Ross County 0-1 Rangers: Ryan Kent scores late winner
Ryan Kent’s deflected late winner got Rangers back to winning ways despite a nervy and error-strewn Scottish Premiership display at Ross County.
In a stale show from the visitors, they had goalkeeper Allan McGregor to thank for keeping them level.
But hosts County could not find a clinical edge to make promising second-half chances count and were punished when Kent found the net late on.
The win moves Rangers back to within 13 points of Premiership leaders Celtic.
And, after three domestic games without a win, it offers some much-needed confidence for Steven Gerrard’s side before Thursday’s Europa League last-16 visit of Bayer Leverkusen.
County remain six points clear of bottom-of-the-table Hearts, with their next three games all against the three sides below them in the division as they look to maintain their Premiership status.
- Reaction & how it happened
- How did the players rate?
Kent lifts Rangers’ mood
On Rangers’ last trip to Dingwall in October, braces from Ryan Jack and Alfredo Morelos helped them to a thumping 4-0 win as they kept up the pace with Celtic.
Back then things seemed simple. It was their ninth win in 11 games and days later they thumped Hearts to reach the League Cup final. They were a team motoring, on song and battling for every trophy going.
This time they arrived without a win in three, defeat in their last two without a goal scored, languishing 16 points behind Celtic and with silverware looking unlikely. Shorn of Jermain Defoe, James Tavernier and Ryan Jack through injury, manager Gerrard did not have his troubles to seek.
And they were travelling into the unknown, because no-one knows what County team will turn up each week; victory over Livingston followed by defeat by Hibs, a morale-boosting win at Pittodrie before a confidence-crushing hammering at Motherwell.
County have conceded more goals from set pieces than anyone else this season, and Rangers appeared determined to add a 19th goal to the list with a series of early corners, but everything was scrappy with little fluency from the visitors.
Alfredo Morelos had two sniffs of goal – a header wide before he was muscled out by Marcus Fraser. Steven Davis fired a shot down the throat of the goalkeeper. But it was poor fare in the Dingwall drizzle.
A low ball into the box hit the hand of grounded County defender Liam Fontaine but was not enough to convince referee Andrew Dallas to point to the penalty spot. The half-hearted protests were about as animated as it got in the first 45 minutes.
The second half had to be better, and it was, but for the home side. Don Cowie pick-pocketed a sleeping Joe Aribo and knocked the ball to Billy Mckay, whose shot rocketed off the legs of McGregor.
Josh Mullin then drove through the middle with four Rangers red shirts for company. He offered Ross Stewart a fine ball in space on the left, but the striker lashed it over the bar.
Mullin was growing in confidence. Another run through the middle, this time he took the shot on and McGregor had to tip over.
Rangers were offering little in return, half chances aside from Ianis Hagi and Florian Kamberi. They did, though, again test County’s mettle from corners, and Aribo and George Edmundson both threatened with headers.
But just as the crisis headlines were being composed, Kent received the ball on the right, stepped onto his left foot, and found the net with help from a deflection off Richard Foster to break the deadlock.
Kamberi and Jordan Jones both could have sealed the win had they got shots away inside the box, but Kent’s goal was enough to clinch the points.
Man of the match – Allan McGregor
In a game that for much of the 90 minutes had little action, Rangers’ Aribo and County’s Mullin were the ones trying to make things happen; carrying the ball through the middle with enterprising runs.
But as Rangers toiled it was McGregor’s fine saves to deny Mckay and Mullin that proved crucial to ensure Rangers did not suffer a third defeat in a row.
Line-ups
Ross County
Substitutes
Rangers
Substitutes
Match Stats
Live Text
Match ends, Ross County 0, Rangers 1.
Full Time
Second Half ends, Ross County 0, Rangers 1.
Attempt missed. Borna Barisic (Rangers) left footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick.
Booking
Callum Morris (Ross County) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Florian Kamberi (Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Callum Morris (Ross County).
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Liam Fontaine.
Booking
Blair Spittal (Ross County) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Jordan Jones (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Blair Spittal (Ross County).
Corner, Ross County. Conceded by Borna Barisic.
Substitution
Substitution, Rangers. Nikola Katic replaces Alfredo Morelos.
Substitution
Substitution, Ross County. Lee Erwin replaces Jordan Tillson.
Joe Aribo (Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Jordan Tillson (Ross County).
Substitution
Substitution, Ross County. Lewis Spence replaces Iain Vigurs.
Substitution
Substitution, Ross County. Blair Spittal replaces Don Cowie.
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Liam Fontaine.
Foul by Alfredo Morelos (Rangers).
Richard Foster (Ross County) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Goal!
Goal! Ross County 0, Rangers 1. Ryan Kent (Rangers) left footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Florian Kamberi.
Substitution
Substitution, Rangers. Jordan Jones replaces Glen Kamara.
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Liam Fontaine.
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Richard Foster.
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Don Cowie.
Attempt blocked. Joe Aribo (Rangers) header from very close range is blocked.
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Liam Fontaine.
Attempt blocked. Florian Kamberi (Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Florian Kamberi (Rangers) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Callum Morris (Ross County).
Corner, Ross County. Conceded by Borna Barisic.
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Ross Laidlaw.
Substitution
Substitution, Rangers. Florian Kamberi replaces Ianis Hagi.
Corner, Ross County. Conceded by Allan McGregor.
Attempt saved. Josh Mullin (Ross County) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top right corner.
Attempt missed. Ross Stewart (Ross County) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Foul by Glen Kamara (Rangers).
Jordan Tillson (Ross County) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Booking
Ross Stewart (Ross County) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Ianis Hagi (Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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