rangers assistant manager, Gary McAllister, had acknowledged before the match that County had presented a realistic counter-attacking threat at Celtic Park despite their defeat and the Staggies showed in the early stages they had intentions of their own, with Blair Spittal attempting to support McKay.
But County’s intentions to frustrate were plain and inside half-an-hour the visitors’ keeper Baxter had been warned by referee Robertson for taking too long at a goal-kick.
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After Mullin had pulled down Kent on the edge of the box, Arfield fired Barisic’s delivery over the top, but Rangers – as had been the case against Stranraer and St Mirren in their previous Ibrox games – were finding it difficult to penetrate a resolute County formation.
However just when the grumbles were beginning to grow in volume, Rangers broke the deadlock five minutes before the break.
Keith Watson’s header into the air put his defence under pressure and Defoe reacted smartest to side-step Coll Donaldson and drive crisply past Baxter.
For Rangers, it was an ideal time for the Englishman to ease the tension which had been creeping through the Ibrox stands.
And that anxiety vanished completely 80 seconds into the second-half as Rangers put the game out of County’s reach.
Ojo’s driving run was neatly flicked on by Defoe into the path of Arfield, who’d made a driving run from midfield, and he dispatched the ball beyond Baxter.
Nikola Katic headed Davis’ free-kick over the top as Rangers looked determined to boost their goal difference at County’s expense.
But County served notice they weren’t down and out when McKay’s left-foot drive whistled narrowly over McGregor’s bar.
Defoe’s exit on a stretcher – he was replaced not by Morelos but by Aribo – was a major worry for Rangers.
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But the Colombian’s arrival a few minutes later for Ryan Kent was greeted by the biggest cheer of the night.
Inevitably he came close to scoring, latching on to Ojo’s pass and attempting an audacious chip which the wind carried over the County bar.
He then took Arfield’s pass and drove past as Rangers chased a third goal – but the points were secure by then.
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