Rangers1
Celtic1
RANGERS came within three minutes of virtually clinching another premier division title yesterday. For, no matter what anyone said beforehand, a victory for the Ibrox men would surely have sent them striding towards the eighth successive championship their fans are now demanding from them.
It took a late intervention from Celtic's centre half, John Hughes, whose header from a Peter Grant free kick in the eighty-seventh minute gave Celtic the point which kept alive their dreams of taking the title.
Afterwards there was a great deal of talk at the press conference about the psychological effect the result may have. For what it's worth, my view is that Celtic will surely be lifted by the fact that they snatched this draw in such a dramatic fashion. Equally, I believe that this was a match they had to win to increase the pressure on Rangers in the run-in.
When the dust had settled yesterday, and after all the inquests had taken place, the fact remained that Rangers are still three points in front, and they still have the better goal difference. Only seven games are left for Celtic to turn things round in their favour.
It can be done. And the way Celtic simply refuse to give up these days - even when down to 10 men as they were yesterday - suggests that if any team is capable of doing it, then it is this present Parkhead outfit.
However, no matter how much Celtic have improved under the shrewd guidance of manager Tommy Burns, Rangers have dug deep into their own resources and matched them all the way this season.
Indeed, they have done more than that. The pre-match build-up continued to suggest that Celtic were the better team. They may, at times, play more attractive football, but the truth is that Rangers are at the top of the premier division. They have lost fewer goals than Celtic and they have scored more, and in the five Old Firm clashes this season they have yet to lose.
Yesterday brought the third draw, while Rangers fans can still savour two victories over their rivals at Celtic Park, in the league and in the Coca-Cola Cup.
In this latest encounter, they were desperately close to celebrating a third win - and even after the Celtic equaliser, they carved out two chances which might have pushed them back in front.
There was, of course, a contrast in styles. Rangers, when they attacked, relied on the genius of Paul Gascoigne and Brian Laudrup, while Celtic always seemed to move upfield as a unit, depending on everyone in the team rather than any particular individuals.
Yet it was Rangers who looked more menacing throughout the game. Celtic had most possession, but they rarely managed to find a way through to Andy Goram, who was not called upon this time to show the heroics he had displayed in the earlier Old Firm clashes this season.
That was a tribute to the makeshift Rangers' defence - and, make no mistake, this was makeshift. They played superbly, but only two of the starting line-up were first choices at the start of the season - Alan McLaren and Gordan Petric. Yesterday they were without injured skipper Richard Gough, and the suspended David Robertson, as well as long-term absentee Stephen Wright.
Yet Celtic made little impression on the men who played even when Craig Moore had to limp off to be replaced by Gordon Durie after just 34 minutes. That is a tribute to the way the central trio performed.
McLaren showed tremendous authority, Petric did not lapse into one of his careless modes, and veteran John Brown was the player who impressed watching England manager Terry Venables most of all.
The opening goal arrived four minutes before half-time. Gascoigne, who else, sent in a free kick. McLaren reached it first, and sent a header beyond Gordon Marshall and into a corner of the net.
Celtic had an enormous amount of pressure after half-time, but rarely threatened Goram, while Rangers, with less of the ball, had a more potent look when they counter-attacked.
In 70 minutes, for example, Durie sent in a header which Marshall turned on to a post with the kind of save which Goram has made his trade mark in Old Firm games this season.
Soon after that, McNamara was ordered off. He had been booked earlier for a foul on Ally McCoist, and when he scythed down Charlie Miller there was no alternative for referee Jim McCluskey. He had to show him the red card.
And then, the game became as perverse as only these clashes appear to be, with the 10 men of Celtic surging forward while Rangers seemed happy to sit back. It was a dangerous game to play, and in 82 minutes, Durie rescued his side with a goal-line clearance in a scramble around Goram's six-yard box.
Then three minutes from the end, Miller fouled Celtic substitute Morten Wieghorst out on the right hand side of the Rangers' penalty box. Peter Grant took the kick, Hughes found space and his header beat Goram to give Celtic the point they needed so badly.
Even then, the game was not over as Rangers pushed their way back upfield and created two chances which might have given them victory.
In 88 minutes, Stuart McCall hit the cross bar with a long looping header and McCoist just failed to get the rebound in at the post.
Then as the match moved on into injury time, a Gascoigne flick sent McCoist into the box and he shot high over the bar.
The only other yellow card yesterday, in a game which was handled with great common sense by referee McCluskey, was shown to Gascoigne after the Englishman made a reckless challenge on Andreas Thom.
RANGERS
Andy Goram
Craig Moore
Alex Cleland
Gordan Petric
Alan McLaren
John Brown
Charlie Miller
Paul Gascoigne
Ally McCoist
Stuart McCall
Brian Laudrup
Erik Bo Andersen
Gordon Durie
Colin Scott
CELTIC
Gordon Marshall
Tom Boyd
Tosh McKinlay
Jackie McNamara
John Hughes
Peter Grant
Phil O'Donnell
Paul McStay
Pierre van Hooydonk
Andreas Thom
John Collins
Simon Donnelly
Morten Wieghorst
Brian McLaughlin
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