Dundee United 1-4 Rangers

Kris Boyd was in fine form at Tannadice

Kris Boyd grabbed a hat-trick as Rangers moved to within three points of second-top Hearts with a clinical defeat of a brittle Dundee United.

Dado Prso opened the scoring with a stunning strike from 20 yards.

Boyd thumped home the second after a fine, passing move and added the third after the break, turning home a driven pass across goal from Prso.

Collin Samuel scored on the turn for United before Boyd fired in his own third goal following a corner.

Fit-again Ronald Waterreus had replaced Stefan Klos in Rangers' goal, while Peter Lovenkrands replaced the absent Chris Burke.

United's Mark Kerr returned from suspension to replace David Robertson, but he could not prevent Rangers taking early control of midfield and the game.

McLeish pleased to narrow gap

Thomas Buffel's clever chip just drifted wide of the far post and the Belgian international squandered a chance when he fired over when attempting to pounce on a poor clearance by goalkeeper Derek Stillie.

Prso and Boyd both fired long-range efforts just off target.

And Croatia international Prso sent a header against the post before providing the breakthrough goal after 30 minutes.

The striker weaved past David McCracken before dispatching a 25-yard drive into the top corner of the net.

Dado Prso opened the scoring

Rangers were two ahead within 60 seconds, Prso starting a series of one-touch passes involving Buffel and Barry Ferguson before Boyd slammed the ball home from 15 yards.

United threatened to hit back, but Samuel headed straight at Waterreus from eight yards.

The Trinidad and Tobago forward had claims for a penalty waved away by referee John Underhill early after the break following a challenge by Julien Rodriguez.

And Rangers virtually killed the game as a contest moments later, when Prso's cross-cum-shot driven low across the six-yard box was turned home by Boyd.

Stillie delayed Boyd's hat-trick with a fine stop from point-blank range.

Brewster blasts players and pitch

Samuel forced Waterreus into a good, blocked save at the other end after an eight-yard shot from an acute angle.

And the striker eventually got his reward, turning smartly to fire home after a mix-up between Waterreus and Alan Hutton.

Boyd squandered another chance when he headed against the post from five yards following a fine, Buffel cross.

But the former Killie striker completed Rangers' first Tannadice win in nearly three years with a clinical finish from 12 yards.

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Dundee Utd: Stillie, Mair, Mulgrew, McCracken, Kenneth, McInnes (Duff 72), Kerr, Robson (Robertson 88), Miller, Fernandez (Cameron 89), Samuel.
Subs Not Used: Samson, Archibald, Gardiner, Goodwillie.

Goal: Samuel 68.

Rangers: Waterreus, Hutton, Smith, Rodriguez, Kyrgiakos, Ferguson (Gavin Rae 66), Hemdani, Buffel, Lovenkrands, Kris Boyd (Novo 88), Prso.
Subs Not Used: Klos, Ricksen, Andrews, Murray, N'Guessan.

Goals: Prso 30, Kris Boyd 31, 54, 83.

Att: 11,213

Ref: J Underhill