Rangers 3-1 Kilmarnock: Danny Rohl celebrates victory in first home game in charge of Rangers

Danny Rohl’s first home game as Rangers head coach saw the Light Blues take a step in the right direction with a 3-1 William Hill Premiership win over Kilmarnock at Ibrox.

Centre-back Derek Cornelius scored his first Gers goal with a header in the 15th minute, only for Killie’s George Stanger to level – seven minutes before the break – after a mistake by home goalkeeper Jack Butland from a corner.

Rangers striker Bojan Miovski had the ball in the opposition net but was ruled offside.

But Brazil forward Danilo’s header five minutes after the restart counted as did the drive in the 72nd minute from substitute Youssef Chermiti, who notched his first Gers goal since his move from Everton in the summer for a reported fee of £8.5million.

Rohl was installed as Russell Martin’s successor last Monday and on Thursday watched his new charges slump to a 3-0 Europa League defeat to Brann in Bergen, but the 36-year-old German would have been encouraged by some of the stuff his side produced against Killie.

Rangers moved into fifth place in the table to sit 13 points off leaders Hearts and five points behind Celtic, ahead of the trip to Hibernian in midweek and their Premier Sports Cup semi-final against the Hoops at Hampden Park next Sunday.

As expected following their dismal performance in Norway, Rohl made changes, bringing in strikers Danilo and Miovski and midfielder Mohamed Diomande for Joe Rothwell, Chermiti and Oliver Antman, while changing to three at the back.

Killie had a couple of attempts from striker Marcus Dackers and attacker Greg Kiltie comfortably saved by Butland before the home side took the lead with a simple goal.

Rangers captain James Tavernier clipped a free-kick from 30 yards into the visitors’ box and Cornelius escaped the Ayrshire defence to head past helpless goalkeeper Eddie Beach.

Dominic Thompson had Butland in his sights following another Kilmarnock attack but failed to hit the target, although when Kiltie floated a corner in from the left, the Gers stopper came out and missed the ball completely, leaving Stanger to tap in at the back post.

Three minutes later, Beach bizarrely kicked the ball off Cornelius and it fell kindly for Miovski, who headed into the net but VAR revealed him to be offside to the relief of the Kilmarnock keeper and the small band of travelling supporters.

Mikey Moore replaced Miovski for the start of the second half with the away side making a double change with wing-back James Brown and defender Zac Williams on for Jamie Brandon and Lewis Mayo.

Within five minutes, Danilo had headed Jayden Meghoma’s deep cross from the left in off the post, with Beach looking slow to react.

Kilmarnock continued to threaten and in the 57th minute, midfielder David Watson floated a cross to Bruce Anderson, whose powerful header was brilliantly clawed away to safety by Butland down at his right-hand post.

Danilo was then replaced by 21-year-old Chermiti and within a couple of minutes, he came up with a strike from 20 yards that Beach could only redirect into the net.

The third goal allowed some breathing space for the home side, who had a Nicolas Raskin strike disallowed for offside after a lengthy VAR check.