Rangers take heart from win in cup final rehearsal, but Aberdeen defeat still hurts for Gough Ibrox men show resolve

While Rangers' players and supporters saw a glimmer of hope yet again in the race for the championship after their decisive victory over Hearts at Tynecastle, there is little doubting their obvious unhappiness at the Pittodrie defeat they suffered prior to the Edinburgh game.

That result may yet prove to be the one that decides the title and the Rangers' feelings were summed up by the tart comment from skipper Richard Gough when he had Aberdeen's defeat at Kilmarnock confirmed.

''They only play four games a year,'' he observed before returning to the continuing fight between the Old Firm clubs at the top of the premier division.

On that subject, Gough insisted that Celtic remain favourites because they now lie a point clear of the Ibrox men with just two games left to play.

Then he added: ''We do have the opportunity to place some pressure on them because we have a game at Ibrox on Saturday against Kilmarnock and if we can win that then we will go back to the top.

''Celtic will then have to play 24 hours later and Dunfermline is a difficult place to have to go and get a result.

''We know that we have to win our two games and we hope that Celtic will slip up, as they did today.

''I thought that we played very well in the second half today and that is the standard which we must keep up.

''Rino Gattuso was impressive, but I talked to him about his temperament because that can still spoil things for him. But, after half-time, he was okay.''

More than just okay as far as the Ibrox support was concerned because the fiery little Italian scored two of the three goals and might have managed a hat trick before the game was over.

The match, of course, was a Scottish Cup final rehearsal, and unless Hearts can offer up a more potent resistance at Celtic Park on May 16, then their season will end without a trophy victory yet again.

Gough, however, does not believe that the weekend result will have any bearing on the final, saying emphatically before he left Tynecastle: ''This had nothing to do with the final. We will have a different team out that day and they will play a different team as well.''

It was not so much the personnel which dismayed the Hearts' support as the lack of spirit displayed by the team in a game where, technically, they could have kept their own league hopes flickering, no matter how dimly.

They were unable to do so and manager Jim Jefferies was, understandably, angry at the way his men failed to rise to the challenge from the champions.

That is why his first-team players were ordered in for special training at Tynecastle yesterday. And why Jefferies warned them: ''If players don't perform as they should do between now and the cup final then they won't be selected for that game. You can't just turn your form on and off. That doesn't work.''

Of course, the Hearts' manager can look to the return of Stephane Adam, Stefano Salvatori, Colin Cameron, and Jim Hamilton for the final.

However, by then, Rangers will have available Sergio Porrini, Lorenzo Amoruso, Andy Goram and, perhaps, Ally McCoist and Marco Negri - if he recovers his goal touch.

Negri was left out altogether for the Edinburgh game, not even earning a place on the bench, and when asked about his absence, manager Walter Smith said simply: ''He was not injured, he just wasn't picked for the game.''

In any case, the Italian would have made little difference to a Rangers' second-half display which produced some fine attacking play as well as the three goals.

There was a first-class performance from Finnish goalkeeper Antti Niemi which suggested that he has the ability and the confidence to take over from Goram if the keeper's injury persists.

Smith was, obviously, happy with the win and he declared: ''I felt that the team played well as a whole today and it was a bonus for us with Rino scoring two of the goals.

''His first goal helped settle us because we had had chances before half-time and we had not taken them and you worry that misses might cost you in that kind of situation. Jonas Thern had to come off but he will be fit to play next week.''

The young Italian midfielder, Gattuso, scored the opening goal just three minutes into the second half when he ran on to a pass from Brian Laudrup, held off a challenge, and then struck his shot beyond Gilles Rousset.

Laudrup was involved again in the second with a cheeky back heel which allowed Jorg Albertz to score.

The powerful German then turned goal-maker with a ball for Gordon Durie, who then placed it in front of Gattuso, who helped himself to his second simple strike.

Just before that defender Craig Moore was ordered off by referee Jim McCluskey for a reckless challenge on Neil McCann - his second yellow card offence against the Hearts' winger.

McCluskey deserves credit for allowing play to go on and then returning to caution the Australian and send him off.

Next league matches: Hearts - Aberdeen (a). Rangers - Kilmarnock (h).