Champions Rangers began the defence of their Clydesdale Bank Premier League title with a 2-1 win over Kilmarnock on Saturday.
Kenny Miller and Steven Naismith got the goals for Walter Smith’s men, who handed a debut to James Beattie. Jamie Hamill pulled a goal back from the penalty spot for Killie but they could not save a point as the champions took three.
Miller had gone close with a couple of early efforts before he broke the deadlock in the 16th minute.
He did have a bit of luck. Kirk Broadfoot saw a shot blocked on the line by James Fowler, but the Killie man could not complete the clearance and Miller pounced to bundle home Rangers’ first of the season.
Miller then saved Rangers at the other end with a timely block from a Fowler header, before setting up Beattie with a one-on-one with Killie goalkeeper Cameron Beck.
The former Southampton and Stoke City man connected powerfully but the visiting goalkeeper did brilliantly to deny him and keep his side’s deficit at one at the break.
It was two 12 minutes after the restart though. Kyle Lafferty had already glanced a shot off the post and Naismith had seen an effort saved by Bell when the latter Ger converted. Miller picked him out on the right and he connected beautifully with an acute drive that flew into Bell’s bottom corner.
That was not that though as Killie won a penalty just a few minutes later. Referee William Collum decided that Sasa Papac was guilty of grounding Liam Kelly in the area and Hamill fired a low penalty past Allan McGregor to give Mixu Paatelainen’s men some hope.
However, they could not pull back a second goal and remain in search of their first points of the season, one they will hope turns out to be much better than last year’s long struggle against the drop. Rangers are up and running.