Boyd hat-trick shoots down Killie but injuries sour Gers’ win

RANGERS have suffered a massive blow ahead of their UEFA Cup tie against Hapoel Tel Aviv with the news Kevin Thomson and Ugo Ehiogu are almost certain to miss out.

Both players are suffering hamstring injuries following yesterday’s 3-1 SPL win at Kilmarnock.

Thomson, who was making his Gers debut, aggravated an injury he picked up during a Scotland B international at the same venue on Wednesday night.

Fellow January signing Ehiogu pulled up early in the game and was replaced by Karl Svensson after just 25 minutes.

Rangers are set to jet out to Israel today for the last 32 tie and manager Walter Smith admits the duo are unlikely to be fit for the clash.

“It doesn’t look too bad although it’s too early to assess the full extent at the moment,” he said. “But it looks as though they will both miss Wednesday’s game.

“Thomson said he felt it at half-time. It was an injury from the B international. He was keen to start and see how it was but, if he had stayed on, there could have been even more damage. We hope it will clear up fairly quickly.”

Smith switched to the 4-2-3-1 formation, which was unsuccessfully used by previous boss Paul Le Guen, to accommodate Thomson in midfield, with Barry Ferguson playing further forward.

The withdrawal of Thomson for Nacho Novo at half-time meant Smith was unable to determine whether the system can be a success based on yesterday’s game. But it’s a formation the Gers boss is willing to try again in the future.

He said: “We had to make the change, which was something we didn’t envisage. But it’s something that we will try again at some stage. It’s something that might benefit the team. Once isn’t really enough to tell if it will work.”

A controversial penalty decision by referee Dougie McDonald allowed Kris Boyd to grab the first of his three goals from the penalty spot. He went to ground under pressure from Simon Ford, with Kilmarnock players and fans questioning how much contact had actually been made.

He doubled the lead with a header, before converting from the spot again when James Fowler felled Novo.

Kilmarnock missed a spot kick of their own as Peter Leven’s effort was saved by Gers goalkeeper Allan McGregor, before Steven Naismith finally pulled a goal back for the home side.

But it was Rangers’ opener which irked Killie boss Jim Jefferies and he was less than pleased to discover McDonald will be the referee at their CIS Cup final against Hibs next month.

KILMARNOCK: Combe, Murray, Frazer Wright (Locke 46), Greer, Ford (Johnston 63), Fowler, Naismith, Dodds, Quinn (Di Giacomo 68), Leven, Wales.

RANGERS: McGregor, Hutton, Murray, Weir, Ehiogu (Svensson 26), Hemdani, Thomson (Novo 46), Ferguson, Adam, Burke, Boyd.

Referee: D McDonald.