Scottish Premier League - Rangers stay top

Eurosport - Sun, 21 Sep 19:29:00 2008

Rangers beat Motherwell 2-1 thanks to second half goals from Steven Davis and Nacho Novo to stay three points clear of Celtic in the SPL.

FOOTBALL Rangers Novo Whittaker - 0

Celtic won 3-1 in a later match at Kilmarnock with Greek striker Georgios Samaras scoring twice before the champions were reduced to 10 men with two minutes remaining.

Rangers have 16 points from six games with Celtic in second place on 13.

David Clarkson hooked a late consolation goal for Motherwell but manager Mark McGhee was bitterly disappointed.

"I felt it was the worst performance that we have had since I have been at the football club," he said. "I have never felt as disappointed as I do today about a performance."

Davis clipped a neat shot over sprawling keeper Graeme Smith to give Rangers the lead on 56 minutes after Kenny Miller flicked on a long kick out by keeper Neil Alexander.

Spanish striker Nacho Novo bundled in the second in the 75th, just three minutes after coming on as a substitute for American midfielder DaMarcus Beasley.

Smith dived out to push away a low cross from Miller but the ball struck Novo as he slid in and it bounced back over the line.

"Motherwell came back into the game near the end and we have not handled that aspect as we should have and that is something to work on," said Rangers manager Walter Smith.

Shaun Maloney missed a 19th minute penalty for Celtic by slashing his shot wide of the right post but he made amends by curling in the opener from 18 metres seven minutes later.

Samaras then scored a magnificent goal after 56 minutes when he charged from the halfway line on the right and cut into the box before swerving a low shot around keeper Alan Combe from seven yards.

Samaras converted a penalty for 3-0 before Celtic defender Gary Caldwell was sent off for handling on the line to give Kilmarnock a spot kick.

Moroccan Mehdi Taouil cracked it down the middle and through the legs of Polish keeper Artur Boruc.

Reuters

Comment 15 - 34 of 34

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  1. WILMATEDFORD, WELL SAID HE PISSES EVERYONE OF GLAD YOU SAID WHAT YOU SAID, I HAVE BEEN SAYING THAT FOR DAYS HE DOES NOT SPEAK ABOUT FOOTBALL JUST SLAGS PEOPLE OF, I DONT THINK HE KNOWS ABOUT FOOTBALL, BUT TO BE FAIR TO HIM I THINK HE ONLY COPIES WHAT OTHER PEOPLE WRITE.

    From THE HOOPS, on Tue 23 Sep 8:02AM

  2. WILLIAM FYFE AND PAUL G I AM A BLUENOSE AND I FIND YOUR COMMENTS TO BE DESPICABLE.PEOPLE LIKE YOU GIVE US A BAD NAME WHY DON,T YOU JUST LEAVE YOUR COMPUTERS OFF AND LET PEOPLE COMMENT ON FOOTBALL MATTERS TRUE BLUE

    From wilmatedford@..., on Mon 22 Sep 11:01PM

  3. STEVIE B MAYBE GIVES YOU PLEASURE BUT NOT ME I'M A LASS, PAUL G KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT FOOTBALL HE ONLY REPEATS WHAT OTHER PEOPLE WRITE.HAIL HAIL.

    From THE HOOPS, on Mon 22 Sep 7:17PM

  4. ME - don't call PAUL G a fanny... Fannies give us pleasure!!.. Hold it!!.. So does PAUL G, by giving us the ammo to slag him off!!

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Mon 22 Sep 5:01PM

  5. I think PAUL G should take all of Celtic's penalties!!.. He's obviously a vastly under-rated talent in the footballing world!! Move over Christiano Ronaldo - PAUL G's here now!! Word to the wise though, Celtic catering staff... Paul disnae like tatties, by the sounds of it!!

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Mon 22 Sep 4:58PM

  6. I THINK SAMARAS SHOULD TAKE THE PENALTIES, MIND YOU HE ONLY JUST SCORED THAT ONE YESTERDAY.

    From THE HOOPS, on Mon 22 Sep 4:07PM

  7. PAUL G THERE YOU GO AGAIN YOUR NOTHING BUT A FANNY. I TAKE IT YOU AND ALL YOUR FAMILY ARE SLIM, NO FAT PEOPLE, APART FROM YOUR FAT HEAD FULL OF @#$%.LOL HAIL HAIL.

    From THE HOOPS, on Mon 22 Sep 4:06PM

  8. Fat boy boruc

    From Paul G CHAMPIONS, on Mon 22 Sep 3:57PM

  9. who do you think should be taking pens for celtic?

    From dfsuk, on Mon 22 Sep 3:06PM

  10. WELL SAID JOHNBOY AND STEVIE B, PAUL G YOU ARE A FANNY,BACK TO COMMENTS ABOUT FOOTBALL YES THE HUNS A TOP, BUT LOOK WHAT HAPPENED LAST SEASON WHEN THEY WERE TOP, EVERYONE SAID THE LEAGUE WAS WON BUT THERE IS A LOT OF FOOTBALL STILL TO PLAY, CELTIC PLAYED WELL YESTERDAY, I THINK STRACHAN NEEDS TO GET THE RIGHT TEAM THEN JUST PLAY THEM, I THOUGHT SAMARAS WAS BRILL, THEY PLAYED SOME GOOD FOOTBALL. HAIL HAIL

    From THE HOOPS, on Mon 22 Sep 2:50PM

  11. Will everybody please lay off PAUL G??.. Have respect for someone who is obviously more intelligent than us mere mortals!!.. I think he's just frustrated because MENSA sent his diploma to ALI G by mistake! Maybe he took delivery of cd's belonging to the government instead, and he's enjoying the "freaky music" on his walkman now!!.. Play them backwards, PAUL G.. There's subliminal messages on them, saying stuff like "PAUL, GET YOURSELF A LIFE AND A PERSONALITY"... LOL!!

    From Singin' Ginger!!, on Mon 22 Sep 2:11PM

  12. me paul G is just a tool that bangs his own sister (mother and cat) all his comments are a waste of time and i have to agree with you he knows nothing about football hail hail

    From johnbhoy, on Mon 22 Sep 11:46AM

  13. Paul g dont you READ your comment before you send it, you seem to repeat yourself,always knew you were thick, why dont you ever say anything about football, you just slag people of,is that because you dont know anything about football,you just copy what other people have already said.HAIL HAIL

    From THE HOOPS, on Mon 22 Sep 10:44AM

  14. paul G i think your brilliant some of the stuff you come out with is pure class i mean you must have the brain power of a dead duck and are you still banging tour sister

    From johnbhoy, on Mon 22 Sep 10:40AM

  15. The famine isnt over, its still going on because on because all they fat players at celtic are eating all the tatties

    From Paul G CHAMPIONS, on Mon 22 Sep 8:17AM

  16. WILLIAM.FYFE, NEVER SEEN YOUR COMMENTS BEFORE, AND IS THAT THE BEST YOU CAN COME UP WITH YOU BIGOT.

    From THE HOOPS, on Mon 22 Sep 8:03AM

  17. NO COMMENT FROM PAUL G HOPE HE WENT INTO HIDING, HE IS A FANNY AND KNOW'S HE IS WITH THOSE COMMENTS OF HIS, HOW THE @#$% CAN HE SAY WE LOOK LIKE STRACHAN, WHEN HE HAS NEVER SEEN US, OR DOES HE MEAN WE SOUND LIKE STRACHAN. LOL HAIL HAIL

    From THE HOOPS, on Mon 22 Sep 7:59AM

  18. And im sure paul g your next responce will answer that .

    From thetwotoedsloth, on Sun 21 Sep 10:46PM

  19. Arnt your knuckles a bit battered paul g they seem to be dragging ?.

    From thetwotoedsloth, on Sun 21 Sep 10:26PM

  20. All you tattie munchers really do look more like strachan every week.

    From Paul G CHAMPIONS, on Sun 21 Sep 10:22PM
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