Ross County vs Rangers. Scottish Premiership.
Global Energy StadiumAttendance6,575.
Steven Gerrard's side behind Celtic on goal difference
Wednesday 30 October 2019 23:35, UK
Rangers ripped Ross County apart 4-0 in a lopsided Scottish Premiership clash to keep pace with Celtic at the top.
On a freezing night in Dingwall, Colombia striker Alfredo Morelos got the visitors up and running in the 20th minute when he knocked in a pass from Sheyi Ojo for his 17th goal of the season.
Returning midfielder Ryan Jack scored twice to have Gers cruising by the interval and Morelos grabbed his second in the 72nd minute keep Steven Gerrard's side behind leaders Celtic - who beat St Mirren 2-0 - by virtue of just one goal.
After a hard-fought win over Motherwell at the weekend, Gerrard - whose side face Hearts in Sunday's Betfred Cup semi-final - made five changes, with Wes Foderingham replacing injured Allan McGregor in goal, while Glen Kamara, Jack, Ojo and Morelos all came back in.
Brian Graham returned for County to partner Ross Stewart in attack, Joe Chalmers was reinstated with Tom Grivosti was back in defence but the Govan side dominated.
In the fourth minute Ojo clipped the post with a right-footed shot after being set up by Joe Aribo on a swift counter-attack.
Then, 10 minutes later, midfielder Scott Arfield played a one-two with Morelos and fired in a right-footed drive which was pushed round the post by Staggies keeper Ross Laidlaw for a corner which came to nothing.
The opening goal came at the end of a slick move involving Aribo and Ojo, who slid the ball across goal for Morelos to steer in at the far post.
The Ibrox side grew in confidence and their second goal came in the 29th minute when Jack pounced on defender Liam Fontaine's clearance at the edge of the box and curled the ball past Laidlaw and into the corner.
County had recovered from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Hibernian at Easter Road at the weekend but this was a different mountain to climb for the Highlanders.
Jack's second goal was with a similarly well-place drive after good work by Aribo and Arfield and the game was effectively over by the break.
Aribo rattled the post from eight yards as Rangers started the second half with as much purpose as they had finished the first. Jack then fired a left-footed effort from 20 yards just wide as the Ibrox men kept the pressure on.
In a rare Ross County attack in the 68th minute, Ross Draper's deflected drive from distance took a deflection and wrong-footed Foderingham but rebounded off the post.
Rangers ran up the park moments later and Morelos hammered in a fourth past Laidlaw from 10 yards before immediately making way for Jermain Defoe, with the visitors keeping a tight grip on the game with impressive energy until the end.
