Rangers retain their 16-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership after avoiding a repeat of their League Cup defeat to St Mirren with ease.
The home side looked capable of two wins over Steven Gerrard’s side within a fortnight early on.
But first-half strikes from Kemar Roofe and Alfredo Morelos were enough to send Rangers into Saturday’s Old Firm derby on the back of 13 straight league wins.
Jonathan Obika scooped over St Mirren’s best chance shortly before the opener.
Rangers have responded to that League Cup exit with four wins in a row in their best top-flight start since 1928 as they prepare to host second-top reigning champions Celtic.
Despite the end of their seven-game unbeaten home run, St Mirren remain seventh.
Considering that League Cup exit and the fact St Mirren had made their own best league start since 1988, this was always going to be a big test for Rangers’ title credentials.
It was no surprise that home manager Jim Goodwin returned to the more defensive starting line-up that secured their place in the semi-finals and Jamie McGrath, scorer of two of their goals that night, was first to threaten as the midfielder dispossessed a lazy Steven Davis and fired a low drive straight at goalkeeper Allan McGregor.
St Mirren were looking as full of confidence as Rangers were with trepidation as two of the three players returning to the home line-up combined to give the visitors another scare.
McGregor, making his 400th appearance during two spells with the Ibrox club, was unable to hold Dylan Connolly’s low shot through a sea of legs and Obika could only scoop his close-range shot on the turn over the crossbar.
St Mirren’s early work was undone when Ianis Hagi pounced on a mix-up between two opponents and played through for Roofe to fire past goalkeeper Jak Alnwick via a deflection off the hosts’ other League Cup scorer, Conor McCarthy.
The striker’s 10th goal in 14 games was quickly followed by Morelos’ first in nine games as the Colombia international pounced on Joe Shaughnessy’s messy pass back to slot past former Rangers goalkeeper Alnwick.
St Mirren again started the better after the break, but it was Rangers who came closest to adding to the scoreline as Alnwick saved from Morelos and the visitors appeared able to coast the rest of the game as they preserved energy ahead of that even bigger test to come.
Man of the match – Jonathan Obika
What did we learn?
Lightning did not strike twice of St Mirren – it rarely does for provincial sides against either half of the Old Firm – but they can take heart from troubling the league leaders for a second time this month.
Goodwin got his tactics spot on and will hope this is a mere blip in a fine run since ending a run of six straight defeats in October.
Rangers, meanwhile, continue to grind out the results despite in recent weeks failing to replicate their early season fluency but will need to combine those elements of teamwork and tenacity to overcome a Celtic side recovering from their own sticky patch.
It was also a win achieved while dropping winger Ryan Kent to the bench and that, along with Morelos’ goal on being restored to the starting line-up, leaves Gerrard with some big decisions to make on Saturday.
More to follow.
Line-ups
St Mirren
- 1Alnwick
- 22Fraser
- 5McCarthy
- 4ShaughnessyBooked at 71mins
- 2Tait
- 21ConnollySubstituted forMcAllisterat 82′minutes
- 7Doyle-Hayes
- 17McGrathSubstituted forDennisat 77′minutes
- 25ErhahonSubstituted forMacPhersonat 85′minutes
- 3MasonSubstituted forDurmusat 77′minutes
- 9ObikaBooked at 53mins
Substitutes
- 8Flynn
- 10McAllister
- 11Durmus
- 14MacPherson
- 16Foley
- 19Morias
- 20Dennis
- 23Erwin
- 26Lyness
Rangers
- 1McGregor
- 2TavernierBooked at 29minsSubstituted forBalogunat 89′minutes
- 6Goldson
- 5Helander
- 31Barisic
- 17Aribo
- 10Davis
- 18Kamara
- 7HagiSubstituted forZunguat 80′minutes
- 20Morelos
- 25RoofeSubstituted forKentat 74′minutes
Substitutes
- 3Bassey
- 9Defoe
- 11Itten
- 14Kent
- 15Zungu
- 16Patterson
- 21Barker
- 26Balogun
- 33McLaughlin
Live Text
Match ends, St. Mirren 0, Rangers 2.
Second Half ends, St. Mirren 0, Rangers 2.
Allan McGregor (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Kristian Dennis (St. Mirren).
Corner, St. Mirren. Conceded by Leon Balogun.
Attempt blocked. Kristian Dennis (St. Mirren) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Attempt blocked. Kristian Dennis (St. Mirren) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Corner, St. Mirren. Conceded by Bongani Zungu.
Substitution, Rangers. Leon Balogun replaces James Tavernier.
Attempt missed. Cameron MacPherson (St. Mirren) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Jonathan Obika.
Attempt blocked. Bongani Zungu (Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Alfredo Morelos.
Substitution, St. Mirren. Cameron MacPherson replaces Ethan Erhahon.
Alfredo Morelos (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jake Doyle-Hayes (St. Mirren).
Offside, Rangers. Steven Davis tries a through ball, but James Tavernier is caught offside.
Hand ball by Kyle McAllister (St. Mirren).
Substitution, St. Mirren. Kyle McAllister replaces Dylan Connolly.
Corner, St. Mirren. Conceded by Borna Barisic.
Substitution, Rangers. Bongani Zungu replaces Ianis Hagi.
Substitution, St. Mirren. Ilkay Durmus replaces Brandon Mason.
How to play
Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.
Rating range key = Give it up = Pure perfection
St Mirren
Squad number1Player nameAlnwick
Squad number22Player nameFraser
Squad number5Player nameMcCarthy
Squad number4Player nameShaughnessy
Squad number2Player nameTait
Squad number21Player nameConnolly
Squad number7Player nameDoyle-Hayes
Squad number17Player nameMcGrath
Squad number25Player nameErhahon
Squad number3Player nameMason
Squad number9Player nameObika
Squad number10Player nameMcAllister
Squad number11Player nameDurmus
Squad number14Player nameMacPherson
Squad number20Player nameDennis
Rangers
Squad number1Player nameMcGregor
Squad number2Player nameTavernier
Squad number6Player nameGoldson
Squad number5Player nameHelander
Squad number31Player nameBarisic
Squad number17Player nameAribo
Squad number10Player nameDavis
Squad number18Player nameKamara
Squad number7Player nameHagi
Squad number20Player nameMorelos
Squad number25Player nameRoofe
Squad number14Player nameKent
Squad number15Player nameZungu
Squad number26Player nameBalogun
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