WEE GORDON
<font color="red">Number 1 Rangers Fan</font>
Rangers continued their winning start to the season thanks to a hard-fought victory at Rugby Park. DaMarcus Beasley shot the visitors ahead early in the second half only for Danny Invincibile to reply with a neat finish at the end of a flowing move.
Rangers were the stronger side for long spells, while Killie defended well and were a threat on the break.
Jean Claude Darcheville grabbed the winner, turning to drill home a loose ball from close range.
Rangers have now won four from four in the league, while the home team lost for the first time and stay on seven points.
The visitors enjoyed the best of the early possession and Steven Whittaker warmed the hands of Kilmarnock goalkeeper Alan Combe with a blistering long-range drive.
But, on 13 minutes, Rangers keeper Allan McGregor had to beat away a fierce shot from Naismith when the Killie star skipped past David Weir and let loose from 25 yards.
Combe gave the home fans a scare when he spilled a tame strike from Beasley but the keeper recovered quickly enough to thwart the onrushing Kris Boyd.
The Killie number one looked more impressive on the half hour when he made a great block to keep out a well-struck Boyd effort from near the penalty spot.
Rangers were growing in menace and Combe again had to look smart to smother a raking dig from Whittaker.
However, Kilmarnock gave Walter Smith's side a reminder that they were still in the game when Invincibile fired in a dipping shot from 30 yards that McGregor dealt with acrobatically.
Darcheville replaced Daniel Cousin at the break and the French striker went close with an angled shot that went through the legs of the sprawling Combe but hit the side-netting.
The substitute then had a hand in the Rangers breakthrough after 52 minutes.
He held up a Barry Ferguson pass on the edge of the penalty area to lay the ball into the path of Beasley and Whittaker and when it broke kindly to the American, he scooped a shot beyond Combe from eight yards.
Ferguson had a close-range effort blocked, Combe saved another Whittaker strike and clawed away a dangerous cross, with Boyd looming, before the hosts levelled with a slick breakaway.
Naismith scampered down the left and the fed the ball to Colin Nish, who hooked it into the penalty box where Invincibile demonstrated good chest control before deftly placing a shot past the exposed McGregor.
Killie enjoyed a good spell after the goal but fell behind again on 76 minutes.
Last-ditch tackles prevented Boyd then Beasley getting shots away but the ball fell to Darcheville and the forward drilled in a neat shot on the turn.
Kilmarnock: Combe, Lilley, O'Leary, Wright, Ford, Locke (Murray 58), Hamill (Johnston 59), Invincibile, Naismith, Nish, Wales (Fernandez 79). Subs Not Used: Harpur, Dodds, Gibson, Jarvis.
Booked: Wright.
Goal: Invincibile 61.
Rangers: McGregor, Hutton, Papac, Weir, Cuellar, Beasley (Novo 90), Thomson, Ferguson, Whittaker, Cousin (Darcheville 46), Boyd. Subs Not Used: Carroll, Broadfoot, Emslie, Shinnie, Fleck.
Goals: Beasley 52, Darcheville 76.
Att: 11,544
Ref: D McDonald
http://media.putfile.com/Kilmarnock-Rangers-Aug-25-2007
Rangers were the stronger side for long spells, while Killie defended well and were a threat on the break.
Jean Claude Darcheville grabbed the winner, turning to drill home a loose ball from close range.
Rangers have now won four from four in the league, while the home team lost for the first time and stay on seven points.
The visitors enjoyed the best of the early possession and Steven Whittaker warmed the hands of Kilmarnock goalkeeper Alan Combe with a blistering long-range drive.
But, on 13 minutes, Rangers keeper Allan McGregor had to beat away a fierce shot from Naismith when the Killie star skipped past David Weir and let loose from 25 yards.
Combe gave the home fans a scare when he spilled a tame strike from Beasley but the keeper recovered quickly enough to thwart the onrushing Kris Boyd.
The Killie number one looked more impressive on the half hour when he made a great block to keep out a well-struck Boyd effort from near the penalty spot.
Rangers were growing in menace and Combe again had to look smart to smother a raking dig from Whittaker.
However, Kilmarnock gave Walter Smith's side a reminder that they were still in the game when Invincibile fired in a dipping shot from 30 yards that McGregor dealt with acrobatically.
Darcheville replaced Daniel Cousin at the break and the French striker went close with an angled shot that went through the legs of the sprawling Combe but hit the side-netting.
The substitute then had a hand in the Rangers breakthrough after 52 minutes.
He held up a Barry Ferguson pass on the edge of the penalty area to lay the ball into the path of Beasley and Whittaker and when it broke kindly to the American, he scooped a shot beyond Combe from eight yards.
Ferguson had a close-range effort blocked, Combe saved another Whittaker strike and clawed away a dangerous cross, with Boyd looming, before the hosts levelled with a slick breakaway.
Naismith scampered down the left and the fed the ball to Colin Nish, who hooked it into the penalty box where Invincibile demonstrated good chest control before deftly placing a shot past the exposed McGregor.
Killie enjoyed a good spell after the goal but fell behind again on 76 minutes.
Last-ditch tackles prevented Boyd then Beasley getting shots away but the ball fell to Darcheville and the forward drilled in a neat shot on the turn.
Kilmarnock: Combe, Lilley, O'Leary, Wright, Ford, Locke (Murray 58), Hamill (Johnston 59), Invincibile, Naismith, Nish, Wales (Fernandez 79). Subs Not Used: Harpur, Dodds, Gibson, Jarvis.
Booked: Wright.
Goal: Invincibile 61.
Rangers: McGregor, Hutton, Papac, Weir, Cuellar, Beasley (Novo 90), Thomson, Ferguson, Whittaker, Cousin (Darcheville 46), Boyd. Subs Not Used: Carroll, Broadfoot, Emslie, Shinnie, Fleck.
Goals: Beasley 52, Darcheville 76.
Att: 11,544
Ref: D McDonald
http://media.putfile.com/Kilmarnock-Rangers-Aug-25-2007
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