St. Johnstone vs Rangers. Scottish Premiership.
McDiarmid ParkAttendance7,487.
Report and free match highlights as St Johnstone shock Rangers with a 2-1 victory; James Brown scored a stunning opener with Nicky Clark adding a second; James Tavernier pulled one back for Rangers; the Ibrox side trail Celtic by seven points in the title race
Sunday 6 November 2022 20:15, UK
St Johnstone piled the pressure on under-fire Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst with a shock 2-1 victory at McDiarmid Park.
The Ibrox side now trail Celtic by seven points in the Scottish Premiership title race after failing to take their early chances.
They piled on the pressure in the first half but a stunning goal from James Brown saw the hosts take a half-time lead, with Nicky Clark doubling their advantage.
James Tavernier pulled a goal back in the 74th minute before John Lundstram smashed a shot off the underside of the bar, but they could not find an equaliser.
St Johnstone's first victory over Rangers since 2017 sees them up to sixth in the Scottish Premiership while there are now big questions about Van Bronckhorst's Ibrox future, less than a year after he took charge.
Rangers started the game strongly and in the sixth minute Elliot Parish had to save Malik Tillman's effort from a tight angle, following Tavernier's cross
Minutes later, Parish dived low to his left to push a decent Lundstram drive around the post for a corner and the home side emerged unscathed.
In the 11th minute, Antonio Colak should have done much better when he was sent through on goal by Tillman but veteran Perth defender Andrew Considine ensured the Croatia striker did not get a shot on goal.
As the siege on the St Johnstone goal continued, Gers winger Fashion Sakala leapt above defender Adam Montgomery to head a Borna Barisic corner off the crossbar.
However, against the run of play, the home side took the lead and it all started when a mix-up between Lundstram and Sakala gave possession away.
Rangers still had a chance to take control but that was passed up, and when Saints striker Stevie May's shot from the edge of the box was blocked out to Brown, he thundered a drive high past Gers 'keeper Allan McGregor for a landmark goal.
It was the third successive league game in which Rangers had conceded first and it turned the second half into a huge 45 minutes, but the Ibrox side were less than convincing.
Parish made a comfortable save from Ryan Kent's long-distance drive in the 56th minute but it was clear the home side had grown in confidence.
Alfredo Morelos and Scott Arfield replaced Ben Davies and Tillman on the hour mark before the home side doubled their lead.
May beat 18-year-old Gers defender Leon King on the byline and Clark got in front of Barisic at the near post to flick his cross past McGregor and immediately the huge travelling support turned their ire on Van Bronckhorst.
Rangers rallied as Lundstram sent a left-footed shot from the edge of the box just off the outside of the post before Tavernier (74) beat Parish with a shot from the edge of the box, after Considine headed clear a corner.
Back in the game, the Govan side piled on the pressure.
Lundstram hit the bar with a powerful 25-yard drive before Parish saved a Tavernier header and a long-distance effort from Lundstram, but the desperate Light Blues ran out of time - and so too, perhaps, has Van Bronckhorst.
Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst is determined to turn things around at Ibrox:
"We are very disappointed with the result, but we need to look forward.
"It's always difficult to take losses, especially when you are the manager or player of a big club because you know you are expected to win.
"Determination is always there. All you can do is work hard, but that doesn't mean you always win matches.
"You have to prepare the team well, but today it was not good enough.
"That's five points dropped in three league games and that's too much. Obviously people are not happy and we are not happy as well."
St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson insists there is even more to come from his players:
"It's a new squad, but we've been working really hard and you're starting to see the quality players that we've got.
"We knew Rangers would have a lot of possession and would come at us, we had to withstand that.
"I thought the boys were brilliant today, they understood what was going to happen and how to deal with it and we took our chances when they came along."
St Johnstone head to St Mirren on Wednesday at 7.45pm before hosting Motherwell on Saturday November 12 at 3pm.
Rangers welcome Hearts on Wednesday at the same time before travelling to St Mirren three days later live on Sky Sports. Kick-off is at 12.30pm.
