RANGERS’ self-confidence has been unshakeable in the build-up to the new season, but here was an early reminder that they will not get everything their own way upon their return to top-flight football. Humility has rarely been the watchword around Ibrox and there was little chance of them taking a softly-softly approach having completed the long, inglorious slog through the lower leagues. Balls of fire shot northwards, fireworks fizzled, chairman Dave King unfolded the Championship flag and supporters held up cards claiming the team was now gunning for their 55th title.
The Hamilton Accies players, waiting patiently to take to the pitch, must have felt like mere extras in Rangers’ grandiose, hubristic production. A comfortable home victory to get things off and running was surely a formality.
Once the action finally got under way, however, it would prove a different story. Hamilton have not beaten Rangers since a famous Scottish Cup win in 1987 and not tasted a league victory at Ibrox in almost a century, but they proved themselves to be worthwhile adversaries on a day when Mark Warburton’s men struggled to sustain any real fluency to their play. Ali Crawford’s spectacular goal gave Hamilton a shock lead after half an hour and the grumbling around Ibrox grew louder with each passing minute until Martyn Waghorn slid in an equaliser just beyond the hour mark.
That seemed to create a platform once again for Rangers to move through the gears to claim the victory, but instead Hamilton, resolute to a man, held strong to record a precious opening-day away point. The sense of anti-climax around Ibrox was almost tangible as the fans trooped out at full-time.
Titles are, of course, not won and lost on the first day of any campaign, and Rangers won’t be written off on the back of one stodgy performance. But the sight of Andy Halliday and goalkeeper Wes Foderingham jabbing accusatory fingers at each other after a Massimo Donati headed chance for Hamilton was another sign that all was not well. To round off a disappointing day for Rangers, they had to play the closing stages with just 10 men after Waghorn hobbled off with what looked like a hamstring injury and Warburton having already made all three changes.
Rangers may have to become accustomed to sides sitting in at Ibrox and playing on the counter-attack as Hamilton did. Few, though, will manage it as effectively as Martin Canning’s side.
Backed by a strong performance from new goalkeeper Remi Matthews, the Hamilton defence was equal to the best that Rangers could throw at them, repelling attack after attack with clearances, headers and tackles. Ahead of them Donati stuck to Niko Kranjcar like a second skin, barely giving the Croat a moment’s rest. Hamilton’s approach wasn’t always legal – they had five players booked in a 17-minute spell – but it was undoubtedly effective.
The goal they scored was quite special, too. Crawford’s reputation as a promising talent has grown with every passing season and this moment will have done him no harm at all either. There was still plenty for him to do after Greg Docherty’s cross arrived at him on the far corner of the box, but he turned Kranjcar exquisitely before unearthing a left-foot curled shot that arced into the far corner of the net. Having also scored two years ago when Hamilton recorded their first win over Celtic since 1938, Crawford is constructing quite the haul of special memories.
“This goal has got to be up there, but I think the one at Celtic Park a couple of seasons ago is better because it was a winner,” reflected the goalscorer. “But I thought the lads put in a great shift today and thoroughly deserved a point if not more.”
That they did not take more was down to Rangers fashioning a well-worked equaliser after 62 minutes. Harry Forrester, only on moments earlier for the disappointing Kranjcar, was the creator with a sumptuous outside-of-the-foot pass and Waghorn supplied a composed finish.
The crowd sensed the tide had finally turned in Rangers’ favour, but Hamilton did not wilt. Forrester, who impressed in a half-hour cameo, trundled a shot just wide of target, Matthews saved well from a Joey Barton drive, while Rob Kiernan seemed so surprised to find himself on the end of a Lee Wallace cross that he failed to convert. When Forrester then cut in before thudding a shot over the bar, it was final proof that this wasn’t going to be Rangers’ day.
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