Pre-match on Sunday, most
reactions regarding Stuart McCall’s team selection, following that
excruciatingly disappointing loss at Palmerston the previous Thursday centred
around disbelief that Nicky Law was on the left wing and Robbie Crawford was at
right back.
After 10 minutes, confirmation
that this was the case when Clark rose
elegantly to bullet home a header and make that early domination count.
Truly, this was a stroll, a
thoroughly professional display and a clinical one at that, and one which did
not earn the credit it deserved, given how badly the side was castigated
following the loss to the Doonhamers.
While there was indeed a slight
dip in the second half, yet more goals for the likes of Vuckic and Law ensured
Rangers fans went home happy to the tune of 4-0, and very few admitted a
ridiculous over reaction following events at Queens.
All those players dismissed as
derogatorily as possible on Thursday were suddenly the toast of Ibrox, with
short memories the order of the day.
By no means are Raith Real
Madrid, but that was the kind of match Rangers were struggling in under McCoist
or McDowall. And McCall’s record now reads seven matches, 14 points, and just
that one ugly defeat.
And that team selection I alluded
to at the start? Smooth as silk. Crawford strolled the 90 at RB, and Law had a
busy afternoon covering a great deal of turf on top of nabbing a brace.
Us Rangers fans have been through
hell and back, but while we are not going to win every match, McCall is making
sincere and genuine progress with the same set of players who could not
previously light a match, never mind win one.
That progress should be
recognised, and not dismissed when the occasional ugly result surfaces.
We are far from the finished
product, we will lose matches now and again, but until we are SPL Rangers again
and demanding the title, reaction to losing a match should be to learn from it,
not throw the entire Club in the fire.