Rangers go top with Old Firm win over Celtic

Rangers put themselves in the driving seat to clinch the Scottish Premier League championship after a 1-0 win over Celtic at Ibrox moved them two points clear of their Old Firm rivals.

Steven Davis finished well from a Kenny Miller cross to score his first Old Firm goal eight minutes before the break.

Rangers had found themselves seven points behind the Hoops after their 1-0 defeat at Ibrox in December but with just three games remaining Walter Smith’s side must surely now be favourites to win their first league title in three years.

The game, played in torrential rain conditions, was never destined to be full of free-flowing football but it certainly contained more entertainment than the previous three Old Firm encounters.

Gordon Strachan sprung a few surprises before the match, making three changes to the team that defeated Aberdeen last weekend. Shaun Maloney, Glenn Loovens and Darren O’Dea came in and Irish international Aiden McGeady dropped to the bench.

Rangers striker Andrius Velicka, who had scored in the past four games, made way for the returning Miller while Madjid Bougherra replaced Lee McCulloch in the centre of defence.

The match got off to an explosive start with Paul Hartley taking just 80 seconds to pick up a yellow card for a sliding tackle from behind on Miller.

Rangers had the early momentum and Davis fired a shot in from the right wing which trundled wide before Miller tried his luck with an ambitious scissors kick from the edge of box that went past Artur’s post.

Japanese international Shunsuke Nakarmura forced the first save of the match in the 16th minute with Neil Alexander scrambling to tip his curling free-kick from the right over the bar.

Rangers nearly took the lead in the 20th minute when Steven Whittaker whipped in a great cross from the left which evaded everyone in the box and crashed off the far post with Boruc beaten.

Scott McDonald was screaming for a penalty in the 32nd minute when the Australian went down in the box under pressure from Whittaker, but referee Craig Thomson waved away his protests.

Davis volleyed Rangers ahead in the 37th minute. Miller chased a Boyd pass down the left-wing before firing a low cross to the back post where he was on hand to volley home past Boruc.

The Northern Ireland midfielder was then involved in a goalmouth scramble at the other end when he cleared a Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink header from the line with Alexander beaten a minute before the break.

A mistake on the half-way line just after the break allowed Steven Smith to play a ball over the top to Miller who chipped over the advancing Boruc and into the net but the Scotland striker was flagged offside.

An Andreas Hinkel cross from the right found Vennegoor of Hesselink in the box but the Dutchman’s downward header was saved on the line by Alexander.

Boyd should have doubled Rangers advantage on the hour when he outmuscled Loovens on the edge of the box but he fired his shot straight at Boruc. Minutes later Boyd latched onto a Davis cross in the box but his sizzling drive was deflected past the post.

Celtic threw on McGeady and Greek striker Georgois Samaras and the Irish international came close when he shot into the side netting before Spaniard Marc Crosas fired well over in the 83rd minute.

Polish ‘keeper Boruc went up for a last-minute corner but Rangers cleared the danger to hold on for what could prove to be a crucial three points.