Rangers Rise with Solid Win Over St Mirren

Rangers took a step closer to the top of the Scottish Premiership with a convincing 2-0 victory against St Mirren at the SMiSA Stadium on Saturday night. This win marked the Gers' 10th triumph in their last 12 matches, allowing them to close the gap to just one point behind leaders Celtic. After draws against Dundee and Hearts, Rangers were eager to leave no doubts about their title aspirations. Ryan Naderi opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 18th minute, following a foul on James Penrice. The decision was met with skepticism, with Sky Sports' co-commentator James McFadden labeling it “softer than soft.” Just after the hour mark, Dan Neil doubled the lead with a deflected shot that put Rangers firmly in control, extending their unbeaten streak across all competitions to 12 games. With this win, Rangers now sit just one point behind Celtic, who have the chance to extend their lead back to four points with a match against Kilmarnock on Sunday. Chris Sutton weighed in on the penalty decision, suggesting that Penrice had outsmarted referee Nick Walsh. "There has to be sufficient contact,” he remarked, doubting the validity of the call. In a post-match interview, Penrice seemed uncertain about the penalty, stating, "I feel the contact and he dangled a leg. I couldn’t get the ball." Sutton later suggested that Penrice's comments indicated he wasn’t fully convinced it was a foul. Kris Boyd added a light-hearted twist, saying, "It doesn’t matter if it’s a soft boiled egg or a hard boiled egg, it’s still a boiled egg." After the match, Rangers boss Derek McInnes expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance. "When we were good, we were very good," he noted. "We controlled the game well, and getting that second goal took it away from them. We could have scored more, but we’re pleased to take home the three points."