END OF AN ERA
Rangers 1 Aberdeen 2: Derek McInnes’ Dons end 26 years of Ibrox pain with win in Govan
Goals from Graeme Shinnie and on-loan Celtic starlet Ryan Christie clinched a famous win for the Reds
THEY reluctantly shook hands at time up.
But by the look of it, what they really wanted to do was grab each other by the throat.
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It’s fair to say there was no love lost at Ibrox last night where Pedro Caixinha and Derek McInnes were concerned.
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For the first time in 26 years, no less, Aberdeen won at Ibrox.
Their supporters hadn’t celebrated a victory here since 1991 when goals from Eoin Jess and Brian Grant earned them a 2-0 win.
Here it was Graeme Shinnie and Ryan Christie who were their goal heroes, and while Martyn Waghorn scored for Rangers, the home side cannot say they didn’t get what they deserved.
McInnes certainly thought so and he seemed to tell Caixinha as much after the final whistle, with the pair exchanging angry words.
Maybe now the Ibrox boss will realise he shouldn’t have talked so much about Aberdeen beforehand.
It’s quite amazing, though, to think Alex Smith was the last Dons manager to win against Rangers at Ibrox before last night.
Those 41 matches since must have felt like a lifetime for the away fans inside the ground.
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Coming here for this one, though, there must have been more belief and confidence in McInnes’ side than in so many of their previous attempts.
Especially when they took one look at the Light Blues line-up they were facing.
In years gone by the Rangers team-sheet was a who’s who of Scottish football. Last night it was a who’s he?
Young Aiden Wilson was given his debut at centre-half, the 18-year-old partnering 20-year-old David Bates at the back.
They’re two young Scottish kids who will hopefully have big futures in the game.
And it says a lot for them that Caixinha was prepared to pitch them both in together for a game like this.
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But there’s no getting away from the fact it must have been a boost for the visitors even before a ball was kicked.
There was certainly an unfamiliarity to begin with that keeper Wes Foderingham didn’t seem comfortable with.
Twice inside the opening eight minutes he hesitated when he should have come off his line to clear balls which were awkward for the kids to deal with.
When Aberdeen took the lead, though, it had nothing to do with Bates or Wilson.
Josh Windass and Jon Toral were the two players who looked none too clever as Shinnie stormed through on goal to score.
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It was an ultra-confident finish from the Dons skipper, but the space he was allowed to power through, then lift his head and pick his spot was incredible.
Rangers left-back Lee Hodson limped off with an ankle injury shortly after going behind.
It meant Myles Beerman had to get stripped for action, with the 19-year-old bringing down the age of the Ibrox defence even further.
Aberdeen started to play with a real swagger after that.
Kenny McLean had a great game and he tried his luck with a volley straight from a corner.
Had the ball not been blocked we would have been looking at strike of the season.
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Christie then hit the deck and claimed for a penalty, but referee John Beaton rightly waved him away, with his gaffer McInnes even demanding his midfielder get back up on his feet.
Rangers’ first proper attempt on goal came after 18 minutes when Kenny Miller charged the ball down and quickly fed it to Joe Garner, but the striker’s effort curled wide.
Aberdeen were by far the better side and they really should have gone 2-0 ahead.
After 38 minutes, patient play from a corner saw Andrew Considine nod the ball across goal for Ash Taylor.
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The big stopper had the goal at his mercy, but his shot was saved brilliantly by Foderingham.
Even then, from the resultant corner, Adam Rooney had an opportunity inside the six-yard box, but he just couldn’t hit the target.
McLean also brought another top- class save from Foderingham with a free-kick which was heading for the top corner before the keeper got a hand to it.
Caixinha had to do something at the break to try and turn the game.
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His answer was to take off Joe Dodoo, who had been anonymous in the first half, and throw on Waghorn, but Aberdeen continued to attack at will, with Caixinha’s defence all over the place.
Rooney and McLean both had chances in front of goal with Rangers surviving by the skin of their teeth.
But in the 51st minute they ran out of luck.
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Niall McGinn crossed from the left, with Rooney back nodding across to Christie, who glanced a lovely little header into the far corner of the net.
At that point there was only going to be one winner.
But on the hour mark Windass threaded a ball through for Waghorn, who scored with a fantastic clip over Joe Lewis.
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Suddenly, out of nothing, it was game on.
There was real tension out on the pitch and down on the touchline, with fourth official Alan Newlands having a job on his hands keeping Caixinha and McInnes apart.
The two rival managers had plenty to say to each other going into the final ten minutes.
McInnes’ mood wasn’t helped by his sub Jayden Stockley who was sent off in the 88th minutes for two bookable offences.
It meant it was backs to the wall for the Dons in the closing stages, but they held on to triumph.
The Verdict
RANGERS: Foderingham 8, Tavernier 5, Bates 4, Wilson 6, Hodson 3 (Beerman 6), McKay 5, Miller 6, Toral 5 (Barjonas 4), Windass 5, Dodoo 4 (Waghorn 6), Garner 6.
Booked: Miller, Bates
ABERDEEN: Lewis 7, Logan 7, Taylor 7, Reynolds 7, Considine 7, O’Connor 7, Christie 7, Shinnie 7, McLean 8, Rooney 6 (Stockley 4), McGinn 6.
Booked: Stockley, Considine.
Sent off: Stockley
REFEREE: John Beaton 6
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