Hamilton 0-2 Rangers: Steven Gerrard's men maintain impressive start

Report and highlights as Steven Gerrard's men keep a record-breaking sixth straight clean sheet

Sunday 30 August 2020 06:59, UK

Rangers maintained their encouraging start to the season with a comfortable 2-0 success at Hamilton, meaning they have yet to concede a goal this campaign.

Goals from Ianis Hagi (15) and James Tavernier (20) took the game away from Hamilton, who had skipper Scott McCann sent off for a second booking in the second half.

The impressive Ryan Kent put in a stellar performance but his teammates could not convert an array of chances he created. That wastefulness will have frustrated Steven Gerrard but he would have been delighted with a sixth straight clean sheet - the first time a Scottish Premiership team hasn't conceded in the first six games of a season since 1998.

On this showing, their bid to stop Celtic winning the title for a tenth season in a row looks well within their compass. Neil Lennon's men play on Sunday against Motherwell.

How Rangers went nine points clear...

Alfredo Morelos was back in Gerrard's squad for the trip to Lanarkshire after being dropped for last week's Kilmarnock victory. But despite redoubling his efforts in training after having his focus his questioned by Gerrard, the Lille target was left on the bench.

Accies were looking to build on last weekend's derby win over Motherwell and it is just as well they got that result as without it, they would be propping up the table.

Rangers slipped up at Livingston on their last outing on plastic but there were no such difficulties here.

Hagi made himself an instant fans' favourite with his one-man Europa League rescue mission against Braga last year.

But he had struggled in domestic action so far this campaign and lost his place for last week's win over Kilmarnock.

Itten's calf injury offered a reprieve against Accies and he made the most of it with the opener after 15 minutes.

Scott Martin's slip in the corner allowed Borna Barisic to pull the ball back for Steven Davis. Kemar Roofe met the Northern Irishman's cross with a header which looped over Ryan Fulton before crashing against the crossbar.

Both the keeper and McMann desperately swung at fresh air but it Hagi who connected as he rammed home.

The second goal followed five minutes later but it was cruel on Fulton as he got down smartly to turn away a low effort from Kent, only to watch with horror as the ball flew straight to Tavernier who prodded home another rebound.

Rangers were in full flow now and only poor finishing saw them fail to add to their lead before the break as Hagi and Roofe both wasted decent openings after more magic from Kent.

Jon McLaughlin was given the nod over Allan McGregor to start in goal for the visitors and his concentration levels were finally tested after 72 minutes of inaction as Reegan Mimnaugh found Shaun Want with a near-post corner.

But the Scotland keeper was switched on to claw away the header.

Accies' day got worse with 14 minutes left when McMann - already on a booking for a first-half tug on Kent - collected a second after barging over Barker.

What the managers said

Rangers boss Steven Gerrard: "We're happy with the result and the majority of the performance. I thought we started very strong, managed to get a couple of goals but then we became wasteful. We need to be more clinical and ruthless. We've had loads of opportunities to score three, four and five but that final pass or that final bit of quality wasn't there. But I can't complain too much, it's another clean sheet and three points."

Hamilton boss Brian Rice: "Rangers were by far the best team in the first half. We gave away two soft goals but my boys stuck at it. We could have capitulated, but we didn't. We changed the system at the break to go three vs three at the back and we gave it everything we had. I've not been too harsh on them."

What's next?

Rangers return after the international break with a home fixture against Dundee United on Saturday, September 12. Meanwhile, Hamilton have a trip to Livingston to look forward to.