Red-hot Rangers striker Antonio Colak temporarily sent the Ibrox side back to the top of the table as his deadly double sparked a crushing win over 10-man Hearts.
The Croatian ace made it 11 goals in just 14 appearances for Gio van Bronckhorst ’s team with two clinical finishes. Substitute Alfredo Morelos would have been disappointed to start on the bench but he made the most of his half-hour run out after replacing Colak as he buried his 10th goal in nine outings against the Jambos.
Hearts were already down to 10 men by that point after Cammy Devlin got his marching orders for a shocking stamp on Rabbi Matondo just before half-time. And a miserable day for the Gorgie outfit was completed in stoppage time as Ryan Kent rifled home his first Premiership goal since December. The Rangers support who followed their team along the M8 were treated to a rare look at Ben Davies as the former Liverpool centre-back returned six weeks out on from his last appearance against St Johnstone.
Matondo was also given a chance to win over his doubters as he started on the right wing, while Antonio Colak got the nod to start in front Alfredo Morelos. Robbie Neilson was again without key defenders Craig Halkett and Kye Rowles as well as striker Liam Boyce but Steven Humphrys was recalled as Andy Halliday dropped out of the team that beat Motherwell last time out.
The hosts could have found themselves climbing above their guests from Glasgow had they mustered a two-goal win. Instead, they slumped to a painful defeat that means they’ve now shipped 16 goals in their last five clashes with Rangers.
They had a couple of early warning as Davies twice came close from James Tavernier corners. But Rangers’ determined start paid off six minutes in as Colak sprayed the ball wide for Ryan Kent before darting off at speed to make sure he was in the box for the winger’s crossing, nodding home with a perfectly placed that kissed the post on it’s way in.
Humphrys was the brightest of Hearts’ first half performers but the best he could do was to drive inside from the right and fire off a shot that Allan McGregor gathered easily. If anything, it was Rangers who ended the opening 45 minutes not to have run up a bigger lead.
Ryan Jack and Scott Arfield were particularly wasteful. The former overhitting a pass that would have put Arfield in, who then skewed horribly wide after bursting straight through on Craig Gordon’s goal. But in Colak, the visitors have a frontman who just doesn’t miss, as he proved again on the half-hour mark.
John Lundstram’s 40-yard raker found Matondo on the right wing. The former Schalke sideman hadn’t shown much until this point but the Welshman picked his moment to make an impact, driving inside before slipping in Colak as the Croatia peeled off Kingsley’s shoulder.
He still had work to do with a keeper of Gordon’s class in front of him but he made it look easy as he squeezed another deadly finish into the far corner. It was an uphill battle for the Jambos at this point but the summit moved further out of reach six minutes before the break as Devlin’s moment of madness saw him head for an early bath as he planted a shocking stamp on Matondo’s ankle.
Robbie Neilson insisted his midfielder had barely touched his opponent but referee Steven MacLean got the decision spot on as he flashed a straight red. The whistler, however, was too eager to blow up just before half-time, however, as he chalked off an Arfield tap-in for a Matondo foul on Gordon when in fact it had been the Hearts No.1 who collided with the Gers winger.
Both teams made double changes at the interval as Hearts swapped Kingsley and Barrie McKay for Halliday and Robert Snodgrass Jack and Davies made way for James Sands and Steven Davis for Gers.
It was one of the Hearts subs who came closest to scoring as the second half got underway. Halliday, however, wasted a free header at the back post. Alfredo Morelos took over from Colak with half an hour left and was quickly sniffing about looking for a goal himself, driving just past the far post after being rolled in by fellow replacement Malik Tillman.
But a smart one-two with Tavernier put him through again with 14 minutes left and this time he made it count as he lashed past Gordon. The Gorgie faithful hoped that would be it but there was still time for one last boot to the haw-maws as Kent cut in off the left to drive home the fourth in the first minute of stoppage-time.
Cool Colak keeps producing
The more Gio van Bronckhorst is asked if he’s going to stick with the Croatian frontman up top with Alfredo Morelos inching his way to fitness, the more Colak provides him with reasons why he shouldn’t be dropped. Again his contribution outside the box was limited to the odd flick on. But when you’re as deadly as the former POAK and Malmo ace that can be forgiven.
His placement for his first goal was absolutely pin-point as he glanced his header into the open spot where Craig Gordon would have had no hope of stopping it. And his finish for the second was just as impressive as he squeezed his shot under the Scotland keeper’s arm-pit. He’ll need to keep it up though with Morelos know breathing down his neck and buoyed his his own tidy finish that sealed an impressive victory for Gio van Bronckhorst’s boys.
Gers tasty at Tynie
This is a result that will do wonders for Rangers’ confidence levels. And it might just lift the pressure that had been weighing down on van Bronckhorst’s shoulders as they put their September slump behind them.
The Dutchman has faced some serious flak on the back of those three heavy hammering from Celtic, Ajax and Napoli. But his team put on a serious show of intent with a result and a performance which suggests those predicting the manager’s downfall should think again.
Daft Devlin
The Hearts midfielder fulfilled his boyhood dream as he made his Socceroos debut in Australia’s win over New Zealand last Sunday. But the week ended in a nightmare as the little Gorgie battler got his marching orders for a shocker on Rabbi Matondo.
There was no need for Devlin to dive in on the Welshman, with Alex Cochrane in full control of the situation as he trapped Matondo tight on the touchline. But he left referee Steven MacLean no choice but to reach straight for his red as he planted six studs into the Rangers wingers’ ankle. The Tynecastle crowd reacted with outrage to the decision but it was misplaced anger, with Devlin guilty of a reckless challenge that could have ended up much worse for Matondo.
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