Vaclav Cerny celebrates for RangersSNS

Vaclav Cerny scored his fifth goal in his past three Ibrox appearances

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

Vaclav Cerny came to the rescue for Rangers in a 2-1 victory over St Mirren that keeps them six points off the Scottish Premiership's top two.

Mohamed Diomande gave the home side an early lead when he smashed in from close range early on.

Alex Gogic headed St Mirren level before the break and Toyosi Olusanya thought he had given the Buddies the lead, only to be flagged offside.

Cerny added to his two midweek Europa League goals against FCSB as he converted from substitute Cyriel Dessers' forceful set-up play.

Philippe Clement's Rangers travel to face second-placed Aberdeen on Wednesday evening.

Stephen Robinson's St Mirren are 10th, two points above the bottom two, and host St Johnstone next.

Olusanya threatened early when he made a great run and was practically one-on-one with Jack Butland but watched his effort roll past the left-hand post.

Against the run of play, it was Rangers who led.

Nicolas Raskin's initial shot was saved by Ellery Balcombe but the ball was popped back out straight into the feet of Diomande, who smashed it beyond the keeper.

Gogic levelled things up when he powerfully turned in Mark O'Hara's perfectly delivered corner after rising highest in a crowded area.

It was an improved Rangers performance in the second period, but it was the visitors who thought they had taken the lead when Olusanya slotted beyond Butland.

Olusanya ran clear of Robin Propper to net but, fortunately for the defender, the flag was eventually raised for offside and Propper later made way for Rangers captain James Tavernier.

Dessers had also come off the bench and the forward burst past St Mirren's defence to set up Cerny's fifth goal in three games, a low and firm shot.

Subs & Cerny come to Rangers' rescue

Clement rang the changes following Rangers’ 4-0 midweek success, including the rare absence from the starting XI of Tavernier.

But boos at half-time and the introduction of Dessers and Tavernier in the second half showed Clement’s plan did not quite go the way he had hoped.

Cerny once again proved his importance but things look likely to only get tougher for Rangers.

Next up is a trip to Pittodrie to take on Jimmy Thelin's high-flying Aberdeen, who are yet to drop points at home this season, and then Hampden beckons with the Premier Sports Cup semi-final against Motherwell.

Positives but no points for Buddies

Although St Mirren did not take any points, the Ibrox performance was exactly what Robinson will have been looking following a 4-0 defeat by Hearts eight days earlier.

There was some solid defending at one end, impressive attacking at the other, and on a different day some of the more glaring chances would have found the net.

Olusanya put in an immense shift and Gogic's goal proved what a threat St Mirren can be from set-pieces.

But, in Simo Valakari's rejuvenated St Johnstone, St Mirren face a tricky task to arrest a four-match losing run on Wednesday evening.

What they said

Rangers manager Philippe Clement: "We had a really good performance on Thursday [in the Europa League], we had an ok performance today but we started with seven new players who weren't in the building two months ago.

"They need to get this experience to become better. That's a work in progress so it's important to take this well-deserved point."

St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson: "The performance was terrific.

"We asked for a reaction, we said to them don't worry about the result just give us a performance and they gave that.

"If they perform like that in the next two games we'll be ok."

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