Roofe scores first Rangers hat-trick to cut gap on Celtic

Kemar Roofe scored his first hat-tick for Rangers as they beat St Mirren 4-0 to narrow the gap at the top of the Scottish Premiership back to six points.

The striker took just two minutes to open the scoring in Paisley, heading in from Ryan Kent’s cross.

Roofe made it two before the break then wrapped up his first hat-trick for the Ibrox side early in the second-half.

Joe Aribo came off the bench to score a wonderful strike from 18-yards to complete the victory and maintain the pressure on league leaders Celtic.

Stephen Robinson’s St Mirren side, consigned to the bottom six before they went into the game following results elsewhere on Saturday, remain in 10th place, six points ahead of second-bottom St Johnstone and will fear a relegation battle in their five post-split fixtures.

Following exertions in Portugal on Thursday, Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst reshuffled his squad, making five changes by bringing in Borna Barisic, Filip Helander, Aribo, Aaron Ramsey and Roofe, who made an early impact.

Ibrox captain James Tavernier fizzed the ball across goal and it overshot to the other side of the penalty area to Kent and when he returned the ball towards goal, Roofe glanced his header from eight yards past Saints keeper Dean Lyness.

The home side’s response was positive and they pushed Rangers back, but Gers keeper Allan McGregor was well-protected.

There was a blow for Rangers in the 25th minute when John Lundstram had to go off after picking up an injury, replaced by Steven Davis.

Ramsey had a tame effort from the edge of the box in the 39th minute, but Lyness made a comfortable save.

Helander then had to be helped off just before the break with an injury and he was replaced by 18-year-old centre-back Leon King, but the half ended on a more encouraging note for the visitors.

Ramsey crashed a shot against the crossbar from a Roofe pass and then moments later, with the last action of the half, the former Leeds forward headed in a cross from Tavernier to give the Govan men a two-goal interval lead.

James Sands and Scott Wright took over from Ramsey and Kent for the start of the second half, with Charles Dunne, who had taken a head knock in the first half, replaced by Conor McCarthy.

Wright set up Roofe inside the box after a terrific run but his deflected shot was saved by Lyness.

But the Jamaica striker made no mistake when a Fashion Sakala cut-back ended up at his feet as he thrashed the ball into the net to complete his treble.

Alex Gogic forced McGregor into his first real save of the game moments later with a drive from distance before it appeared that a combination of the post and Lyness denied Sakala.

Roofe made way for on-loan Manchester United attacker Amad Diallo just after the hour mark as Van Bronckhorst began thinking of the return game against Braga, with his side now in total control.

A swift Rangers break in the 70th minute saw Sakala roll in Diallo for an easy chance but he missed the target before Lyness denied Tavernier from close range.

However, gloss was applied to the scoreline and performance when Aribo swivelled 20 yards out and curled the ball over Lyness and into the net.

Saints searched for a consolation as substitute Curtis Main headed a corner over the bar after McGregor had made a fine save from Alex Greive.

In the end the day belonged to Roofe. With Braga and an Old Firm Scottish Cup semi-final to come, the striker showed they can cope without Alfredo Morelos as they head into a season-defining week.

What the managers said

St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson accepts they need to improve, and quickly:

“The first two goals they haven’t had to cut us open, we have to defend better than that.

“It’s been tough and I take full responsibility. We’re had one win in nine since I came in, so it hasn’t been good enough, collectively.

“Our main aim now is to finish as high up the table as we can then rebuild for next season.”

Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst believes the win has them in a good position heading into a big week for the club:

“I think it gives us confidence for Thursday and the games ahead.

“I’m really happy for him (Roofe). We need goals and to score his first hat-trick for Rangers, I’m happy for him and of course the goals he scored helped us to win the game.

“We’re confident because we won today, but we’re always confident that we can get a result at home in Europe.”

What’s next?

Rangers look to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit when they host Braga in the quarter-finals of the Europa League on Thursday at 8pm, before travelling to Hampden Park on April 17 for the Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic at 2pm.