Rangers moved one point behind Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic with a 2-0 victory over St Mirren at The Marbill Coaches Stadium. In-form striker Ryan Naderi opened the scoring from the penalty spot after 18 minutes, following a foul on James Penrice that Sky Sports co-commentator James Mc Fadden described as "softer than soft". Dan Neil extended the lead just after the hour mark with a deflected strike, stretching Rangers' unbeaten run in all competitions to 12 games.
Despite draws against Dundee and Hearts in their last two away games, Derek Mc Innes's side were determined to leave The Marbill Coaches Stadium without a mark. The result sees Rangers within one point of Celtic having played the same number of fixtures, though the Hoops can restore their four-point lead against Kilmarnock at Celtic Park on Sunday before the international break.
The win was not without controversy. Former Celtic player Chris Sutton criticised the penalty decision, claiming James Penrice "played referee Nick Walsh like a piccolo". Penrice himself expressed uncertainty, while Kris Boyd noted "it's still a boiled egg" regardless of softness. Rangers boss Derek Mc Inness praised his team's organization and clinical edge, stating they could have added to the scoreline.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing