Full Flo turns tide for Rangers

Dundee United 1 Rangers 6 Attendance: 11, 117 Referee: W Young

AHEAD of seven days that could potentially shake the world of Rangers and their manager Dick Advocaat to the core, there are signals that the Ibrox side are finally getting up to speed.

At times, in a victory that was eventually resounding despite a somewhat laboured first-half performance, their close passing was fluent, their movement creative and their touch sure.

With a visit to Warsaw to come this week to take on Anzhi Makhachkala in the Uefa Cup, and then some local business to take care of, as SPL leaders Celtic arrive at Ibrox on Sunday, the improvements in the Ibrox side's previously unpredictable league form could hardly be more timely for Advocaat.

Although Ronald de Boer and Barry Ferguson were not far behind, the most impressive individual cameo came from Tore Andre Flo. The Norwegian's hat-trick was his first for Rangers and confirms his rehabilitation as a player after the trials and tribulations of last season.

It also took his tally in the league so far this season to seven - exactly the same as his Old Firm hero Henrik Larsson. Afterwards, Flo admitted the secret behind his success.

On Wednesday, Tore Andre and his six-month pregnant wife Randi had climbed to the top of Ben Nevis to clear his head.

"I thought if she could do it so could I," Flo said. "It was like being in Norway again."

Given such a state of affairs, it was a wonder that United were able to get a foothold on the game at all.

Even before kick-off, it had always looked a forlorn task for the home defence, shorn of key men Jim Lauchlan and Jamie McCunnie through suspension after their sendings off last week up at Aberdeen, to contain the visitors' attacking threat. On yesterday's evidence, that impressive start to the season is now starting to fade into the collective memory up at Tannadice.

Afterwards, a visibly distressed Alex Smith bemoaned the loss of an early goal in each half. "It would be very easy for me to be ultra- critical and sore on a lot of the players," he said, "but it's not the night for that. We'll lick our wounds and get on with it."

The importance of this game to their manager's future did not appear lost on Rangers players either, and a decent early spell provided the opening goal.

Ronald De Boer, who partnered Tore Andre Flo as an orthodox striker but was given free rein to float between midfield and up front, set the big Norwegian galloping down the right. Flo actually outmuscled David McCracken before sending a low ball along the face of the goal from the line.

Paul Gallacher had already been eliminated by his pass by the time Buchan, sensing the presence of Neil McCann behind him, sclaffed the ball into the net.

With Rangers now bossing the game, Neil McCann shot into the side- netting from 10 yards and then Flo could only shuffle the ball from close range past the other post, after a De Boer head flick.

But although United reshuffled and gradually got the measure of their visitors in midfield, the equaliser - when it came - was still out of the blue. Just after the half-hour, David Partridge made progress up the left flank, but rather than attempting to get to the bye-line, chipped in a 40-yard centre from deep.

With the instincts of a striker, Jim McIntyre got to the ball first, and swept a glorious left-foot shot low past the right hand of Stefan Klos.

It was McIntyre's second goal in two games, and his third since returning to the club from Reading in the summer.

While United's players celebrated the goal like a gift from the heavens, Dick Advocaat thought his players should have been more switched on.

"I was happy with the whole team," he said, "except for the moment of the goal and the last 10 to 15 minutes of the first half. This is a very important week for us but the quality is there and they have to show it. For big parts of the game we played so well, and on Thursday we have to show it again."

Although there was no sign of Claudio Caniggia or Michael Ball, Rangers did include Lorenzo Amoruso alongside Craig Moore at the back, and afterwards Advocaat said it had done his team a world of good.

Rangers started the second half still stinging after Advocaat's team talk, in which Flo and McCann had been singled out for criticism. It didn't take long before they had regained the lead.

Russell Latapy fed De Boer inside the box, and as Partridge forced a tackle, the Dutchman got his shot away. It spun back off Gallacher's right-hand post, but Flo was on hand to force the ball over the line with his studs.

Shortly after, the two goal advantage was secure. McCann twisted past his marker on the left, and fired a low centre over to the near post. De Boer had sensed this, and pirouetted to dispatch a sweet back heel past Gallacher who, nevertheless, got a touch.

As United started to chase the game, the goals kept coming. First Flo got his boot on the end of a Bert Konterman cross from the right, and then he completed his hat-trick with a polished low left-foot finish under Gallacher, after he had turned Partridge delightfully.

By now, the Dundee United were starting to display the gaunt, haunted look of broken men as wave after wave of Rangers attacks washed over their defenders. Fernando Ricksen even had time to spurn a first-class opportunity after good work by substitute Peter Lovenkrands, while earlier Latapy could have got his name on the scoresheet twice at least.

By the time the sixth had gone in right on the whistle, Neil McCann profiting after Peter Lovenkrands had dummied an Arthur Numan through ball, the United fans had long since headed for the hills. Just like Tore Andre Flo.

Copyright 2001
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