Match report as Rangers beat St Mirren 5-2; Todd Cantwell opened the scoring after James Tavernier's penalty was saved; Mark O'Hara volleyed in an equaliser with Fashion Sakala restoring Rangers' lead; O'Hara equalised again before Alfredo Morelos and Scott Arfield wrapped up the victory
Saturday 15 April 2023 20:33, UK
A flurry of late goals saw Rangers overcome stubborn St Mirren to take the Buddies' bid for a top-six Scottish Premiership place into the final week before the split.
Trevor Carson denied James Tavernier from the penalty spot before Todd Cantwell's shot beat the goalkeeper.
Mark O'Hara's volley brought St Mirren level and he scored again after Fashion Sakala had headed home Rangers' second.
Alfredo Morelos scored twice inside a minute and Scott Arfield tapped in as Michael Beale's side eventually broke St Mirren's resistance in the final 10 minutes at Ibrox.
St Mirren are fifth, a point behind Hearts, a point above Hibernian and two clear of Livingston with one round of pre-split fixtures to go.
Rangers cut Celtic's lead at the top to nine points, at least until the take on Kilmarnock on Sunday, live on Sky Sports.
There were less than four minutes gone when referee Steven McLean pointed to the spot after a challenge by Alex Gogic sent Nicolas Raskin sprawling inside the box.
Tavernier sent his penalty to Carson's right but the goalkeeper chose correctly to parry the ball away and the visitors cleared to safety.
The let-off buoyed the Paisley side and although they bossed possession, Rangers could not get a clear sight of the St Mirren goal until the 26th minute when Carson made a save from Sakala's angled-drive.
Seconds later, a fine move involving Lundstram, Malik Tillman and Morelos ended with the over-lapping Tavernier squaring the ball for Cantwell to flick the ball into the net off the crossbar from two yards out.
Kiltie tested Allan McGregor with low drive from distance in the 33rd minute after some hesitancy in the Gers rearguard, but that was the extent of the Buddies' response until just before the break when O'Hara equalised.
Rangers had dropped their guard when the Paisley midfielder chested Kiltie's deflected delivery into the air before volleying in off the far post.
It was an unexpected blow for the Govan men, but just three minutes after the restart Sakala stooped to head in a Borna Barisic free-kick from the right-hand side.
The Ibrox side tightened their grip as Carson punched away a Tavernier free-kick then parried a Raskin drive, before Sakala fired an effort from 25 yards wide of the target.
In the 62nd minute, Sakala was replaced by Rabbi Matondo, before O'Hara levelled for the second time, rifling in from the edge of the box after the home side failed to properly clear a corner.
In the 76th minute, Beale brought on Glen Kamara, Arfield and Ianis Hagi for Ben Davies, Tillman and Raskin, but it was Morelos who struck from six yards, after he controlled Cantwell's header from a Tavernier cross.
The Colombia striker had the ball in the net a minute later from a Matondo cut-back only to see the offside flag up, but VAR overturned the decision and Morelos celebrated again.
Cantwell then set up Arfield to knock the ball past Carson for number five, putting a sheen on a scoreline that looked unlikely for large parts of the game.
Rangers manager Michael Beale spoke to Sky Sports at full time:
"I thought we were going through the motions a little bit and that's not what I want to associate with the team.
"Although it was a good strike [from O'Hara], I thought we saw it coming because defensively I don't think our press and energy was good, we were just playing in possession.
"We had a good sort-out at half time and I thought second half we were much better and we scored good team goals.
"Ultimately we end the game with a convincing win, that's what it probably looks like on the eye, but for a long time the result was in the balance.
St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson told Sky Sports he was taking the positives:
"We were 2-2 with 15 minutes to go, so of course there's frustration. In reality, I don't think we played as well as we can.
"I don't think there were enough eight out of 10s in the team, yet we were 2-2 at Ibrox, so maybe that shows how far we've come and what we're trying to achieve.
"There is a huge gulf in resources, and we competed, but to win games here you've got to be right at the top of your game and we weren't, unfortunately.
"We made a couple of mistakes, the disappointment is they were two crosses and a set play. We're very, very good at defending but we didn't do that."
"If I was told at the start of the season we would need a point against Kilmarnock at home to be a top-six side, then I would have snapped their hand off."
Rangers' next Scottish Premiership match is away to Aberdeen on April 23, live on Sky Sports. Kick-off 4.30pm.
St Mirren are at home to Kilmarnock on April 22. That game kicks off at 3pm.
