Glasgow Rangers
Rangers emerged from Fir Park with three precious points after coming through a frantic away day that featured late goals and controversy to secure a 3-2 win.
Alex McLeish's men had been cruising at 3-1 up thanks to two first half goals from Gregory Vignal and a third soon after the restart from Dado Prso. When Kevin McBride pulled one back from the penalty spot it looked like being only a consolation effort for the home side but, when Barry Ferguson was sent off and Martyn Corrigan made it 3-2, the stage was set for a nerve-jangling finale.
Rangers hung on to take the win they needed to climb above Celtic, who had lost 2-0 at home to Hearts yesterday, at the summit of the Bank of Scotland Premier League. The challengers are now a point ahead with a superior goal difference of six goals. Beforehand, McLeish had been forced into changes after Thomas Buffel returned from international duty with Belgium with a thigh strain. That opened the door for Hamed Namouchi and, with Maurice Ross nowhere to be seen, skipper Fernando Ricksen dropped back to right back so Alex Rae could start in midfield. McLeish had been annoyed at Buffel deciding to play in midweek when he knew his fitness was suspect. Namouchi, who had dropped out of the first team frame after an encouraging start to the campaign, set up the opening goal within four minutes and also supplied the second. His first assist needed a slice of good fortune as, after accepting a clever ball from Ricksen, his delivery from the right found only the head of Well defender Stephen Craigan. The Northern Irishman could only head it to where Vignal was lurking just inside the box, however, and the Frenchman produced a crashing first-time finish to give Gordon Marshall no chance. He did so using his "wrong" foot - his right - and, just after the half-hour mark, the on-loan left back from Liverpool had netted another. This time he used his head to meet a faultless cross from Namouchi that no challenger could cut out and Vignal, the man who had refused a contract offer to stay beyond the end of the season, had put his employers in an impregnable position. Well had little to offer in return apart from the pace of Scott McDonald, although the Australian had been too zealous in the eighth minute and was booked for a foul on Ricksen. He forced Ronald Waterreus into two saves in quick succession but neither was too taxing, although the Dutchman was required to throw himself in the air to keep out a venomous drive from Scott Leitch. Rangers had been the hungrier side from kick-off, with Prso leading the line in exemplary fashion and Ferguson controlling the midfield. Sotirios Kyrgiakos was also getting stuck in at the back alongside Bob Malcolm, although the Greek was booked in the final minute of the first half for overdoing a challenge on Martyn Corrigan. Within six minutes of the restart Well must have been fearing a repeat of their 5-1 Hampden hounding in the CIS Insurance Cup final last month when Prso headed home a Ricksen free-kick. The Croat had won it himself, wide on the left, and rose the highest to nod the ball in off Marshall's left-hand post.