Rangers closed the gap at the top of the Scottish Premier League table to two points with a comfortable 4-0 win at Kilmarnock.
Four-star Gers cruise past Killie
Rangers closed the gap at the top of the Scottish Premier League table to two points with a comfortable 4-0 win at Kilmarnock.
The Gers started slowly and although Kris Boyd had a 28th-minute penalty saved by Alan Combe, the result never looked in doubt from that point on.
It took until the 50th minute for David Weir to make the breakthrough and four minutes later Boyd struck against his former club.
Kenny Miller and substitute Steven Whittaker then scored in the last three minutes to ensure Walter Smith's men got back to winning ways after being held at home by Dundee United last time out.
Boyd has been a regular scorer against Kilmarnock since leaving Rugby Park for Ibrox in January 2006 and from the outset looked determined to score against Killie again.
The first chance of a quiet opening saw Madjid Bougherra nod on a Kevin Thomson long ball for Boyd, whose far-post header was blocked by home goalkeeper Combe.
The hosts threatened as Willie Gibson fired wide from David Fernandez's lay-off before Donovan Simmonds headed over from Jamie Hamill's pass.
Penalty miss
Rangers replied by winning a penalty as Grant Murray was rightly punished for tripping Boyd, although he hit the spot-kick straight down the middle and Combe stood firm to make a fine block.
Boyd was eager to make amends and just five minutes later smashed a 30-yard free-kick against Combe's crossbar.
Pedro Mendes then picked out Nacho Novo in the box and the Spanish striker was unlucky to see his shot hit a post.
Boyd was back to the fore just before the break as he beat the offside trap and went down under a challenge by Combe but this time a penalty wasn't given.
Kyle Lafferty replaced Novo at the interval and the visitors were soon rewarded with the opening goal, Thomson floating in a right-wing corner and Weir losing his marker Simmonds to head home at the far post.
Rangers then caught Kilmarnock on the counter-attack, with Miller's diagonal ball from the right teeing up Boyd to fire first-time past Combe from just inside the box.
Thomson was stretchered off late on after suffering what looked like a serious knee injury but Miller headed home from just two yards out from a Steve Davis cross.
Thomson's replacement Whittaker then produced a deft finish to lob Combe after Broadfoot's cross deflected into his path.
