GERS ARE INTO 2ND GEAR

RANGERS turned in their best display of the season to dump Hearts and now have an excellent chance of catching the Jambos in second and clinching a crucial Champions League spot.

Peter Lovenkrands was the hero again as he bagged a priceless winner and Alex McLeish's troops seem to have turned the corner after dreadful run of form.

They now look like a team capable of winning vital games and should eat into the 11-point gap between them and Graham Rix's side as the season progresses.

Hearts - who had sub Saulius Mikoliunas sent off five minutes from time - appear to be on the verge of a major collapse.

New coach Rix has won just once in his first five games and it would be no surprise if his side squander more points.

They are now just four points ahead of city rivals Hibs and Rangers will be confident of leaving both capital sides behind in the new year.

After too many poor performances at home the Ibrox side were totally transformed against Hearts.

Thomas Buffel has been in fine form since returning from injury and the Jambos were only too aware of the threat he posed Steven Pressley and Deividas Cesnauskis both chopped down the Belgian inside the first five minutes and were fortunate not to be booked.

However, for all their possession Rangers didn't create a chance until Hamed Namouchi got on the end of Bob Malcolm's cross after 22 minutes. The Tunisian's header looked set for the net but Craig Gordon saved the day with a stunning tip over the bar.

Gers should have taken the lead five minutes later but Marvin Andrews missed a sitter. Lovenkrands whipped in a cross but the big man somehow scooped the ball into the air from right in front of goal and Gordon saved.

It was worse than Peter van Vossen's miss against Celtic at Parkhead in 1996.

Hearts just couldn't get into the game and paid a heavy price for poor decision making in the final third.

Cesnauskis raced away after collecting a pass from Edgaras Jankauskas and it was three on three.

Paul Hartley and Roman Bednar supported but the Lithuanian was far too greedy and his shot was easily saved by Ronald Waterreus.

The Dutch keeper looked suspect at crosses early on but was rarely tested as Rangers continued to dominate.

Barry Ferguson showed great vision after 32 minutes to pick out Chris Burke with arguably his finest pass of the season. The winger ghosted in behind Jamie McAllister and headed the ball from 12 yards but his effort was saved by Gordon.

However, there was nothing the Jambos keeper could do three minutes later as Lovenkrands claimed his fifth goal in three matches.

Malcolm's free-kick from the left was headed across goal by Andrews and the unmarked Dane battered a left-foot shoot through a crowded goalmouth and past Gordon.

It was a cool finish but Malcolm also deserves credit for his part in the goal. The midfielder was superb yesterday and sprayed balls about for fun.

If the Ibrox faithful get behind him then Malcolm may finally show the confidence to hold down a regular place as a holding midfielder.

In contrast, Ian Murray looked to be lacking self-belief. He played at right-back and McLeish isn't doing Murray any favours by moving him about so much.

Incredibly, referee Mike McCurry didn't bring out the yellow card until five minutes before the break when he booked Bednar for a trip on Ferguson.

Pressley and Robbie Neilson were involved in an incident with Lovenkrands as the players walked off at half time but the whistler didn't put any of them in the book.

Namouchi was denied right after the restart when Gordon scooped away his header from three yards out.

Rangers were desperate to get another goal quickly to kill the game off. Having thrown away leads at home this season they knew it was risky to depend on Lovenkrands' strike.

McLeish's men had several chances as Burke caused mayhem down the right. The winger was in fine form and McAllister had problems keeping the wee man in check.

Hearts became desperate as the game wore on and Pressley was booked for a blatant foul on Lovenkrands.

Rix's men saw a little more of the ball as Gers sat back but couldn't force Waterreus into a save of note.

And their hopes ended when Mikoliunas - sent off against Gers last season for hounding linesman Andy Davis at Tynecastle - was red carded for a dreadful challenge on Ferguson.

The midfielder was already fuming at some of the referee's decisions and was at boiling point when he rashly crashed into the Rangers skipper.

It summed up Hearts' day. Since Rix took over last month they have been in freefall. The Hearts coach is already under pressure and his case wasn't helped by Mikoliunas' stupidity.

Jankauskas also didn't look interested enough in one of his side's biggest games of the seasonref watch MIKE McCURRY made some baffling decisions and allowed several tackles to go unpunished. Inconsistent throughout and failed to keep control of the game. Must improve on this performance. Rating: 4/10in association with

Taken from the Sunday Mail