Rangers close gap on leaders Hearts with victory over ten-man Kilmarnock

Rangers closed the gap on William Hill Premiership leaders Hearts to three points with a 5-1 win over Kilmarnock but it took time to subdue the ten-man visitors at Ibrox.

The Jambos lost 1-0 at St Mirren on Tuesday night to open the door, while Celtic’s game at Aberdeen on Wednesday night was postponed.

Rangers captain James Tavernier scored from the penalty spot in the fifth minute after Killie defender Dom Thompson was sent off by referee David Dickinson for denying Djeidi Gassama a goalscoring opportunity.

However, the Light Blues struggled to build on that advantage against a team second bottom of the league and a lack of intensity and drive left fans restless.

Striker Bojan Miovski drove home a second in the 59th minute to lighten the mood and new signing Andreas Skov Olsen scored his first goal for the club in the 74th minute after coming off the bench.

A terrible blunder by Light Blues goalkeeper Jack Butland in the 84th minute allowed Greg Kiltie to score a consolation goal for Killie but Gers substitute Oliver Antman and Mikey Moore scored late goals to put a sheen on the scoreline.

The victory leapfrogged Danny Rohl’s side above Celtic, with Hearts due to visit Ibrox in Rangers’ next home league game.

The Ayrshire side were soon up against it when Thompson was shown a straight red card for bringing down Gassama when the winger was cleverly slipped in by Moore.

Tavernier slammed the spot-kick past diving keeper Kelle Roos and the home side were up and running – or so it seemed.

Mohamed Diomande came close with a shot moments later but the Ibrox men went to sleep and in the 16th minute an impressive move by the visitors ended with striker Bruce Anderson sending a pass from Kiltie just past a post.

That let-off jolted Rangers into action.

Roos made saves from Nico Raskin and Jayden Meghoma and Nasser Djiga headed wide from six yards.

However, in the 26th minute, another Killie effort, this time from midfielder David Watson which Butland saved, revealed again some slackness.

The fans let their frustrations be known at the break and into the second half.

Roos saved from Diomande in the 55th minute but a couple of minutes later the Gers midfielder set up Miovski on the edge of the box and he swept the ball low into the corner of the net.

Deadline-day signing Ryan Naderi, the 22-year-old German striker who joined from Hansa Rostock, came on to make his debut as part of a triple substitution, along with Max Aarons and Skov Olsen, with another January signing, Tuur Rommens, soon joining the action to make his debut as a replacement for left-back Meghoma.

Rangers bossed the closing stages.

Roos saved a low drive from Skov Olsen, who then lifted his next effort high into the net after taking a Moore pass.

When Butland failed to connect properly as he attempted to pass from between the sticks, the ball was easily converted by the grateful Kiltie.

However, in a late surge, Antman curled the ball home when he got the opportunity from inside the box in the 90th minute for his first Rangers goal, with Moore firing in a fifth in added time.