Late goal keeps Rangers on track for Old Firm double-header

WHAT HAPPENED
Rangers were spared a damaging result at Ibrox when Bojan Miovski scored in stoppage time to secure a late winner against St Mirren. Hundreds of home supporters had begun leaving as the game drew to a goalless close, but the late strike prompted exuberant celebrations from players and staff once the referee blew the final whistle.

The timing of the goal was particularly important because Celtic beat St Johnstone by the same margin elsewhere, meaning Rangers would have fallen seven points behind the champions had they failed to win. The result leaves Rangers unbeaten in five home matches.

KEY CONTEXT
- Derek McInnes has pointed to a recent run in which Rangers have won six of seven matches, including four consecutive victories, and noted the team has conceded only via an own goal in that period. He also described the squad as a work in progress that must keep improving.
- Since a 5-1 League Cup win over St Mirren at Ibrox a month earlier, Rangers’ subsequent victories have been by one-goal margins.
- Former Rangers player Andy Halliday told BBC Radio Scotland that the team’s first-half showing on Saturday was strong and that their defending off the ball has shown notable improvement over the past three or four games, but he also judged that Rangers lost control in the second half and became desperate before the late winner.
- McInnes’ options up front have been affected by the long-term absences of Youssef Chermiti and summer signing Lawrence Shankland, who began the season as the intended first-choice strikers.

WHY IT MATTERS
The late goal arrested momentum losses that would have left Rangers significantly adrift of Celtic early in the campaign and preserved home‑ground confidence ahead of two high-profile fixtures against their city rivals. McInnes’ comments underline that, despite recent results, he views the squad as still developing and in need of improvement to achieve its objectives. Observers such as Halliday highlight a contrast between promising attacking play in the first half and a lack of control or cutting edge later on — a balance that will be pivotal in coming fixtures.

WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
- Rangers face Celtic in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final on Sunday, followed by a Premiership trip to Celtic Park a week later; both matches were flagged in the coverage as immediate tests.
- Whether McInnes can find greater consistency in the second half of games and more ruthlessness in the final third, given the striker absences noted.
- If the recent pattern of narrow wins continues or the team can produce more convincing scorelines like the earlier 5-1 victory over St Mirren.

KEY FACTS
- Bojan Miovski scored a stoppage-time winner to beat St Mirren at Ibrox.
- Celtic beat St Johnstone by the same scoreline, meaning Rangers avoided falling seven points behind.
- Rangers are unbeaten in five home matches and have won four consecutive home games since losing to Hibernian.
- Since the 5-1 League Cup victory over St Mirren a month ago, Rangers’ four subsequent wins have all been by one-goal margins.
- Youssef Chermiti and Lawrence Shankland are long-term absentees from Rangers’ attacking options.