Rangers cruise to title continues with victory over Dons

Rangers seemingly unstoppable march to retaining the Scottish Premier League title continued on Wednesday with a comfortable 3-1 win over Aberdeen at Ibrox.

The win takes Rangers 13 points clear of Celtic with just six games and they could clinch the title at Tannadice next Wednesday if their rivals slip up against Motherwell on Tuesday.

Rangers manager Walter Smith was happy to move closer to what would be a 53rd league championship for the club.

“It was always going to be an awkward game for us tonight and it took a good bit for us to break them down,” he admitted.

“It leaves us with two games from the final six to retain the championship which is a good position for us.”

His Aberdeen counterpart Mark McGhee wasn’t too despondent in defeat despite the fact they have only now won once in their past 14 matches.

“I thought we had a chance and it was pleasing as it was a well-worked goal but the third goal killed it,” he said.

“There were some positives from the game but we’ve lost 3-1 so we can’t go home too happy.”

The Dons arrived in Glasgow as the only side the runaway league leaders had failed to score against this season but Steven Davis changed that statistic with a terrific strike mid-way through the first-half to open the scoring.

His Northern Ireland teammate Kyle Lafferty, without a goal since December, got his name on the score-sheet following a piece of individual trickery in the 65th minute.

Darren Mackie bundled home Steven Maclean’s cross three minutes later to set up a tense finish but Kenny Miller knocked home his 19th of the season from close range to ease the home fans’ nerves.

Rangers had made just one change to the side that ground out a victory against Hamilton on Saturday with top-scorer Kris Boyd dropping to the bench with Lafferty coming in.

There was a pedestrian start at Ibrox with the game only brought to life when Davide Grassi picked up a booking for a late tackle on Lee McCulloch. A minute later Davis found Danny Wilson with a floated free-kick from the edge of the box but the defender sent his header by the post.

Rangers had failed to score against the Dons in their previous two meetings but Davis changed that with a cracker of a strike in the 24th minute.

The Northern Irish midfielder was fed by Naismith 20 yards out and he took a touch before rifling a rocket shot which flew past Jamie Langfield and into the top right-hand corner of the net.

Lafferty, with only two goals this season, didn’t look like adding to that total when he headed over after Davis picked him out at the back post with a cross from the right.

The Northern Ireland striker then turned provider when his mazy run into the box ended in a cut back for Sasa Papac who sliced his shot over. But Lafferty was soon celebrating when he scored a great individual goal in the 65th minute.

McCulloch played him in down the inside-right channel and after skipping past Charlie Mulgrew the forward sent a low drive beyond the keeper’s reach into the bottom right-hand corner from just inside the box.

It took just three minutes for Aberdeen to pull one back after a mistake from Papac. The Bosnian full-back was skinned by Maclean and his cross from the right was bundled in by Mackie with Allan McGregor helpless.

Miller restored a two-goal cushion for Rangers in the 75th minute. Davis’ corner from the left was headed back across goal by Wilson and the Scotland striker was able to smash the ball home from a couple of yards out.