THE exertions of Wednesday night were still in the legs and the memories were very much fresh in the mind. But there was no Champions League hangover for Rangers at Ibrox.
This was as pleasing and peaceful an afternoon as Giovanni van Bronckhorst could have hoped for as his side returned to Premiership action and eased to victory.
Antonio Colak, the man who made the dream a reality against PSV Eindhoven, netted twice after John Lundstram had opened the scoring. Steven Davis rounded it off and the result did not flatter a Rangers side that cruised through a fixture that was taken care of with the ease that was expected.
Van Bronckhorst resisted the urge to make widespread changes to the team that performed so heroically in midweek and the introduction of Scott Wright in place of Glen Kamara was the only switch. Given the schedule to come, the visit of Queen of the South in the League Cup on Tuesday night will offer a chance for some much needed and well-earned respite for many.
The schedule between now and the break for the World Cup in November is as hectic as it is exciting. The six Group A clashes with Ajax, Liverpool and Napoli top the billing but the first Old Firm clash of the campaign takes centre stage next Saturday and trips to Aberdeen and Hearts will quickly arrive Rangers aim to build momentum in the title race.
That ambition was derailed for the first time against Hibernian last weekend. Malky Mackay’s side never looked like following suit as the Staggies were well beaten.
When the deadlock was broken after 24 minutes, it was fair to say that the goal had been coming and was certain to be the first of many. It was hard not to have a degree of sympathy for keeper Ross Laidlaw, though, as his fine efforts in keeping County in it until then were undone by a cruel deflection.
Lundstram’s strike from distance was on target, but it was the intervention of Ben Purrington that was decisive and the header that he hoped would be a clearance proved to be the contact that beat Laidlaw as he was left helpless.
It was unfortunate for the visitors, but the lead was no less than Rangers merited at that stage. It could have been, and really should have been, more.
Rangers were comfortable and in control throughout. The moment that saw them open the scoring had gone for them and so had the other talking point of the first 45 minutes.
This one centred around James Sands and Jordy Hiwula, with referee Don Robertson also having a key role in the tale. The two challenges from Sands – coming just five minutes apart - that saw him wrestle the striker to the deck seemed almost identical.
The first was rightly punished with a yellow card. Robertson took no action for the second, though, and Mackay was quick to question the call and the consistency.
Such was the gulf between the sides, even the loss of Sands may not have made a difference. But the introduction of Leon King at the break was perhaps a sign that his manager knew he had been fortunate to stay on the park.
All Van Bronckhorst’s side could do was keep going about their business. They did so with a sense of purpose throughout a game that was only ever going to have one winner.
The first chance of the afternoon was carved out by Ryan Kent as he curled an effort over from the edge of the area. In the minutes that followed, Connor Goldson couldn’t finish off the move that he started as Laidlaw saved well, while a block sent a Tom Lawrence strike away from target.
Borna Barisic fired wide on the angle and Laidlaw denied Malik Tillman before the first goal of the afternoon. After it, Kent again couldn’t find his range and Colak was smothered out in the area.
The Croatian didn’t have to wait long, though. This goal wasn’t as significant or as memorable as Wednesday night, but it was important in the context of this match.
It was also a classy finish from a man in fine form. A dinked cross from Wright wasn’t easy to control but Colak improvised in some style, a wonderful, flicked finish across goal leaving Laidlaw well beaten as the lead was doubled and game was won.
Had a Tavernier header in the closing seconds found the net rather than clipping the woodwork then the margin would not have flattered Rangers. As it was, they had to wait until just before the hour mark to get their third.
Rangers picked up where they left off after the break. Colak’s near post flick almost added to their tally before Purrington was involved in two more talking points.
Robertson dismissed Wright’s appeals for a penalty when his low cross appeared to hit the defender’s hand as he slid along the deck. Once he got up, he was in the right place at the right time to nod Kent’s strike off the line.
It only delayed the inevitable. Lawrence and Kent combined intricately on the edge of the area and Colak was free inside it.
His finish was powerful and precise. It was his seventh goal of the campaign, and perhaps another penny for the thoughts of Alfredo Morelos.
A couple of near misses and an early exit after 72 minutes, as he was replaced by Davis, denied Colak the chance of a hat-trick. Once again, he had more than done his bit and done what was asked of him.
It left Rangers without a natural centre-forward for the closing stages but even that fact wasn’t enough to stop them. Lawrence flicked on a Tavernier cross and Davis, at the end of a perfectly timed run, slotted the finish beyond Laidlaw.
That was that for Rangers. The three points were the main prerogative, but the four goals were worthy rewards for their efforts at Ibrox.
