Scottish Championship
RangersRangers4DumbartonDumbarton0

Scottish Championship: Rangers 4-0 Dumbarton

By Richard WilsonBBC Scotland at Ibrox

Rangers moved three points clear at the top of the Championship with a convincing victory over Dumbarton.

The Ibrox side had to be patient, but Jason Holt gave them the lead just after the break.

Goals from Martyn Waghorn, Nathan Oduwa and Andy Halliday made it a comfortable evening for Mark Warburton's men, who have now collected 40 of a possible 45 points in the league this season.

Interviews - Mark Warburton & Stephen Aitken

Dumbarton's Steven Saunders was sent off late on for fouling Lee Wallace.

The visitors hoped that wiliness would come to their aid at Ibrox. Their starting line-up contained seven players with experience of playing in Scottish football's top-flight. In comparison, only two members of Rangers' line-up had featured at that level.

Often, Dumbarton striker Steven Craig was left isolated up front, although in the opening 10 minutes the visitors did make ground in the final third.

Midfielder Grant Gallagher felt he should have earned a penalty after going to ground under Rob Kiernan's challenge following a fine bit of skill inside the area, but referee Crawford Allan was unmoved.

Rangers fans were forced to vacate a section of the Sandy Jardine stand on safety grounds at half-time
Rangers fans were forced to vacate a section of the Sandy Jardine stand on safety grounds at half-time

The tendency was for Rangers to try to pick passes through a cluttered defence, but they were at their most incisive when they made headway down the flanks. Barrie McKay lifted a ball into the left-hand channel of the penalty area, and Lee Wallace's volley was pushed away by the diving Mark Brown.

On the other wing, James Tavernier crossed for Nicky Clark, whose header from close range was clawed just over the crossbar by Brown. Rangers also had their own penalty claim, when Dominic Ball fell near the byline, but again Allan was unconvinced by the appeals.

Just as the players were about to kick-off after the break, a security official alerted the referee to the fact that an area of the Sandy Jardine stand needed to be cleared due to an issue with part of the roof overhead. The fans were moved to the Broomloan Road stand before the game eventually kicked-off again.

Martyn Waghorn celebrates scoring Rangers' second against Dumbarton
Martyn Waghorn celebrates scoring Rangers' second against Dumbarton

Rangers were unaffected by the delay, since they quickly and decisively cut through the Dumbarton defence. Holt fed Tavernier before sprinting into the penalty area to convert the full-back's cross from close range.

As the Dumbarton players tired, the home side found their focus. Waghorn curled a shot over, but moments later a break upfield ended with him sweeping the ball with precision and power into the top right-hand corner of the net.

Other chances were spurned, with Tavernier heading against the bar and the substitute Jordan Thompson flashing a volley wide.

Oduwa was accurate enough from Wallace's cross to score the third, before Wallace was tripped inside the penalty area as he ran clear, leading to Saunders' dismissal and Halliday adding the fourth from the penalty spot.

Rangers were ruthless after the break to earn an emphatic victory.

Line-ups

Rangers

Formation 4-3-3

  • 25Foderingham
  • 2Tavernier
  • 6Ball
  • 4Kiernan
  • 5Wallace
  • 8ZelalemSubstituted forMillerat 62'minutes
  • 16Halliday
  • 23Holt
  • 33WaghornSubstituted forOduwaat 77'minutes
  • 19McKaySubstituted forThompsonat 62'minutes
  • 14Clark

Substitutes

  • 9Miller
  • 10Oduwa
  • 20Aird
  • 32Kelly
  • 42Hardie
  • 45Thompson
  • 50McCrorie

Dumbarton

Formation 4-4-1-1

  • 1Brown
  • 4SaundersBooked at 87mins
  • 22Wright
  • 14Barr
  • 3Docherty
  • 7CawleySubstituted forLindsayat 63'minutes
  • 8Gallagher
  • 17RoutledgeSubstituted forBrownat 63'minutes
  • 13Gibson
  • 12CraigSubstituted forBrophyat 67'minutes
  • 9Fleming

Substitutes

  • 5Buchanan
  • 16Waters
  • 18Lindsay
  • 19Ewings
  • 21Brown
  • 23Ross
  • 24Brophy
Referee:
Crawford Allan
Attendance:
37,182

Match Stats

Home TeamRangersAway TeamDumbarton
Possession
Home68%
Away32%
Shots
Home20
Away2
Shots on Target
Home6
Away1
Corners
Home12
Away0
Fouls
Home8
Away9

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Rangers 4, Dumbarton 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Rangers 4, Dumbarton 0.

  3. Goal!

    Goal! Rangers 4, Dumbarton 0. Andy Halliday (Rangers) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the top right corner.

  4. Dismissal

    Steven Saunders (Dumbarton) is shown the red card.

  5. Post update

    Penalty Rangers. Lee Wallace draws a foul in the penalty area.

  6. Post update

    Penalty conceded by Steven Saunders (Dumbarton) after a foul in the penalty area.

  7. Post update

    Mark Docherty (Dumbarton) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  8. Post update

    Foul by Nathan Oduwa (Rangers).

  9. Post update

    Andy Halliday (Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  10. Post update

    Foul by Jamie Lindsay (Dumbarton).

  11. Goal!

    Goal! Rangers 3, Dumbarton 0. Nathan Oduwa (Rangers) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Lee Wallace.

  12. Substitution

    Substitution, Rangers. Nathan Oduwa replaces Martyn Waghorn.

  13. Post update

    Attempt missed. Martyn Waghorn (Rangers) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left.

  14. Post update

    Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Mark Brown.

  15. Post update

    Attempt saved. Jordan Thompson (Rangers) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.

  16. Post update

    Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Mark Docherty.

  17. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Nicky Clark (Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

  18. Substitution

    Substitution, Dumbarton. Eamonn Brophy replaces Steven Craig.

  19. Post update

    Foul by Nicky Clark (Rangers).

  20. Post update

    Steven Saunders (Dumbarton) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Scores, Results & Fixtures

Tuesday 1st December 2015

As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Rangers1513114493540
2Hibernian15121228101837
3Falkirk1594229131631
4Morton166551616023
5Raith Rovers157261921-223
6Queen of Sth166371725-821
7St Mirren152671423-912
8Livingston1532101723-611
9Dumbarton1532101431-1711
10Alloa151212734-275
View full Scottish Championship table