FOOTBALL Live

Monday May 19, 2008 Finished

0 - Glasgow Rangers 3

St Mirren

Rangers

  • Boyd 3’
  • Darcheville 23’, 69’
  1. Gers set up tense finale

    Gers set up tense finale

    Rangers set up a tense finale to the SPL season with a 3-0 win at St Mirren to join Celtic on 86 points with just one game remaining. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • St Mirren
    • Rangers
    • 90 FULL-TIME: Rangers pressed hard for more goals, but it wasn't to be...still, a 3-0 win means there is at least a little pressure on Celtic on the final day, the Old Firm rivals holding a four-goal advantage with one match remaining...
    • 89 Hamilton is booked for his reaction to a Broadfoot challenge...
    • 88 Beasley stands over the free-kick, on the right-corner of the box...he whips it in...cleared...doesn't beat the first man...
    • 87 Rangers react furiously when Ferguson goes down in a clash in the air with Stephen O'Donnell...yellow card
    • 86 More pressure from Rangers as Whittaker curls a cross towards Broadfoot at the back post...Will Haining heads away...Rangers still pressing for a fourth...
    • 84 OVER! Mehmet holds off Weir on the edge of the box before spinning...and firing a shot high over the bar...sigh of relief for Rangers...
    • 82 PENALTY? NO! Boyd rises to meet a corner...he heads goalwards, the ball is blocked on the line...did it hit Gary Mason's arm? No, says the ref!
    • 82 Rangers look for goal number four with another corner...
    • 81 Cousin comes on to replace Darcheville, the Frenchman having run himself ragged this evening...
    • 78 GOOD INTERCEPTION! Beasley is straight into the action, sliding a low cross into the path of Boyd, only for David Barron to slide in and intercept.
    • 77 Beasley comes on to replace Novo...can the USA international add some more spark out wide in the final stages?
    • 76 OVER! ANOTHER CHANCE GOES BEGGING! Boyd flicks on, Ferguson breaks into the box...he lifts the bouncing ball over the keeper...but also a couple of yards over the bar!
    • 75 Rangers win a corner when Darcheville almost sets Ferguson away, Franco Miranda just nicking the ball off the Rangers skipper as he got to the edge of the box...
    • 72 Weir heads on a free kick into the box...Boyd tries to hold off his marker before hitting, but the ball bounces away from him and into the hands of Howard...
    • 71 JUST OVER! Darcheville cuts inside onto his left foot on the edge of the box...he drives in a left-foot shot, just over the bar. He's looking for a hat-trick.
    • 70 Celtic are only FOUR GOALS better off now, with just one game remaining...can Rangers snatch another to put a bit of pressure on the leaders in the final game?
    • 69 GOAL! DARCHEVILLE! Brilliant play from Ferguson as he breaks through the middle before feeding Darcheville...who slides a low shot under Howards!
    • 67 JUST WIDE! St Mirren pump a free-kick into the box...Mehmet pulls off the defence towards the penalty spot, but his header bounces a foot wide of the post. Great effort!
    • 65 ON TARGET! Thomson curls a free-kick into the box...Weir gets above the rest, but plants his header at Howard.
    • 64 Thomson pumps a couple of long balls into the box...headed clear by St Mirren, who have defended the high ball quite well this evening...
    • 63 There look to be a few tired legs out there for Rangers...perhaps a sub would freshen things up?
    • 62 Boyd flicks Broadfoot's long ball on towards Novo, breaking forward...David Barron does well to put the ball out for a throw, on the stretch...
    • 60 James Hamilton has come on for McGinn for St Mirren, a change in the middle of the park for the home side...
    • 59 Dorman is booked for tugging back Dorman as Ferguson looked to break away from him over the halfway line...fifth booking of the evening...
    • 58 SAVED! Darcheville's snap-shot is pushed just around the post by Howard after some poor defending from the home side...Rangers look like they are getting closer to a third...
    • 57 Ferguson hurls another long throw into the box...direct stuff from Rangers...half-cleared at the second attempt...
    • 55 JUST WIDE! Darcheville holds the ball up in the box before laying it back to Novo...but his first-time strike is sliced a few yards wide! Good chance.
    • 52 Ferguson hurls a long throw to the near post...Howard drops it under pressure...Haining nods the ball back to him.
    • 52 CLOSE! Novo collects a cross at the back post...he controls it before attempting to curl one into the top corner...headed out for a corner by John Potter.
    • 51 Rangers have thrown a lot of high, long balls forward from the back this evening...not much cultured build-up...
    • 49 St Mirren are committing more men forward in this second half, certainly...the next goal will be interesting, for sure...
    • 48 Broadfoot leads a Rangers break...he is fouled by Mirander as he crosses the half-way line...the Rangers man isn't very happy...
    • 47 Broadfoot gives away an early foul on Dorman...chance to swing a dangerous cross into the box...Franco Miranda clips it in...it eludes everyone, clipped back in...collected by Alexander...
    • 46 The second half is underway...
    • 45 HALF-TIME: Rangers have a two-goal lead...they have looked fairly comfortable...and will be hoping to press for further goals in the second half as they try to eat into Celtic's goal difference...
    • 44 PENALTY? NO! A cross comes to the far post...Stephen O'Donnell goes down under a challenge from Broadfoot as they contest the header...no penalty, says the referee...close shave for Rangers!
    • 43 SO CLOSE! OFF THE POST! Davis gets to the by-line, hangs over..Boyd heads the ball up in the air...Darcheville holds off his man before attempting a close-range overhead kick...that just flicks off the far post and goes wide!
    • 42 St Mirren win a corner when a long ball up field flicks off the head of Weir and runs behind...Stephen O'Donnell hangs it high to the back post...again, cleared by Rangers.
    • 41 Ferguson hurls a long throw into the St Mirren box...towards Broadfoot...headed clear...
    • 40 St Mirren have had some decent spells on the ball, but some of their passing has been really poor...they haven't managed to get a shot in of any real note as yet.
    • 37 St Mirren win their first corner of the night...Stephen O'Donnell curls it long to the back post towards Will Haining...cleared, and Rangers break...
    • 36 Novo is back on after some magic-sponge treatment on his leg...
    • 35 Novo is down after taking a kick on the knee...on comes the Rangers physio...
    • 34 Rangers win a corner, but Davis' delivery is poor and the ball is cleared at the near post...
    • 33 Rangers will be desperate to get the ball down and play a bit of football...the game has become very scrappy...
    • 32 Replays show Whittaker might have been lucky to get away with a raised hand on Mehmet in that little tussle.
    • 30 The referee sorts it out with yellows for Murray, Thomson, Mehmet and Whittaker...
    • 29 WOAH! WOAH! WOAH! Bit of argy-bargy on the near touchline between Thomson and Murray after the Rangers man had blasted the ball against the St Mirren man when he was down on the ground...
    • 28 The St Mirren fans aren't happy with a couple of non-decisions for fouls in midfield for their side...
    • 27 Davis flicks a first-time pass into the path of Darcheville, marauding through the middle...but the big Frenchman just can't control the ball on the run.
    • 25 Rangers need goals tonight...can they significantly cut into Celtic's seven-goal advantage? Two goals in the opening quarter is a good start...
    • 23 GOAL! DARCHEVILLE SLAMS ONE HOME! Gary Mason loses the ball on the edge of his own box...Darcheville controls it, before drilling one low into the bottom corner from 20 yards!
    • 21 It's been a scrappy little start to the match...Rangers are playing three up front, but have been unable to really get the ball into them
    • 18 Referee Thomson is forced into a quick chat with Hugh Murray after a tetchy little spell...no card, but a stern word
    • 16 David Barron curls in a cross from the right...Andy Dorman gets up above Broadfoot at the back post, but can't control his header. St Mirren are playing well at the moment...
    • 15 BOYD...CLOSE! Darcheville hooks a first-time cross into the box...Boyd has made a run, but his header just bounces a couple of yards wide...Boyd looks hungry tonight.
    • 14 Stephen O'Donnell whips in a fine first-time cross from the right...Dailly is pushed by Billy Mehmet as he tries to clear...dangerous cross that one.
    • 12 Alexander does well to control a difficult bouncing back-pass on his thigh before clearing under pressure...good composure from the keeper.
    • 10 St Mirren have had a decent spell on the ball since Rangers' early goal...they don't look as though they're going to take this easy...
    • 8 GOOD EFFORT! A free-kick is whipped to the back of the Rangers box...Will Haining gets on the end of it after losing his marker, but can only plant his header straight at the keeper.
    • 7 Novo chases down a back-pass...he almost gets to it before the keeper clears...good pressure from the striker...
    • 5 That early goal was just what Rangers needed...it should settle them down and allow them to play with a bit more freedom...
    • 4 GOAL! BOYD! Davis corner is cleared back to him...he clips the ball to the back post...Broadfoot knocks it first-time across the face of goal and Boyd puts it in from close-range!
    • 2 Rangers have a side built for goals this evening, with Boyd, Novo and Darcheville in it...they are currently seven goals behind Celtic...and will be looking to cut that gap tonight...
    • 1 OFF WE GO!
    • - Rangers need a hatfull of goals in order to put a little pressure on Celtic going into the final day of the season...
    • - Hi there; welcome to our coverage of Rangers' crucial penultimate SPL clash...

  • Summary

    • 82 PENALTY? NO! Boyd rises to meet a corner...he heads goalwards, the ball is blocked on the line...did it hit Gary Mason's arm? No, says the ref!
    • 76 OVER! ANOTHER CHANCE GOES BEGGING! Boyd flicks on, Ferguson breaks into the box...he lifts the bouncing ball over the keeper...but also a couple of yards over the bar!
    • 69 GOAL! DARCHEVILLE! Brilliant play from Ferguson as he breaks through the middle before feeding Darcheville...who slides a low shot under Howards!
    • 67 JUST WIDE! St Mirren pump a free-kick into the box...Mehmet pulls off the defence towards the penalty spot, but his header bounces a foot wide of the post. Great effort!
    • 55 JUST WIDE! Darcheville holds the ball up in the box before laying it back to Novo...but his first-time strike is sliced a few yards wide! Good chance.
    • 52 CLOSE! Novo collects a cross at the back post...he controls it before attempting to curl one into the top corner...headed out for a corner by John Potter.
    • 44 PENALTY? NO! A cross comes to the far post...Stephen O'Donnell goes down under a challenge from Broadfoot as they contest the header...no penalty, says the referee...close shave for Rangers!
    • 43 SO CLOSE! OFF THE POST! Davis gets to the by-line, hangs over..Boyd heads the ball up in the air...Darcheville holds off his man before attempting a close-range overhead kick...that just flicks off the far post and goes wide!
    • 23 GOAL! DARCHEVILLE SLAMS ONE HOME! Gary Mason loses the ball on the edge of his own box...Darcheville controls it, before drilling one low into the bottom corner from 20 yards!
    • 15 BOYD...CLOSE! Darcheville hooks a first-time cross into the box...Boyd has made a run, but his header just bounces a couple of yards wide...Boyd looks hungry tonight.
    • 8 GOOD EFFORT! A free-kick is whipped to the back of the Rangers box...Will Haining gets on the end of it after losing his marker, but can only plant his header straight at the keeper.
    • 4 GOAL! BOYD! Davis corner is cleared back to him...he clips the ball to the back post...Broadfoot knocks it first-time across the face of goal and Boyd puts it in from close-range!

Live Team Line-Up

  • Referee: Craig Thomson

  • St Mirren

    Manager: Gus MacPherson

    Captain: John Potter

    On the Field

    • Howard
    • Barron
    • Haining
    • Potter
    • Miranda
    • Dorman Yellow Card
    • Mason
    • Murray Yellow Card
    • O'Donnell Yellow Card
    • Mehmet Yellow Card
    • McGinn

    Subs

    • Smith
    • Dargo
    • McCay
    • Docherty
    • Hamilton

    Injured

    • Van Zanten

    Suspended

    None

  • Rangers

    Manager: Walter Smith

    Captain: Barry Ferguson

    On the Field

    • Alexander
    • Broadfoot
    • Dailly
    • Weir Yellow Card
    • Whittaker Yellow Card
    • Boyd Goal
    • Davis
    • Ferguson
    • Thomson Yellow Card
    • Darcheville Goals×2 Substitution Out (80′)
    • Novo Substitution Out (76′)

    Subs

    • Cousin Substitution In80′
    • Faye
    • Beasley Substitution In77′
    • McMillan
    • Furman
    • Fleck
    • Smith

    Injured

    • Papac
    • Burke
    • McGregor
    • Naismith

    Suspended

    • Cuéllar