Dundee 2-1 Rangers: Problems continue for troubled Gers as Mark O'Hara and Kevin Holt see off caretaker boss Graeme Murty's side
- Mid-table Dundee heap misery on troubled Rangers with shock victory
- Mark O'Hara and Kevin Holt gave hosts deserved 2-0 lead at half-time
- Joe Garner pulled one back for caretaker manager Graeme Murty's side
- Murty's frustrations at missed chances saw him do a backwards roll
- Rangers are now 30 points behind Celtic; Dundee go sixth in the table
Alex McLeish can start polishing the old brown brogues, preparing for a phonecall from Rangers which now looks unavoidable.
As interviews begin for a new director of football, the Ibrox board no doubt hoped they could buy some time. That they might limp to the end of the season, snatching second place in the SPFL Premiership by hook or by crook.
Six points behind Aberdeen after one league win in their last six, that now looks optimistic; a gamble they can't afford to take. More of this and a battle for third is more likely than a dog-fight for second.
Scroll down for video...
Mark O'Hara (left, dark blue) scored the first Dundee goal past keeper Wes Foderingham
Kevin Holt extended the lead for Dundee with a finely placed free kick before half time
It was a poor day for Rangers caretaker Graeme Murty, who could barely watch at times
No harm to Graeme Murty. Pitched into an all-consuming omnishambles, the club's Under 20 coach can't be blamed for what transpired here.
The interim manager admitted the performance was 'not acceptable', criticising the attitude and application of his players in the first half.
Whether Rangers can rely on an inexperienced coach to fix things in the remaining weeks of the season is now the question.
Credit where it's due. Their first Dens Park win over Rangers since a fedora-wearing Simon Stainrod added a dash of style to a 4-3 win in August 1992, Dundee were terrific here.
Without a league win in 2017, Paul Hartley's side have been occasional visitors to the top six. They return to the upper half of the league on the back of an outstanding, harrying victory which shows they can't be brushed aside easily on their own turf.
Unbeaten in six home games since losing to Partick Thistle at the end of October, Dundee grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck, carving a deserved two-goal lead at half-time through man-of-the-match Mark O'Hara and Kevin Holt.
Hartley's only regret afterwards — if there was one — was the scoreline. It might have been more comfortable.
Offering too little, too late, Rangers showed some old failings. Physically and mentally weak, passive and bullied, Murty noted the failure of his players to cope with adversity.
O'Hara celebrates his goal which came after a fine cross by striker Henrik Ojamaa
Dundee's win puts them into the top half, while Rangers are now 30 points behind Rangers
They showed more in the second half, Joe Garner's fourth goal for the club followed by a yellow card which rules him out of the Celtic game in three weeks' time. For Rangers, another trip to Parkhead currently holds all the appeal of a day-trip to Mexico on Air Force One.
Dundee started with purpose and intent, hassling the Ibrox side from the off.
Hartley ordered his team to get in the faces of their opponents, pressing the game high up the pitch
They almost scored with the very first move of the game from kick-off, Craig Wighton's surging run to the byeline picking out the determined O'Hara for a header. Dundee's scorer when Rangers won 2-1 here early in the season, the No 14 was merely finding his range for the opener in 11 minutes.
It came again from Dundee danger on the left flank, Estonian Henrik Ojamaa finding space to cut the ball back across the face of goal where O'Hara had time and space to compose himself and strike a low left-foot shot off the inside of the post.
Joe Garner pulled one back for Rangers with a rifled low finish but it was not enough
Rangers have endured a disappointing season with ex-boss Mark Warburton dismissed
'It was my first goal with my left foot,' said the scorer. Few of the hits with his right can possibly have felt any sweeter.
Rangers, frankly, were all over the place. Rob Kiernan starting in central defence for the first time since a 4-1 defeat to Hearts, Lee Hodson also deputised for the injured captain Lee Wallace at left-back.
More improvisation became necessary when Clint Hill, clattered in the first minute of the game, limped from the field with blurred vision to be replaced by Danny Wilson. The loss of Hill for any length of time is one Rangers can ill afford.
For half an hour, they couldn't get going. Garner's downward header from a James Tavernier cross was their first effort on goal in the 37th minute.
Kenny Miller's first-time volley from a looping Andy Halliday ball finally gave Scott Bain a save to make seconds later.
Rangers were out-run and out-fought during the first half as they went 2-0 behind
Caretaker boss Murty saw Rangers lose 2-1 against Dundee on Sunday at Dens Park
But Dundee were the more purposeful and aggressive team. Their second goal four minutes before half-time surprised almost no one.
O'Hara — the youthful man-of- the-match — was heading for the Rangers area with purpose and drive when he was tripped a yard short of the line by Wilson.
Left-back Kevin Holt had a crowded area to aim at. Driving the ball towards the back post through a ruck of bodies, Rangers keeper Wes Foderingham didn't cover himself in glory, touching the ball before it spun into the net for 2-0.
The 4,500 away fans within Dens Park made their feelings known at half-time. They had every right.
If it's beyond this team to produce flowing, free-scoring football augmented by solid defence, they can at least put a shift in. In the second 45 minutes, they managed that much.
It was understandable, probably inevitable, that Dundee would be a more tentative team.
Murty was in an animated mood on the touchline on Sunday afternoon
Murty was seen rolling around the floor at Dens Park as he slammed his side's performance
They have been in winning positions against Rangers rarely. As Miller sought to drag the game up by the scruff of the neck, they looked at times as if they had no idea whether to stick or twist.
Tavernier's free-kick from 20 yards was pushed over by Bain within five minutes of the restart.
For all the urgency and tempo shown by the visitors, however, it took 62 minutes for Rangers to get a foot back in the game.
For £1.8million, Garner has delivered a fairly pitiful return of three goals. Cutting in from the left and taking the time and space, he thumped a right-foot shot which Bain appeared to have covered until the ball swerved at the last moment. Rangers had a lifeline.
The caretaker manager was seen in a headstand position as his emotions got the better of him
The Under 20s coach was amusingly seen rolling around on the floor during the match
Miller's deflected shot off the post came as the visitors ramped up the momentum and tempo.
Unmarked substitute Harry Forrester really should have claimed a point when he blazed a glorious back-post chance over the bar from six yards from a Garner flick-on.
Dundee breathed again. As if realising attack was the best form of defence, they had a feeble penalty claim rightly rejected by referee Craig Thomson when O'Hara went down easily under Wilson's attentions.
Their best chance to add to the lead came from a solo run from young Wighton with seven minutes to play, Foderingham blocking a low shot with his legs.
The anxiety almost killed Dundee. However, a week since the departure of the Magic Hat, they had cause to revel in the 25th anniversary of Stainrod's fedora.
Most watched Sport videos
- England manager Sarina Wiegman slams coach-player relationships
- David Seaman on Southgate, England & EURO 2024
- Heartwarming moment NY Red Bulls players give their coats to mascots
- New York Jets star Sauce Gardner claims Jewish people 'run the world'
- Gareth Southgate comments on design change of new England shirt
- Fake clip claiming to show Swift and Kelce falling off a swing
- Travis and Jason Kelce CLASH over who would win a drinking contest
- Shocking moment footy star strikes rival during heated contest
- Barstool Sports chief vows to double money for family of slain officer
- Steph Houghton trains with England team mates ahead of World Cup
- YouTuber buys Marcus Rashford's wrecked £700k Rolls-Royce
- Kelce dances to Taylor Swift's 'Bad Blood' on the golf course