Rangers beat managerless Aberdeen to move up to second in Premiership table

Rangers’ rise up the William Hill Premiership continued apace as they moved into second place and within three points of leaders Hearts with a 2-0 win over managerless Aberdeen at Ibrox.

Light Blues centre-back Emmanuel Fernandez headed in from a corner in the 11th minute for his fifth goal of the season.

The Dons, with first-team coach Peter Leven in charge after boss Jimmy Thelin departed on Sunday, spurned a couple of great chances before Gers midfielder Nico Raskin headed in from another Connor Barron corner four minutes from the break.

Danny Rohl’s side were sixth in the table when he took over from former boss Russell Martin in October, but without turning in a complete performance they moved three points ahead of Celtic who, like the Jambos, have a game in hand.

The Light Blues travel to Pittodrie on Sunday for the second of this week’s double-header against the Dons, looking to keep up their improved league form and that will likely prove to be a different type of challenge.

Spirits were high at Ibrox following the comeback 3-1 win at Celtic Park which effectively ended the tenure of Hoops boss Wilfried Nancy after just 33 days, and the visitors, winless in five games, had a flaky start.

Goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov dropped a long free-kick from Gers captain James Tavernier but managed to block the shot from former Pittodrie midfielder Barron, who was waiting to pounce on the loose ball.

Mitov did not look too clever when the excellent Barron’s corner from the left came into a packed six-yard box, finding himself on the floor as Fernandez headed in an easy opener.

By way of a warning to the jaunty home side, Dons attacker Kenan Bilalovic raced through the Ibrox defence on to a long ball but took a poor second touch and the ball ran through to Gers keeper Jack Butland.

There was another let-off for the Govan side in the 27th minute when Bilalovic failed to control a pass from counter-attacking Kevin Nisbet with only Butland to beat and it would prove costly.

In the 39th minute Mitov tipped a dipping shot from Tavernier over the bar but the home side kept up the pressure and from another Barron corner, Raskin freed himself from defender Nicky Devlin to power in a header for the second and he came close with another header just before the break.

Rangers had some opportunities early in the second half but in the 63rd minute Butland saved a glancing Nisbet header for a corner which Aberdeen’s Dante Polvara headed over.

The Govan outfit moved the ball around the pitch confidently at times but the fans wanted the third goal and it almost came in the 78th minute when Raskin fired in a drive from 20 yards but Mitov pushed it away for a corner, this time fruitless, while Aberdeen might have pulled a goal back on a couple of occasions in the latter stages, Fernandez blocking an effort from substitute Leighton Clarkson in added time.