St. Johnstone vs Rangers. Scottish Premiership.
McDiarmid ParkAttendance7,086.
Sunday 23 December 2018 14:56, UK
Alfredo Morelos scored two second-half goals to help Rangers come from behind to beat St Johnstone 2-1 and stay in touch with Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.
The home side had gone in ahead at the break thanks to Matthew Kennedy's fine finish just before the interval.
However, the visitors responded in the second half, with Morelos scoring his 18th and 19th goals of the season. He first rose highest to head Rangers level on 65 minutes, before a wonderful volley won it with just two minutes to go.
Rangers move to within just a point of the champions at the top of the table, albeit having played a game more than their city rivals, while St Johnstone stay in eighth.
Joe Worrall and Connor Goldson both hesitated after 22 minutes as David Wotherspoon found Kennedy, allowing the striker to clip a pass into Murray Davidson's path, but his lob sailed over Allan McGregor's crossbar.
Liam Craig's miss four minutes later was even worse as he somehow failed to bury a back-post header from almost point-blank range.
Gers had a couple of half chances but Ross McCrorie fired over before Eros Grezda got in the way of a Morelos strike.
But Saints finally got the goal they deserved on the stroke of half-time. Scott Tanser's cross bounced off Goldson's head and landed at Kennedy's feet and Andy Halliday bought his dummy as the former Kilmarnock and Cardiff striker cut inside to lash into the roof of the net.
Rangers boss Steven Gerrard had had enough of Grezda's ineffectiveness and hooked the Albanian at the break, replacing him with youngster Glenn Middleton. Kyle Lafferty was then added to the mix at Lassana Coulibaly's expense after 11 more blunt minutes.
It took until 66 minutes but the Ibrox boss finally got the reaction he was looking for as Morelos levelled up.
Goldson sprayed the ball wide to Middleton and the winger immediately made for the by-line before standing up a cross into the six-yard box that was begging to be thudded home by the Colombian with his head.
For a second it looked like parity would not last long, however, as Kennedy fizzed a 25-yard strike that only drifted wide at the last moment.
Both sides were pushing for the winner as the game ticked into the final 20 minutes. McGregor had to parry a Blair Alston effort at one end before Saints stopper Zander Clark produced a breathtaking double save to keep out Daniel Candeias and Lafferty.
Saints had Clark to thank again as he pushed away two more Lafferty attempts but, with the seconds ticking away Morelos got in front of his marker to fire a James Tavernier cross past the crestfallen Clark to seal victory for Rangers.
On Boxing Day, St Johnstone travel to St Mirren (2pm), while Rangers entertain Hibernian at Ibrox (3pm)
