Dunfermline Ath 0-1 Rangers

Hay bemoans lack of goal threat McLeish relieved after win

Rangers ground out a vital victory at East End Park to move to within two points of league leaders Celtic ahead of next Sunday's Old Firm match.

Dado Prso got the winning goal after only seven minutes of a game that for long periods was simply dreadful.

Prso did well to reach Fernando Ricksen's cutback to head past Derek Stillie from eight yards.

Dunfermline battled hard but could not find an equaliser and find themselves deep in relegation trouble.

Barry Ferguson was first to test Stillie with a swerving left-footed drive from the edge of the box, which the keeper parried and Sotirios Kyrgiakos' follow-up was blocked.

But Rangers took the lead after only seven minutes.

Gregory Vignal's corner flew beyond the back post from where Ricksen clipped the ball back into the middle and Prso was able to direct a header into the top corner.

Ronald Waterreus was called into action for the first time in 17 minutes to field a 25-yard effort from Darren Young.

At the other end, Nacho Novo passed up an excellent opportunity to extend Rangers' lead when he latched onto a misplaced pass by Gary Mason, only to drag it wide of Stillie's goal with only the keeper to beat.

Thomas Buffel was also guilty of squandering a good goal-scoring chance after Ricksen had picked out his run with a delightful pass, but the Belgian seemed to be caught in two minds as his final effort drifted wide.

Dunfermline were unfortunate not to draw level six minutes before the interval when Darren Young drilled the ball against the post from the edge of the box with Waterreus beaten. Noel Hunt put the rebound well over the bar.

The start to the second half was scrappy, with Dunfermline keen to contest every loose ball, but Ferguson almost got his name on the scoresheet with a well-struck shot that cleared the bar by a matter of inches.

Then Stillie did well to push away a cute lob from Prso as Rangers pressed for a second goal.

It was not until five minutes before the end that either keeper was called upon to make another save - Stillie diving to his right to hold a Prso header.

Vignal missed a glorious opportunity to seal the victory in injury time, blasting the ball wide when Ferguson and Shota Arveladze were unmarked in the middle, but in the end, it did not matter.

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Dunfermline: Stillie, Skerla, Scott Wilson, Scott Thomson, Campbell, Donnelly (Mehmet 63), Mason, Darren Young, Derek Young, Hunt, Hristov (Christiansen 76).

Subs Not Used: McKeown, Craig Wilson, Scullion, Ross, Langfield.

Booked: Stillie, Skerla, Campbell, Derek Young.

Rangers: Waterreus, Ross, Malcolm, Kyrgiakos, Ball, Ricksen, Buffel (Namouchi 79), Ferguson, Vignal, Prso, Novo (Arveladze 60).

Subs Not Used: Khizanishvili, Burke, Thompson, McCormack, McGregor.

Booked: Prso, Buffel.

Goal: Prso 7.

Att: 8,266

Ref: K Clark