Rangers beat Hamilton 8-0 to maintain nine-point Scottish Premiership lead
- Published
Highlights: Rangers 8-0 Hamilton
Ruthless Rangers recorded their biggest win under Steven Gerrard against Hamilton to stay nine points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
Scott Arfield struck the opener, Kemar Roofe headed the second and Joe Aribo's deflected shot made it three.
Aribo's second also took a nick off a defender as bottom side Accies toiled.
Roofe tapped in after the break before substitute Brandon Barker slotted in and James Tavernier contributed a penalty and another strike.
Gerrard's side have played two games more than nearest challengers Celtic and are yet to concede a league goal at Ibrox this season.
The margin of victory makes it the biggest win since the top flight was rebranded as the Scottish Premiership in 2013, which was also the last year Rangers won a match 8-0 against Stenhousemuir.
Barker got amongst the goals at Ibrox
The hosts showed attacking intent from the outset and Connor Goldson, Ryan Kent and Tavernier were all denied by goalkeeper Ryan Fulton early on.
The pressure told on 16 minutes when Jermain Defoe stole possession just inside the Accies half and released Kent with a reverse pass - the winger squaring for Arfield to apply the finish.
Tavernier then crossed for Roofe to head his fourth goal of the season. And it got worse for Hamilton when Aribo worked the space to get a shot away, with the ball spinning off Scott McMann and Hakeem Odoffin into the net.
There was no let-up from the home side and Roofe set up Aribo again, the midfielder's shot diverted over Fulton by Will Collar.
Arfield fancied another and drew a save from Fulton in added time and the keeper was called into action again early in the second period when Tavernier struck.
McMann almost scored an own goal when preventing Kent's cross reaching Defoe, the ball hitting the post and presenting Roofe with an easy chance for his second goal of the afternoon.
Defoe set up Kent's replacement Barker to slide home and the striker was then fouled by Odoffin to give top scorer Tavernier the chance to score his 11th goal of the season.
And Tavernier soon made it 12 for the campaign, reacting quickest in the box after Fulton had blocked Roofe's effort.
Man of the match - James Tavernier
Tavernier's season goes from strength with two goals and an assist to add to his collection
What did we learn?
Rangers had let a two-goal lead slip in Thursday's 3-3 Europa League draw with Benfica and they showed a hunger to make amends for the late lapses in Lisbon.
The movement of their front players consistently stretched Hamilton and, but for Fulton, the rout could have made it into double figures, while Bongani Zungu made his debut as a second-half substitute.
For Hamilton it was a far cry from March's 1-0 win at Ibrox as their run of league defeats stretched to four, during which they have conceded 20 goals.
Their lengthy injury list prompted head coach Brian Rice to add Aaron Martin and Nathan Thomas to his squad in recent days and captain Brian Easton returned after a nine-month absence to get 90 minutes under his belt on a difficult afternoon.
What did they say?
Rangers manager Steven Gerrard : "It was a very impressive performance, a strong win and another clean sheet.
"We suffocated Hamilton from start to finish, we stayed on them and never took our foot off the gas and you could see the quality throughout the squad."
Hamilton Academical head coach Brian Rice: "I'll take the blame for everything. I'll hold my hands up. I'll take it. I've got to get better and I've got to make sure they want to get better.
"But it didn't seem to affect Southampton. That's what I'd say to the players. They lost 9-0 to Leicester last season and this weekend were top of the English Premier League. So things can change quickly in football."
What's next?
Hamilton continue their League Cup group campaign away to Stranraer on Wednesday evening and at home to Albion Rovers next Saturday.
Rangers return from the international break against Premiership visitors Aberdeen on 22 November, the day after Accies visit Dundee United in the league.
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