The Thistle Archive

Media report

A SPRING-LIKE afternoon at Ibrox perhaps, but a day, too, on which the storm clouds became clearly visible for the pretenders to Rangers’ Premier Division crown. This victory was not significant in isolation but it hinted at more important triumphs in the weeks to come. After months during which their selection has been dictated by fitness, Rangers are now healthy. For the third successive match their starters were unchanged, and with numerous other key players almost ready to return, Rangers seem too strong for their rivals. Certainly, if other teams surrender as meekly as Partick did, the championship trophy will remain in their hands.

Partick fielded their recent signing, Barnes, in an attempt to widen their attacking options. Although naturally left footed, he began the match at outside right and soon encountered a traditional Scottish football welcome from his opponents on both sides of the touch line. When Barnes first attempted to run at the home defence he was dispossessed by Mikhailichenko. The next time the ball arrived at his feet, Barnes was sent sprawling by an uncompromising shoulder charge from Brown, who was fortunate to emerge with only a quiet word of admonition from the referee. The match settled down, but had little real pattern. With a rapidly diminishing growth on the playing surface, neither side was able to generate any rhythm. It was hardly surprising, therefore, that the opening goal owed as much to self-destruction in the Partick defence as to invention from Rangers. Gough moved forward to chip the ball into the penalty area, and Hateley headed it on. Then, as the visitors hesitated, Durie drove a left-foot shot high into the net. Despite taking the lead, Rangers held only a loose grip on proceedings. Maxwell had been forced into a fine save from Grant in the opening minute, and Jamieson headed past a gaping goal after 32 minutes. Punishment for that miss was severe: two minutes later Partick’s Milne gave away possession inside his own box. Steven then pounced on the error, allowing Mikhailichenko to exchange passes smartly with Durie before sending in a neat shot beyond Nelson.

After the interval, McCoist was introduced, and created the third goal. The Scotland striker twisted and turned on the left wing before delivering a cross for Hateley to set up McCall’s decisive volley. By now Partick’s resolve was shattered. For the fourth goal, Mikhailichenko crossed from the left and when Hateley’s low drive was spilled by Nelson, Durie knocked the rebound home. With 10 minutes left, Cameron, the Partick substitute, surprised Maxwell with a 25-yard effort to pull one goal back. Rangers completed a satisfactory afternoon when, five minutes from the end, Mikhailichenko was involved once more, feeding McCall inside the box. McCall played the ball across goal and Steven timed his run perfectly to head home.

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