St Johnstone 0-2 Rangers ~ Forefront in Preaching

By Clive Lindsay
BBC Scotland Sport Steven Naismith scores for Rangers Naismith (left) headed Rangers into the lead after 31 minutes

Rangers secured their first win of the season - and their first under manager Ally McCoist - by overcoming a toothless St Johnstone in Perth.

Callum and Murray Davidson both went close for the home side early on.

But Saints goalkeeper Peter Enckelman had already produced a couple of fine saves before Steven Naismith headed home after 31 minutes.

Naismith turned provider five minutes after the break, with Nikica Jelavic firing Rangers' second from 16 yards.

The victory eases the early-season pressure on McCoist, who suffered a midweek Champions League qualifying defeat at the hands of Malmo to follow an opening day draw with Hearts at Ibrox.

Saints manager Derek McInnes culled his shot-shy strikers at the end last season but has also now gone two games this term without a goal.

Jelavic scored Rangers' second goal with a clinical finish at McDiarmid Park

He had signalled his attacking intent by including Marcus Haber and Kevin Moon in the starting line-up in place of Chris Miller and Liam Craig.

But it was Rangers who applied the pressure immediately from kick-off and a cross-cum-shot from Steven Whittaker forced Enckelman to turn the ball over the crossbar.

From the corner, Dorin Goian, the former Palermo defender making his debut in place of the injured David Weir, threatened with a header.

Saints replied within seconds, with Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor pushing a low, 22-yard drive from Callum Davidson round the post.

The defender's namesake, Murray, ought to have at least forced a save after 11 minutes, but the Rangers target dragged his low drive from just inside the box wide of the far post.

Enckelman denied Rangers again after 18 minutes, palming wide a Jelavic header after the striker rose 12 yards from goal to meet a curling Sasa Papac cross.

Jelavic was inches from connecting with another curling ball, this time from Steven Davis, when the striker peeled off his marker at the back post.

Rangers were finding space inside the box and took the lead on the half hour mark when Naismith rose unmarked to power his header past Enckelman from 12 yards following a Lee Wallace free-kick.

Saints started the second half in positive fashion but suffered a sucker punch after David Robertson lost possession in midfield.

A cute through ball from Naismith set up Jelavic, who held off Callum Davidson before sliding the ball past Enckelman.

Saints sent some dangerous balls into the Rangers box without troubling McGregor but were fortunate not to go further behind when Enckelman's knees denied Naismith after Jelavic sent his strike partner clear.

Jody Morris fired a powerful low drive wide of Rangers' far post from 18 yards, but Saints never looked like staging a comeback against the reigning champions.

Saturday, 30 July 2011

Scottish Premier

Home Team	Score	Away Team	Time
St Johnstone	0-2	Rangers	FT
(HT 0-1)

ST JOHNSTONE

RANGERS

Possession

St Johnstone 51%
Rangers 49%

Attempts on target

St Johnstone 4
Rangers 10

Fouls

St Johnstone 9
Rangers 15

Final Result
Full Time
90:00+2:06 The referee blows his whistle to end the game.
90:00+1:19 Nikica Jelavic takes a shot. Save by Peter Enckelman.
89:20 Gregg Wylde takes a shot. Save made by Peter Enckelman.
88:08 Steven Naismith takes a shot. Peter Enckelman makes a save.
85:49 Palazon Juanma Ortiz is caught offside. Free kick taken by Jody Morris.
83:49 Steven Davis takes a shot. Blocked by Steven Anderson.
83:13 Palazon Juanma Ortiz concedes a free kick for a foul on David MacKay. Direct free kick taken by Peter Enckelman.
82:48 Palazon Juanma Ortiz takes a shot. Save made by Peter Enckelman.
82:04 Substitution Gregg Wylde joins the action as a substitute, replacing Maurice Edu.
81:25 Free kick awarded for a foul by Steven Naismith on Murray Davidson. Jody Morris takes the direct free kick.
80:50 Chris Millar delivers the ball, clearance made by Madjid Bougherra.
79:01 Effort from the edge of the area by Jody Morris goes wide of the left-hand post.
77:56 The ball is sent over by Madjid Bougherra.
76:58 The assistant referee signals for offside against Palazon Juanma Ortiz. Indirect free kick taken by Peter Enckelman.
74:27 Direct free kick taken by Peter Enckelman.
74:27 Substitution Palazon Juanma Ortiz replaces Lee McCulloch.
74:27 Corner crossed in by Steven Davis, Steven Anderson fouled by Nikica Jelavic, the ref awards a free kick.
74:21 The ball is swung over by Steven Whittaker, clearance by David MacKay.
73:34 Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Steven Davis, clearance by Marcus Haber.
73:26 The ball is delivered by Lee Wallace, Jody Morris makes a clearance.
72:53 Steven Naismith takes a shot. Save by Peter Enckelman.
72:01 Chris Millar fouled by Sasa Papac, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick crossed left-footed by Callum Davidson.
70:40 Steven Whittaker produces a cross.
68:39 Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Steven Davis from the right by-line, clearance by Murray Davidson.
68:28 Sasa Papac sends in a cross, Frazer Wright manages to make a clearance.
66:22 Frazer Wright gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Steven Naismith. Centre by Sasa Papac, Headed effort on goal by Maurice Edu from inside the penalty box misses to the right of the target.
65:57 Marcus Haber is penalised for a handball. Allan McGregor restarts play with the free kick.
64:27 Murray Davidson takes a shot. Madjid Bougherra gets a block in.
63:48 Steven Naismith gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Frazer Wright. Jody Morris restarts play with the free kick.
63:20 Marcus Haber produces a right-footed shot from inside the area that clears the crossbar.
59:34 Substitution Carl Finnigan comes on in place of Cillian Sheridan.
59:34 Substitution Chris Millar on for David Robertson.
57:39 A cross is delivered by Maurice Edu.
55:53 Booking Sasa Papac receives a caution for unsporting behaviour.
53:59 Lee McCulloch gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Murray Davidson. Peter Enckelman restarts play with the free kick.
53:35 The ball is sent over by Cillian Sheridan.
52:31 Unfair challenge on Murray Davidson by Nikica Jelavic results in a free kick. Callum Davidson crosses the ball in from the free kick, Madjid Bougherra makes a clearance.
51:42 Lee McCulloch gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Murray Davidson. Direct free kick taken by Jody Morris.
50:59 Free kick awarded for a foul by Kevin Moon on Maurice Edu. Direct free kick taken by Allan McGregor.
50:07 The ball is crossed by Marcus Haber.
49:08 Steven Naismith provided the assist for the goal.
49:08 GOAL - Nikica Jelavic:St Johnstone 0 - 2 Rangers Nikica Jelavic grabs a goal from inside the area to the bottom right corner of the goal. St Johnstone 0-2 Rangers.
48:18 David MacKay produces a cross, save made by Allan McGregor.
47:35 Handball by Steven Naismith. Steven Anderson takes the direct free kick.
45:18 Marcus Haber takes a shot. Madjid Bougherra gets a block in. Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Jody Morris from the right by-line. Long range effort by Steven Anderson goes wide right of the target.
45:01 The referee starts the second half.
Half Time
45:00+1:35 The ref blows to signal half-time.
45:00+1:04 Jody Morris produces a cross, clearance by Lee Wallace.
44:21 Cillian Sheridan fouled by Steven Whittaker, the ref awards a free kick. Callum Davidson crosses the ball in from the free kick, Dorin Goian makes a clearance. The referee blows for offside against Cillian Sheridan. Allan McGregor restarts play with the free kick.
43:48 Unfair challenge on Steven Davis by David Robertson results in a free kick. Lee McCulloch takes the direct free kick.
43:02 The ball is swung over by Steven Whittaker.
40:12 Frazer Wright sends in a cross, Steven Naismith gets a block in.
37:20 Short corner taken by Steven Davis.
36:31 The free kick is delivered right-footed by Steven Davis from left channel, Marcus Haber manages to make a clearance.
36:31 Booking Murray Davidson shown a yellow card.
36:14 Foul by Murray Davidson on Lee Wallace, free kick awarded.
34:16 Callum Davidson gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Steven Whittaker. Lee Wallace sends in a cross, Lee McCulloch produces a right-footed shot from inside the area that clears the crossbar.
33:12 A cross is delivered by Sasa Papac, clearance made by Steven Anderson.
32:14 Centre by Sasa Papac.
30:23 The assist for the goal came from Lee Wallace.
30:23 GOAL - Steven Naismith:St Johnstone 0 - 1 Rangers Steven Naismith grabs a headed goal from inside the area. St Johnstone 0-1 Rangers.
29:32 Murray Davidson concedes a free kick for a foul on Nikica Jelavic. Centre by Lee Wallace,
29:21 Free kick awarded for a foul by Cillian Sheridan on Dorin Goian. Madjid Bougherra takes the free kick.
27:26 The ball is delivered by David Robertson, Cillian Sheridan takes a shot. Comfortable save by Allan McGregor.
25:34 Nikica Jelavic crosses the ball, Callum Davidson manages to make a clearance.
24:36 Free kick awarded for a foul by Murray Davidson on Lee McCulloch. Direct free kick taken by Sasa Papac.
24:16 Steven Davis produces a cross.
21:54 Foul by Cillian Sheridan on Steven Davis, free kick awarded. Lee Wallace restarts play with the free kick.
19:40 Steven Whittaker delivers the ball.
18:48 Free kick awarded for a foul by Steven Whittaker on David Robertson. Peter Enckelman takes the direct free kick.
18:08 Corner from the left by-line taken by Steven Davis, clearance by Cillian Sheridan.
17:50 A cross is delivered by Sasa Papac, Nikica Jelavic takes a shot. Fantastic save by Peter Enckelman.
17:24 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Frazer Wright by Steven Naismith. Callum Davidson restarts play with the free kick.
14:37 The referee blows for offside against Nikica Jelavic. Free kick taken by Peter Enckelman.
11:44 Unfair challenge on Cillian Sheridan by Dorin Goian results in a free kick. Free kick crossed right-footed by Jody Morris, clearance by Dorin Goian.
10:57 Effort from deep inside the area by Murray Davidson misses to the left of the target.
10:03 Steven Davis challenges Callum Davidson unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Peter Enckelman.
9:10 Steven Whittaker sends in a cross, Steven Naismith takes a shot. Save by Peter Enckelman.
8:09 Cillian Sheridan fouled by Steven Whittaker, the ref awards a free kick. Jody Morris takes the direct free kick.
6:19 Shot from long distance by Cillian Sheridan misses to the right of the goal.
3:55 Corner taken right-footed by Jody Morris, Marcus Haber has a headed effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the right of the goal.
3:41 Callum Davidson takes a shot. Save made by Allan McGregor.
2:09 Inswinging corner taken by Steven Davis from the left by-line, Unfair challenge on Peter Enckelman by Steven Naismith results in a free kick. Peter Enckelman takes the direct free kick.
1:59 Steven Whittaker delivers the ball, Peter Enckelman makes a save.
0:00 The match gets underway.

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Forefront in Preaching

Saturday, July 30, 2011