Ignoring van Vossen may be costly for Auxerre

WE shall probably never find out for sure exactly what Walter Smith, the Rangers manager, said to his players at half-time in the Rugby Park dressing room on Saturday. But, whatever it was, it brought about a transformation in their play.

The Ibrox captain, Richard Gough, with a wry smile, would only say: ``The manager had a few words with us. He did not say a lot, but the gaffer does not normally get too excited. He did this time.''

The Smith blast, short and far from sweet, changed the attitude of his players. From being a goal down - Mark Reilly scored for Kilmarnock in just 19 minutes - the champions ran out 4-1 winners, with a blistering finish.

In the final 23 minutes of the premier division clash watched by the Auxerre coach Guy Roux, Rangers scored their four goals, saw another strike by Paul Gascoigne, which would have given him his hat trick, disallowed; a Brian Laudrup free kick hit the bar, and Dutchman Peter van Vossen force Dragoj Lekovic into a superb, injury-time save.

The dramatic change in the game must have left the Auxerre official puzzled as to what his team will face in the European Champions' League match at Ibrox on Wednesday.

At half-time, the Frenchman was saying: ``Paul Gascoigne is not the player he once was and without him Rangers are ordinary.'' Later, after Gascoigne's two goals, he revised that verdict, pointing out: ``Gascoigne still has the ability to turn a game. He and Laudrup are easily Rangers best players.''

However, Roux should not underestimate the powerful running and confident finishing of van Vossen, who also scored twice in the stunning climax to the game.

As his captain said afterwards: ``Double V is really flying just now. He is on a great run and his second goal was a bit special.''

In the first half with van Vossen on the bench, he was suffering slight flu effects, Rangers were fairly ineffective. But once the Dutchman had replaced Gordan Petric 10 minutes before the break, the signs were that he could damage Kilmarnock.

Gough explained: ``We started the game sluggishly and I have seen that happen before. When you have had a hard midweek game and your opponents have not, then it can affect your play. I'm not talking about being physically tired but there can be a mental tiredness. We are playing three games a week right now, Wednesday, Saturday, Wedesday, and now we have two more huge matches approaching.

``I think the manager was able to bring it home to us all just what is required, and what it means, to play for this club.

``He also pointed out that we had to have pride in our performance. I think that was there after half-time.

``I never really felt the game was slipping away. Because of the pressure we were having I was convinced that we would score. When the break came we took it and just went on from there.

``The score possibly flattered us a little, but in the end we deserved to win. Kilmarnock always make it hard for us down here.''

They did not make it difficult enough as far as their manager, Alex Totten, was concerned. ``I don't think there were three goals in it but our players have to learn that they must concentrate and be consistent for 90 minutes, he said. ``It was the same in the Celtic game when we lost that one.

``And the players worked hard but then Rangers finished with some quality goals. That is what they pay millions for.''

Totten and his players were unhappy with the penalty award which went against them, and which sparked Rangers' goal rush.

Brian Laudrup was tackled clumsily by Ally Mitchell in the box. It was a typical forwards challenge which sent the Dane down, and while the Kilmarnock players may have disagreed, it seemed the proper decision.

Later came the more spectacular strikes from Gascoigne again, and from van Vossen, whose last goal will qualify as one of the strikes of the season.

Smith said: ``Peter is one of these players the fans enjoy watching. He is scoring freely and his goals have been terrific.''

Smith must hope that the Dutch player can continue his run against the French champions this week.

Rangers needed this victory and the confidence that a comeback such as this one provides, as they head for there, make-or-break Champions' League clashes as well as the first Old Firm meeting of the season at Ibrox on

Saturday.

As well as the new-found form from van Vossen, Smith saw Craig Moore and Ian Ferguson slot back into the first team after injury, and further strengthen his pool of players for Europe.

Next league match: Motherwell - Kilmarnock (h). Rangers - Celtic (h).