Rangers 0-0 Celtic: The Bluenose view

McGregor penalty stop keeps Gers on top

By ALAN POTTS

Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor was the hero of the hour as Gers managed to keep their place on top of the SPL pile.

It may have been the gaffers final outing but Walter Smith could only watch from the side as the Champions failed to take any chances to increase their gap at the top of the table.

After 56 Derby mayhem clashes the man with only one name will disappear over the horizon leaving the madness of this game behind him.

For the SEVENTH time this season these sides went into battle and for one of the only times this season we can actually talk about the game.

There was no side-line battles, no major police incidents and no invites to join the First Minister for a little chat in Edinburgh.

For the Rangers supporters it was a case of what might have been and in the cold light of day most of them will be honest enough to admit that their greatest rivals now have the championship in their hands.

Smith set up his side in a 4-4-2 formation with Bougherra and Weir being flanked by Whittaker and Papac. Youngster Gregg Wylde returned to the left midfield berth in the hope that he could once again give the Hoops right-back Mark Wilson the run around. The two Steve’s partnered the youngster along with the fans fall guy Mo Edu. Jelavic and Lafferty were paired up top as Smith looked to re-enact the glorious CIS Cup success of last month.

For American midfielder Mo Edu it was another day to forget, as he struggled to get going for his full 83 minutes on the park. Surely it is time for Smith to rest him for a few games as the player is clearly lacking in confidence and seems very much like a rabbit caught in the headlights.

This is not the type of player that the club can afford to be carrying as the season rapidly draws to a close.

Thankfully for the Gers support keeper Allan McGregor seems to be back to his best and he was the hero of the day as he produced a string of top drawer saves as well as clawing away a Georgios Samaras penalty with only nine minutes remaining.

The keepers magnificent save from 12 yards no doubt keeps the Gers in the title hunt with only four games remaining. He also pulled off point blank saves from Izaguirre and Majstorovic to keep the Light Blues in with a shout as both clubs approach the end of what seems to have been a marathon season.

With the talk of bomb scares and warnings of fan trouble seemingly overshadowing the game itself, both sets of supporters should be applauded for their behaviour throughout.

Celtic boss Neil Lennon will again hit the headlines as he seemed to cover his ears as he left the park and no doubt some supporters will claim that he provoked the supporters. . . .yes it was stupid but a lot of these same guys were seen to be shouting abuse at the Hoops boss for most of the afternoon.

He is not my favourite person by any means but if grown men are offended by a man covering his ears after some of them have spent 90 minutes screaming at the Celtic boss then they do need to have a long look in the mirror.

Other than McGregor, none of the Rangers players had a spectacular afternoon. Kyle Lafferty did put himself about in the early stages but tired as the game wore on and was done no favours when he was pushed to left wing to accommodate the introduction of John Fleck.

Chances fell to Lafferty and Naismith but neither hit the target and substitute El Hadji Diouf sent a last minute freekick past the post but other than that Hoops keeper Forster was rarely troubled.

Referee Craig Thomson – the man who denied Gers a penalty in the CIS Cup Final - angered the Light Blues on several occasions throughout the 90 minutes. Numerous handballs from the visitors frustrated the Rangers faithful but the whistler refused to act and when Samaras pushed over veteran Davie Weir, three sides of Ibrox screamed for a red card.

Weir did fall over a little too readily but the Greek striker was foolish to raise his hands in such a big game and he deserved his booking. Weir on the other hand was given a yellow for what seemed like little more than complaining.

The whistler rounded off a less than perfect day by awarding what looked like a very soft penalty as sub Stokes clattered into Steve Davis. The Hoops players and fans behind the goal couldn’t believe their luck as the man in black pointed to the spot.

From a Rangers point of view the save was probably what the home side deserved but had Samaras stroked the ball home then a lot of fingers would have been pointed towards the man in the middle.

As the whistle blew Hoops boss Lennon ran onto the park to celebrate picking up a point and leaving his side in charge of the title run in.

For Walter Smith he bows out of the Old Firm madness wondering what might have been. His side missed chances but he will know that his rivals could easily have left Ibrox with all three points.

It leaves the Light Blues relying on others in the SPL to do them a favour as they aim to give Walter the perfect leaving present.

Rangers Man of the Match: Allan McGregor

Had the kind of afternoon that every keeper dreams of. A penalty stop and two point blank saves against your biggest rivals is like scoring the last minute winner for a striker. It might just be enough to keep Gers in the title race as the keeper showed why the Light Blues are desperately trying to keep their number one at the club.

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