No Sunday Stroll At Ibrox

(Photos from SNS & used with permission)

Rangers 6 - 1 Kilmarnock
(SPL Match - Ibrox Stadium, Sunday 27th October 2002, 3.00pm Kick Off)

Jim Jefferies had admitted ahead of this game that the chances of claiming any more points from the huns were slim. While our side has been decimated hit by injuries, McLeish's side has gone from strength to strength since the first match of the season.

Killie started the game well enough, even coming close to opening the scoring when goalkeeper Stefan Klos blocked Baggio's corner and wee Jose sent the ball just inches over the crossbar. But it quickly became evident that damage limitation would be Jefferies' aim for the game.

McLeish had decided to hand Mols a starting place ahead of Claudio Caniggia, to fill the gap left by the injured Shota Arveladze, and the decision paid off early in the game. The Dutchman grabbed his first goal of the season after just five minutes when he met Fernando Ricksen's throw-in before turning defender Freddie Dindeleux, just returned from injury and clearly showing it, and slotting the opener past big Marsh.

Ten minutes later Mols was celebrating again when he doubled his own tally for the day. This time Ronald de Boer squared the ball from the right flank and the striker was on hand to side-foot past Marshall. It was then de Boer's turn to add his name to the scoresheet when he showed a nice piece of skill to take the ball past Barry McLaughlin before firing home from just outside the six-yard box after 26 minutes.

By now Killie were facing an onslaught. Then Ricksen played the ball to Mols in the area after 34 minutes and he teed up the shot for Barry Ferguson which the Ibrox skipper gratefully bulleted past the Kilmarnock goalkeeper. Then to make matters worse, influential defender Barry McLaughlin injured his shoulder and was replaced by Chris Innes which upset an already shaky defence. But against the run of play Killie managed to stage a fight back before the half-time whistle and pulled a goal back when Fulton met Gary Locke's free-kick to nod past Klos a minute before the interval.

Rangers had seemed content just to pass the ball about during the opening stages of the second half but they stunned Killie by netting their fifth goal. Ricksen swung a corner kick into the box and defender Moore managed to send his header past Marshall into the back of the net after 67 minutes.

The game took another turn for the worse for Kilmarnock two minutes later when the referee ruled Chris Innes had elbowed Ricksen in the box, unsurprisingly enough he was the only person in the stadium to see it. Ferguson stepped up for the spot-kick and sent Marshall the wrong way from 12 yards.

With just 10 minutes remaining, Rangers were still pushing forward. Hughes played the ball out to the left wing to Lovenkrands and he tried to set up Billy Dodds just a few yards out but his cross was intercepted by Marshall. That proved to be the last real chance of the game but, by then, all Kilmarnock could do was try to limit the damage and they were relieved when Willie Young eventually blew the final whistle.

Kilmarnock: Marshall, Canero, Dindeleux, McLaughlin (Innes 43), Shields, Fulton, Locke, Sanjuan, Boutal (Fowler 45), Boyd, Quitongo (McSwegan 68)
Subs not used: Meldrum, Hay
Yellow Cards: Shields (55), Innes (70)

Rangers: Klos, Moore, Numan, Ricksen, Ross, de Boer (Caniggia 45), Ferguson (Konterman 74), Hughes, Malcolm, Lovenkrands, Mols (Dodds 62)
Subs not used: McGregor, Muscat

Referee: Wullie Young
Attendance: 48,368