Rangers 4-0 Dumbarton: Gers move clear at top of table

Rangers took advantage of their game in hand over Hibernian to move three points clear at the top of the Scottish Championship after a comfortable 4-0 win over Dumbarton.

All four goals came in the second half at Ibrox following a delay of around 10 minutes after the restart, caused by a section of the Sandy Jardine Stand that appeared to come loose.

Police moved around 200 supporters away from the area and when play finally resumed, Jason Holt headed home a cross from James Tavernier.

Further goals from Martyn Waghorn and on-loan winger Nathan Oduwa followed before Andy Halliday completed the scoring from the penalty spot after Steven Saunders was sent off for a professional foul on Lee Wallace.

Clearcut chances were at a premium in the opening period, with the visitors happy to settle behind the ball.

Dumbarton striker Steven Craig did have a couple of opportunities to score and should have done better when Kevin Cawley picked him out in the box but Craig put his header over the crossbar.

Mark Warburton's side finally began to fire in the closing stages of the half, with Nicky Clark forcing former Rangers goalkeeper Mark Brown into making a one-handed save to deny him.

But the hosts did not waste time in opening the scoring following the prolonged half-time break, Holt nodding home a centre from Tavernier after 90 seconds.

Waghorn then scored his 15th league goal of the season on the hour.

Gers broke on the counter-attack, Holt embarked on a positive run and the ball broke to Waghorn on the right edge of the area before he turned and shot into the top corner.

After a frustrating first half Rangers finally had some breathing space and the lead was almost extended when Tavernier's powerful header came back off the crossbar after Wallace had crossed, with Clark just unable to latch onto the rebound.

Two goals in the final 10 minutes calmed any lingering nerves, though, on-loan Tottenham winger Oduwa scoring from six yards as he converted a Wallace cross from the left shortly after replacing Waghorn.

The evening then got worse for the visitors two minutes from time when Halliday drilled a penalty past Brown after last man Steven Saunders was sent off for a professional foul on Wallace.