Three Stars of the Game
Inspiration: After each National Hockey League game — the local media votes for the ‘Three Stars of the Game’ — basically the Man of the Match — but as a treble! So in that spirt – here are Rangers Three Stars of the Game.
First Star: Dean Shiels – didn’t see much of the ball in the match – but when he did he looked to pounce & move the ball into attack. His pass cleared open some space for a Stevie Smith cross that was knocked in for the own goal. Then in the second half, it was pure hustle, pace, & sheer desire that created the go-ahead goal as he chased onto the ball that Kris Boyd had leaked through the Bairns defence.
Second Star: Lee McCulloch – continues his steadying influence in Rangers defence as he was called upon repeatedly to kill the play – especially in the second half. His positioning was sound & he had just enough pace to stay ahead of the attack.
Third Star: Darren McGregor – it was a choppy match that meant Rangers couldn’t afford any breakdowns defensively. Bilel Mohsni had a turnover that turned into Falkirk’s opener early on. After that, the back four went on lockdown & McGregor was particularly flawless. His marking was spot on & when he was called upon to make a play – his tackling was clean & decisive.
Honorable Mention
Ian Black appeared to be in a sour mood all game long, which meant he was clearly getting under the skins of the opponent. While his play wasn’t particularly strong, as Rangers’ midfield struggled to dictate play – his goal was pure class & will be among the candidates for the teams’ goal of the year.
Dishonorable Mentions
Absolutely nothing is clicking for Kris Boyd as of late. Of course, he was largely a victim of poor & non-existent service, but when the ball did reach Boyd he couldn’t latch onto it to create a chance. A few balls were sent into space for Boyd to chase down, but they were hopeful efforts that Boyd had little chance to reach. When he did create space for a potential chance on goal, the passes went wayward. It’ll be curious to see if Jon Daly is called upon to give Boyd a break or if Ally McCoist will soldier on with his struggling forward…For the second straight match, Fraser Aird struggled to make an impact as he has hit a lull in play.
