The home side could have opened the scoring after just two minutes
when Alexei Eremenko released Sammon into the box and he found himself
with only Allan McGregor to beat but the goalkeeper raced off his line
and did well to block.
Killie still looked dangerous and a thunderous shot from Eremenko was
forced out of play by an alert McGregor. The breakthrough came after 21
minutes when Eremenko's chip found Liam Kelly at the back post and he
cut back for Sammon to bundle home from close range.
Kilmarnock pushed forward in search of a second goal and Mehdi Taouil
was allowed to surge unchallenged into the box only to see his poor
effort comfortably smothered by McGregor.
Rangers were back on level terms when referee Euan Norris pointed to
the penalty spot after 41 minutes for a Sissoko trip on Miller.
The striker brushed himself off to take the spot-kick himself and
confidently dispatched into the back of the net from 12 yards, after
seeing his penalty saved last week.
Despite the setback of losing a goal late in the first half,
Kilmarnock looked lively when they emerged for the restart and were
quickly causing more problems for their visitors.
Craig Bryson tried to set up Sammon inside the six-yard box but the
effort caught under the body of McGregor and Foster reacted first to
hook to safety off the line as the goalkeeper tried to recover.
But
the Rugby Park side were left reeling when they conceded a second
penalty after 54 minutes, this time for a Sissoko foul on Lafferty. The
Killie player picked up a second yellow card before Miller lashed high
into the net from the spot once again to hand Rangers the advantage.
The striker then spurned a great opportunity to claim his hat-trick
when his shot fizzed across the face of goal and wide with the gaping
net at his mercy.
The Ibrox side were left rueing that miss when Kilmarnock equalised
after 59 minutes. Jamie Hamill whipped a great ball from the right into
the box where Conner Sammon was waiting at the back post to rifle home and
claim a double.
But, in another twist, Rangers restored their lead just four minutes
later when Miller had the net bulging again, this time from open play
when he collected a Steven Whittaker cross in plenty of space and rifled
past goalkeeper Cammy Bell.
Rangers were under pressure when Killie won a free-kick 25 yards out
with five minutes remaining but were able to breathe a sigh of relief
when Hamill screwed just wide of target.
Miller then had the opportunity to put the game beyond their hosts
for Rangers when he bore down on goal only to see his point-blank effort
blocked by Bell.
In the end, the Scottish champions were able to hold on for the win,
and put some pressure on rivals Celtic, despite the best efforts of
Kilmarnock.
