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  • Kick-off: 14:00
  • Venue: Rugby Park
  • Attendance: 10546
  • Referee: McCurry, M

Live Commentary

90 mins

That's it, it's all over, the referee has blown the final whistle.

87 mins

Gary Locke is replaced by Paul Di Giacomo.

79 mins

Kilmarnock are replacing Mehdi Taouil with Willie Gibson.

75 mins

Jean-Claude Darcheville is replaced by Steven Naismith.

75 mins

Chris Burke is being taken off, Nacho Novo has come on in his place.

71 mins

Allan Johnston is being taken off, David Fernandez has come on in his place.

63 mins

Kris Boyd takes a penalty for Rangers and scores!.

62 mins

Jamie Hamill is booked for unsporting behaviour.

50 mins

Gary Locke goes into the referees book for unsporting behaviour.

46 mins

The second half is under way with the score currently at 0 v 1.

45 mins

The ref has blown his whistle for half time.

25 mins

Goal!! Rangers have scored with Carlos Cuellar putting it in the back of the net.

0 mins

The ref has blown his whistle and the match has started.

Match Report

Rangers maintained their grip on the SPL title race with a hard-fought win over an improved Kilmarnock side.

Rangers manager Walter Smith gave Kris Boyd a place in the starting line-up at his old stamping ground in partnership with Jean-Claude Darcheville, while counterpart Jim Jefferies was able to name a more familiar side with Gary Locke, Allan Johnston and Mehdi Taouil all available.

Darcheville should have given the league leaders the perfect start inside two minutes when his excellent headed touch took him clear of the defence, but his attempted chip flew over the bar.

Kilmarnock were retaining possession much more effectively than in recent weeks and were much more like the side who finished fifth in the last two seasons.

A brilliant burst from Craig Bryson in the 11th minute took him past Barry Ferguson and Kirk Broadfoot, but his measured shot curled a foot wide of the post.

The league leaders went in front in the 25th minute thanks to Carlos Cuellar.

Ferguson flicked on Broadfoot's cross to the Spaniard who, from a suspiciously offside position, looped his header over Alan Combe and into the far corner.

Darcheville passed up another golden chance just before the interval when he easily beat Simon Ford, but again failed to hit the target under no pressure as he dragged his shot wide.

Boyd twice went close in quick-fire fashion six minutes into the second half.

First his glanced header slid past the upright, before he hit a 30-yard free-kick low to Combe's right but the keeper got down well to turn the ball behind.

The match turned on two incidents around the hour mark.

Johnston looked to have equalised for Killie when his rifled shot beat Allan McGregor, but Sasa Papac popped up on the line to brilliantly head the ball over his own bar.

Then a minute later, Jamie Hamill conceded a soft penalty when he handled the ball when challenging Boyd and the former Killie striker smashed the ball home to double the lead.

Broadfoot's error almost gave Kilmarnock a lifeline six minutes from time when he was short with a back-pass, but David Fernandez was forced wide by McGregor and couldn't hit the target from an acute angle.

Kilmarnock Team

Rangers Team

Kilmarnock

Rangers

Corners

5 10

Fouls

21 10

Goal attempts

10 13

Shots off target

7 6

Offsides

6 3

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