Boyd double keeps Gers in title mix

A Kris Boyd double helped Rangers to a convincing 3-0 win over St Johnstone to keep them two points behind Celtic in the race for the Scottish Premier League title.

Celtic’s 3-2 win over Motherwell in the early kick-off meant Rangers started the game five points behind but they showed no signs of nerves as Boyd netted within 30 seconds.

Nacho Novo won a penalty mid-way through the half which Boyd duly converted before the Spaniard added a second-half strike as Rangers ran riot.

Rangers will have the chance to top the table if they win their game in hand over Dundee United on Tuesday.

“Throughout the match we created an awful lot of opportunities,” Ranger manager Walter Smith said.

“We should have done better when we did get the opportunities but all-in-all I’m delighted with the performance.”

St Johnstone boss Derek McInnes said: “We slit our own throats and never got going defensively at all.

“All credit to the lads who kept going, but it wasn’t an enjoyable afternoon.”

Before kick-off a thigh injury for Allan McGregor meant Neil Alexander took his place between the posts, Kirk Broadfoot made his first start in nine months while Boyd also returned from injury.

And it took just 30 seconds for the SPL’s top-scorer to add to his already impressive tally for the season.

A slack clearance allowed DaMarcus Beasley to play in Boyd, who spun on the edge of the box and sent a measured shot beyond former Rangers keeper Graeme Smith.

Only a fingertip save from Smith stopped Kenny Miller from doubling the lead in the eighth minute with the keeper at full-stretch to keep out his acrobatic volley.

A lapse in concentration allowed Chris Millar to rob Novo of possession just outside his own box before he unleashed a fierce drive that Alexander did well to turn round the post.

Broadfoot almost marked his Rangers return with a goal in the 19th minute but he headed Novo’s pass over the bar.

Novo won the home side a penalty in the 27th minute. The Spaniard was quickest to a loose ball in the box but was sent flying by the trailing hand of Smith as he rounded the keeper.

Boyd stepped up to take the resultant penalty and he buried his shot low into the bottom left-hand corner. Miller came close with a dipping volley from 12 yards that just cleared the bar before he turned provider for Boyd with only the outstretched leg of Smith denying the striker his hat-trick.

Boyd did have the ball in the net in the 45th minute but was flagged offside before he finished high past the keeper. The lively Novo added a third in the 51st minute.

Beasley’s cross picked out Miller in the box whose shot was well saved by Smith but Novo was there to drill the rebound into the net from 10 yards. A slack Kevin Thomson pass allowed Graham Gartland to race in on goal but his lobbed shot floated over the crossbar before Saint’s Millar sent a weak header straight to Alexander.

Novo was inches away from his second as he slammed a shot off the post from the edge of the box, Smith saved well from Beasley’s rising shot and sub John Fleck fired just over as Saints were run ragged.

In the early kick-off Georgios Samaras gave Celtic the lead before goals from Lukas Jutkiewicz and Mark Reynolds sent Motherwell in ahead at the break. Aiden McGeady scored Celtic’s 1000th SPL goal to equalise and Barry Robson missed a penalty before substitute Marc-Antoine Fortune scored a 25-yard screamer within seconds of coming on to seal the win.

Elsewhere St Mirren and Falkirk and Kilmarnock versus Hibernian both finished 1-1, Hearts and Dundee United ended goalless and Hamilton won 2-1 away to Aberdeen.