RANGERS followed up their Europa League win against Feyenoord with a battling away victory over St Johnstone. It was far from a classic encounter, but it was an important three points for Rangers as they eventually found their feet to ease over the line.

Second half goals from Alfredo Morelos and Connor Goldson won it for Steven Gerrard’s side as they maintained their perfect start away from home in the Premiership. In the final stages, Jermain Defoe netted twice to compete a 4-0 triumph as Rangers added a shine to the scoreline that St Johnstone will feel aggrieved about.

IT WASN’T AS COMFORTABLE AT TIMES AS THE SCORE SUGGESTS

The first goal certainly came at a good time for Rangers and it was once again that man Morelos that stood up when Gerrard needed a moment of magic. The Colombian had been denied by Zander Clark in the first half but the keeper had no chance when Morelos unleashed a fierce shot from the edge of the area after capitalising on a Scott Tanser error.

When Goldson headed home from a James Tavernier cross, the game was won. Having had little to cheer early on, Rangers then had two late goals to celebrate and both came from Defoe and summed up his predatory instincts inside the box.

Just seconds after St Johnstone were denied a goal by two terrific blocks from Steven Davis, it was 3-0 as Rangers broke and Defoe finished emphatically. For his second, a neat spin was followed by a clinical finish.

 

RANGERS DIG DEEP AWAY ONCE AGAIN

Rangers have yet to find a 90 minute showing away from Ibrox in the Premiership and that must be a concern to Gerrard. It certainly is to the supporters that hit the road to watch their side.

In the first half, this was another largely turgid performance from the Light Blues but Rangers stepped it up after the break to earn a deserved win.

It was always going to be a far different occasion to the win over Feyenoord in midweek, but Rangers can’t afford to let their performances fluctuate as much.

The Gers left it late away to Kilmarnock and were only able to see off St Mirren by a single goal. After toiling in the first half in Perth, Rangers finally found a spark and produced some of the play that hasn’t been seen that often in their away fixtures.

Gerrard can take heart from the fact his side were able to get the points, which was ultimately the most important thing. There is still room for improvement, though.

 

A SUCCESSFUL WEEK HEADING INTO ANOTHER HUGE ONE

The wins over Livingston and St Johnstone on successive weekends won’t go down as memorable ones come the end of the campaign but they were important nonetheless for Rangers. After losing to Celtic before the international break, they had to start building some momentum upon their return to action.

Seeing off Feyenoord was hugely impressive and any week that sees Gerrard collect six Premiership points and emerge victorious in Europe certainly has to go down as a pleasing one.

The big games keep on coming for Rangers. Livingston await in the Betfred Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday before Aberdeen, who Gerrard’s side struggled against last term, arrive at Ibrox on Saturday. It is another hugely significant few days for Gerrard’s silverware ambitions and the 39-year-old will be desperate to come through it unscathed before attentions turn to the Europa League once again.

 

THE GOLDSON AND HELANDER PARTNERSHIP NEEDS TIME

Rangers’ centre-back pairing has been the source of much debate in recent weeks and it is seemingly still no nearer a resolution that everyone will be satisfied with as Gerrard chooses two from his four – Goldson, Filip Helander, Nikola Katic and George Edmundson – on a game by game basis.

Goldson and Helander performed admirably in the Europa League and it was no surprise to see them start here as Katic missed out on the squad and – having paid £3million each for the stoppers - that would seem to be the most realistic long-term partnership for Gerrard.

There were a couple of loose moments from each here, with Helander susceptible to the bustling Stevie May at times, but the most alarming aspect was Goldson’s distribution. He saw plenty of the ball as Rangers looked to build from the back, but too many passes were slack, or even aimless, and there seems no real need for the Englishman to be attempting many of them when he has Davis in front of him.

 

SAINTS DIDN’T CAPITALISE ON RANGERS’ SLACKNESS

The final result at McDiarmid Park was no real surprise given the differences in the teams and their respective form, but it will still frustrate Saints boss Tommy Wright. His side were competitive and combative, but they didn’t have the quality when it really mattered.

The hosts grew into the game as the first half elapsed and there were murmurs of discontent – and a few boos - from the travelling Gers support.

If St Johnstone had a bit more about them, Rangers would really have been under pressure at the break yet chances were hard to come by. The best fell to Michael O’Halloran, but Allan McGregor made a terrific stop with his legs.

That moment will go down as one of what might have been for the Saints. Once Rangers were ahead, they were never going to be caught.