St Mirren 0-1 Rangers
By Alasdair Lamont
BBC Scotland at St Mirren Park
- From the section Scottish Championship
Rangers continued their perfect start to the Championship campaign with a hard-fought win at St Mirren.
Jason Holt struck from a tight angle to make it 11 league victories in a row for Mark Warburton's side.
Rangers had good chances to increase their lead before half-time but ended up requiring some heroics from goalkeeper Wes Foderingham.
The result restores Rangers' eight-point lead, with a visit to nearest challengers Hibernian next Sunday.
Much of this league campaign has been plain sailing for the Ibrox team but they immediately knew they were in a game at St Mirren Park, with the bustling Steven Thompson causing problems for the Rangers central defence.
Indeed, but for a smart save by Foderingham inside the opening minute to tip over Scott Agnew's 25-yard drive, the visitors would have been behind.
St Mirren could not find a goal, though, and paid the price when Holt lashed a shot past Jamie Langfield from a tight angle, with the goalkeeper found wanting.
That lifted the visitors, whose play immediately became sharper, with Barrie McKay a constant threat on the left wing and Andy Halliday dictating play in midfield.
They created several clear-cut opportunities, with Kenny Miller guilty of a number of bad misses, which should have had Rangers out of sight.
Miller also had a borderline offside decision go against him and Rangers might have been made to rue their failure to add to their tally, but for exceptional saves by Foderingham to keep out Stevie Mallan's free kick and another Agnew shot.
In fact the home side had the better of the second half without ever being able to find the goal that would have earned them a point.
Rangers were stifled in that second period yet held firm to retain their 100% record, while St Mirren's continuing inability to win at home keeps them seventh and only five points off the bottom.
What the managers said
Rangers' Mark Warburton: "We were not at our best today, but we still made a few chances in the first half.
"We talked at half time and in the second it was not much better in truth.
"That was the busiest Wes Foderingham has been this season and the goalkeeper did well.
"But to come come to this kind of venue against this kind of opposition and win is satisfying."
St Mirren's Ian Murray: "We showed a real hunger and appetite to get the ball back and we tried to deliver quality from wide areas.
"So, overall, we were disappointed not to get something from the game.
"In certain areas of the game, we were excellent. Our pressing was superb and the aggression was great as well
"performance-wise and work-ethic-wise, we take a lot from it."
Line-ups
St Mirren
- 12Langfield
- 20Watson
- 15Baird
- 4Webster
- 3Kelly
- 14Mallan
- 6GoodwinBooked at 4minsSubstituted forCarswellat 67'minutes
- 16Agnew
- 11HowiesonSubstituted forMcMullanat 56'minutes
- 9Thompson
- 22GallagherSubstituted forShanklandat 78'minutes
Substitutes
- 5Conlan
- 7McMullan
- 10Carswell
- 17Morgan
- 19Cuddihy
- 25Shankland
- 32Wilks
Rangers
- 25Foderingham
- 2Tavernier
- 4KiernanBooked at 68mins
- 6Ball
- 5WallaceBooked at 88mins
- 8ZelalemSubstituted forShielsat 61'minutes
- 16Halliday
- 23Holt
- 9MillerSubstituted forClarkat 61'minutes
- 33Waghorn
- 19McKaySubstituted forAirdat 81'minutes
Substitutes
- 14Clark
- 20Aird
- 22Shiels
- 32Kelly
- 42Hardie
- 45Thompson
- 48Walsh
- Referee:
- Steven McLean
- Attendance:
- 5,477
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home45%
- Away55%
- Shots
- Home14
- Away16
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away7
- Corners
- Home6
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home15
- Away19