Rangers on their way to title.

McCall is by far the best in team with many good players

JIM REYNOLDS

28 Mar 1994

ABERDEEN, as expected, have mounted a healthy challenge for the premier-division title.

Motherwell, the surprise packet in everyone's eyes, have made a magnificent effort and brought a refreshing look to the top of the table.

Make no mistake, however, Rangers are going to win their sixth successive championship.

The only ones who can stop them are themselves.

Walter Smith's men were not awesome, nor were they in any way outstanding during their 2-1 win over Hearts at Tynecastle at the weekend, but they were completely professional and won far more comfortably than the score suggests.

They reminded me a lot of certain top-class boxers in the way they went about their business.

Ali did it, Leonard has done it, and so, too, has Chavez.

They were quite content to let their opponents take their best shots at them then bring out their own big guns.

It's as if they were saying: "Well, if that's the best you've got, have this."

Rangers soaked it up when Hearts had their best spell in the first 25 minutes on Saturday.

The Tynecastle side were positive and created chances, the best in 24 minutes when Andy Goram had a magnificent save from John Robertson, but suddenly Rangers stepped up a gear.

The midfield clicked into place and the game took on a new look.

Stuart McCall, who has come in for a bit of stick from the fans, was all over the place, winning tackles in the centre circle, helping out in defence, and often appearing alongside the front men.

When Rangers did get going, they had a lot of good players, but, for me, McCall was by far the best man on the pitch.

There was praise for Ally McCoist, who struck his first league goal in four months after 34 minutes when he appeared at the back post to head in a corner from Trevor Steven.

"If we keep playing as we are and creating the chances, then there is nobody better to snap them up than Ally," said Walter Smith.

"It's a year since he broke his leg and then he had hernia trouble.

He still needs a game or two to get back to his best, but he is getting there."

Admiration for Mark Hateley, too, is something nobody can begrudge.

He scored his twenty-eighth goal of the season after 54 minutes, and his energy and appetite for the game is phenomenal.

His confidence must be inspiring to those around him.

I shared a dinner table with him early last week and he told me, without reservation, that Rangers would win at Tynecastle.

But McCall was the man.

Just when Hearts looked to be winning the midfield battle, he stamped his authority in that area, and it was he who popped up at the back post to provide Hateley with the chance for the second goal.

Hearts played well at the start and finished well, with substitute Wayne Foster scoring a good goal with his first touch after 84 minutes.

Unfortunately for them, there was little in between and that's when Rangers did the damage.

Said manager Sandy Clark: "It's always disappointing to lose at home, but I thought we were unlucky not to score when we were on top.

We then lost our way until late in the match.

We are not kidding ourselves we are safe and everyone here knows we have a lot of hard work to do."

Rangers, too, have a lot of hard work to do as they chase their second successive treble, but they look up to the job, and when you see players such as Alexei Mikhailichenko and Duncan Ferguson sitting on the bench it is obvious they have the right equipment.

Said McCoist: "You've got to hand it to Motherwell for the challenge they are mounting.

They have been outstanding this season, but we would be very disappointed if we didn't win the championship from this position."

Taken from the Herald