Findlay Curtis lashes in Rangers' leveller at St MirrenSNS

Findlay Curtis lashes in Rangers' leveller at St Mirren

At a glance

  • Rangers hit back to draw third Premiership game in row - but still record worst league start since 1989

  • No Ibrox manager has poorer record in opening nine games than Martin

  • St Mirren score first league goal but still hunt opening win

  • PLAYER RATER

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

Watch Sportscene highlights

24/08/2025

Watch on iPlayer

Rangers came from behind to rescue a Scottish Premiership point at St Mirren - but Russell Martin's underwhelming side could not avoid recording their worst league start in 36 years.

New head coach Martin has just three wins from his first nine games - the worst record of any permanent Rangers manager - and this performance will have done little to appease those unhappy with the early weeks of his tenure.

Battered and bruised from the hapless midweek Champions League qualifying defeat by Club Brugge, Rangers looked devoid of confidence for most of the game.

Jonah Ayunga's first half-strike had St Mirren ahead until the 78th minute, when teenage substitute Findlay Curtis fired in a desperate equaliser.

That buoyed Rangers, and St Mirren goalkeeper Shamal George made a superb save to deny a deflected James Tavernier strike.

However it was Jack Butland who made sure of the point from Rangers, thwarting an Alex Gogic header in the final few minutes of the game.

Rangers dominated possession in Paisley, but it was St Mirren who seemed more confident and clinical - despite not having scored a league goal until this game.

Lyall Cameron and Thelo Aasgaard both missed decent chances to put a Rangers side that started without a striker ahead, before Ayunga was put clear through on goal and showed good composure to tuck past Butland.

Martin changed shape at half-time - the first time he's deviated from his maligned principles of play.

Again, the Ibrox side dominated the ball but it wasn't until Curtis struck a loose ball into the bottom corner that any of their threat came to fruition.

What information do we collect from this quiz?

Analysis: Rangers fans losing patience with Martin?

Martin was not a universally-accepted appointment - who would have been? - and a fast start was needed to get unhappy fans onside.

The opening weeks of his tenure have been the furthest thing from that. The mood was as low as it has been in years before the trip to Paisley, and the first half only added to the grim, ever-blackening clouds.

Ayunga's goal - although a superb touch and finish from the big striker - was Sunday league defending. That's an accusation that has been levelled at Rangers' backline numerous times already this season.

Although the story here is Rangers' rotten start, St Mirren deserved at least a point from this. They were dogged, physical, full of swagger - no surprise, as they're now unbeaten in four against Rangers.

Goalkeeper Shamal George came up with a few fine saves - his first-half claw off the line being the highlight - and in front of him, everyone knew the plan and carried it out as best they could.

Russell Martin has won three of his first nine matches

Russell Martin has won three of his first nine matches

Compare that to Rangers, and there was a distinct lack of ideas and leadership across the entire side and yet again, it was young Curtis who rescued them.

The 19-year-old youth graduate was once again asked to bail out his older and more experienced team-mates. Only Djeidi Gassama has scored more this season.

It's worth remembering that Rangers had also intimated they wanted to postpone this game, given the European double-header. The decision to withdraw that request only adds to the drama swirling around Ibrox right now.

Of course, there is the caveat that Martin's nine games so far have included five in Europe. But in the league they've played Motherwell, Dundee and St Mirren - opposition who Rangers will expect to beat every week.

Instead, they're winless after three and have Celtic, Hearts and Hibs up next in the Premiership and Premier Sports Cup. No victories in the opening five games and a quarter-final exit would be completely unthinkable.

Modern football is unforgiving, but this type of form would spell trouble for a Rangers manager in any era. Martin is quickly running out of rope.

What they said

Martin on his record of three wins in nine

St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson: "I'm disappointed with the draw. We controlled the game, broke really well, our play out was excellent.

"We felt we had enough chances that we could have got three points. We lost a little control in the game because we didn't contain the ball as much.

"Overall I can't fault the players, we've had a tough start and some really good results. We have good boys that make the core of this team and the new players have to get to that level."

Rangers head coach Russell Martin: "We're making it hard for ourselves in games, conceding poor goals. We turn the ball over without conviction in our actions.

"When we have a difficult moment, the response is not good enough. We need to stick to the plan. But I thought we were going to win the game in the end. I loved the intent in the second half.

"It's not the end of the world. We've been eight weeks and had so many games. The window needs to shut and everyone needs to be all in before that happens.

"When you can feel some of the lads energy is not all there because they feel like their future is somewhere else. In 10 days time it'll look very different I'm sure."

'Big questions going to be asked and Martin must face them'

24/08/25

Listen on Sounds

What next for these sides?

Rangers are back in Champions League play-off action in Belgium, trailing 3-1 going into the second leg against Club Brugge. That game is on Wednesday (20:00 BST).

Then it's Celtic at Ibrox on Sunday (12:00).

St Mirren, meanwhile, host Hibernian later that day (15:00).

Where next?

Player of the match

A. Gogić
7.72
13 A. Gogić
7.72
11 J. Ayunga
7.69
1 S. George
7.68
22 M. Fraser
7.50
9 M. Mandron
7.49
6 M. O'Hara
7.32
21 M. Freckleton
7.31
24 D. John
7.24
88 K. Phillips
7.20
3 S. Tanser
7.14
25 K. Baccus
7.13
2 J. Richardson
6.92
33 E. Mooney
6.90
7 R. Idowu
6.85
Back to team tabs

After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.

Related topics