Tillman and Colak on target again as Rangers thrash St Johnstone

Antonio Colak scored for the third game in a row as Rangers swept St Johnstone aside with a 4-0 Premiership win at Ibrox.

Malik Tillman gave the patient home side the lead in the 32nd minute with a close-range header. St Johnstone continued to make life difficult for the Light Blues until Croatia striker Colak, who had netted in previous games against Union Saint-Gilloise and Kilmarnock, drove in a second from 10 yards in the 62nd minute, with late goals by substitutes Scott Arfield and Tom Lawrence adding gloss to the scoreline.

It was a third Rangers victory at Ibrox in a week with three clean sheets which will boost confidence before the first leg of their Champions League playoff against PSV in Govan on Tuesday night. With injuries to Ryan Kent and James Sands from Tuesday’s European game, Rangers defender Ben Davies made his first start and Rabbi Matondo, Ryan Jack and Scott Wright also came in against unchanged St Johnstone.

There was a half-hearted appeal for a penalty within minutes when Colak tumbled inside the box following a challenge by St Johnstone’s on-loan Millwall defender Alex Mitchell. Referee Nick Walsh took no notice.

In the fourth minute, St Johnstone goalkeeper Remi Matthews drove a clearance off Tillman and was glad to see the ball fly wide of the goal. There was early St Johnstone disruption three minutes later when Cammy MacPherson went off injured to be replaced by former Watford midfielder Daniel Phillips for his debut.

It was one-way traffic but in the 17th minute, when a deep cross bounced off Rangers defender Borna Barisic eight yards out, striker Theo Blair knocked the ball wide of a post from on the ground and a good St Johnstone chance was gone.

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