Match ends, Rangers 6, Raith Rovers 1.
Rangers 6-1 Raith Rovers
By Alasdair Lamont
BBC Scotland at Ibrox
- From the section Football
Rangers ensured Hearts' lead at the top of the Championship remained in single figures with a largely comfortable victory over Raith Rovers.
It was one of the Ibrox side's more fluent performances of the season.
A Lee McCulloch header and Nicky Law shot on the turn got the ball rolling.
Martin Scott pulled a goal back at the start of the second half but Kenny Miller drilled in Rangers' third, Kris Boyd curled in a fourth and Jon Daly rounded things off.
Manager Ally McCoist had described the 4-0 win against the same opponents at Stark's Park earlier this season as Rangers' best of the season, but the return fixture at Ibrox might also now be a contender.
Against a backdrop of continuing off-field headlines over who may or may not be buying into the financially-stricken outfit, the Rangers players managed to concentrate on the job in hand.
Central to most of what was good about their play was the figure of Lewis MacLeod, who continues to stand out as a beacon of hope.
It was he who curled in the corner for McCulloch's flashing close-range header, which opened the scoring for the home side.
He continued to dictate the tempo for Ally McCoist's side, seemingly dragging his team-mates' performances up as he did so.
It was a spot of quick-thinking from Boyd that brought about Rangers' second. The striker was fouled and took the free-kick immediately, finding Miller, who in turn picked out the run of Law.
The Englishman pirouetted and fired the ball past Ross Laidlaw to give Rangers a cushion as they went into the break.
But just as Rangers were looking comfortable, Raith Rovers threatened a comeback as Grant Anderson nodded across goal and Scott's header was too powerful for Steve Simonsen to keep out.
That just riled Rangers though and Miller went straight up the other end to drive in from close range and restore the two-goal lead.
Then Boyd ended his wait for a league goal this season, with some considerable help from the goalkeeper, who somehow let his curled shot through his grasp and into the net.
The strength of Rangers' squad was underlined as they brought on Daly, Nicky Clark and David Templeton as substitutes and Daly added two to the goal tally, twice getting on the end of Richard Foster crosses to cap a very impressive display.
Line-ups
Rangers
- 31Simonsen
- 23FosterBooked at 81mins
- 24McGregor
- 6McCulloch
- 5Wallace
- 4Aird
- 8Black
- 7Law
- 10MacleodSubstituted forTempletonat 74'minutes
- 18MillerSubstituted forClarkat 71'minutes
- 15BoydSubstituted forDalyat 71'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Smith
- 9Daly
- 11Templeton
- 14Clark
- 16Faure
- 22Shiels
- 25Robinson
Raith Rovers
- 17Laidlaw
- 2Thomson
- 4Watson
- 24EllisSubstituted forPerryat 88'minutes
- 23McKeown
- 14ConroySubstituted forVaughanat 82'minutes
- 6FoxSubstituted forCallachanat 75'minutes
- 8MoonBooked at 32mins
- 7Anderson
- 11Scott
- 9Stewart
Substitutes
- 3Perry
- 5Hill
- 12Callachan
- 16Vaughan
- 20McGurn
- 30Robertson
- 31Matthews
- Referee:
- Don Robertson
- Attendance:
- 33,956
Match Stats
Home TeamRangersAway TeamRaith Rovers
- Possession
- Home59%
- Away41%
- Shots
- Home26
- Away15
- Shots on Target
- Home15
- Away5
- Corners
- Home6
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home13
- Away6
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Rangers 6, Raith Rovers 1.
Goal!
Goal! Rangers 6, Raith Rovers 1. Jon Daly (Rangers) left footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Richard Foster.
Attempt saved. Lewis Vaughan (Raith Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Attempt missed. Ian Black (Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
Substitution
Substitution, Raith Rovers. Ross Perry replaces Laurie Ellis because of an injury.
Nicky Clark (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Rory McKeown (Raith Rovers).
Goal!
Goal! Rangers 5, Raith Rovers 1. Jon Daly (Rangers) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Richard Foster.
Substitution
Substitution, Raith Rovers. Lewis Vaughan replaces Ryan Conroy.
Attempt missed. Ryan Conroy (Raith Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right from a direct free kick.
Booking
Richard Foster (Rangers) is shown the yellow card.
Foul by Richard Foster (Rangers).
Grant Anderson (Raith Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt missed. Lee McCulloch (Rangers) header from the centre of the box misses to the right.
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Jason Thomson.
Attempt saved. David Templeton (Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Foul by Ian Black (Rangers).
Martin Scott (Raith Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. Nicky Clark (Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Substitution
Substitution, Raith Rovers. Ross Callachan replaces Liam Fox.
Substitution
Substitution, Rangers. David Templeton replaces Lewis Macleod.
Attempt missed. Fraser Aird (Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
Attempt saved. Fraser Aird (Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Substitution
Substitution, Rangers. Nicky Clark replaces Kenny Miller.
Substitution
Substitution, Rangers. Jon Daly replaces Kris Boyd.
Attempt missed. Ryan Conroy (Raith Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick.
Foul by Lee McCulloch (Rangers).
Mark Stewart (Raith Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt saved. Kris Boyd (Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Paul Watson.
Attempt blocked. Kris Boyd (Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Goal!
Goal! Rangers 4, Raith Rovers 1. Kris Boyd (Rangers) left footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner.
Attempt blocked. Ryan Conroy (Raith Rovers) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt saved. Kenny Miller (Rangers) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Foul by Ian Black (Rangers).
Martin Scott (Raith Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt missed. Lewis Macleod (Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
Attempt saved. Kenny Miller (Rangers) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Goal!
Goal! Rangers 3, Raith Rovers 1. Kenny Miller (Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Kris Boyd.