Rangers 4 Aberdeen 1 – Gers roar back from goal down to cut gap on Celtic to one point and ease Van Bronckhorst pressure

GIO VAN BRONCKHORST demanded determination, desire and quality from his players.

And he got all three as Rangers fought back from a goal down to secure a crucial win to go within a point of leaders Celtic who are at Livingston on Sunday.

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Connor Barron’s first half strike put the Dons in front.

But Rangers hit back through Antonio Colak – his 14^th goal of the season – John Lundstram, James Tavernier and sub Alfredo Morelos, VAR awarded, to give their manager some respite after intense scrutiny.

And they could even afford the luxury of a missed Tavernier spot-kick given by VAR.

The Reds – three straight competitive wins – came to Glasgow brimming with belief, sensing a vulnerability in their hosts after a difficult week of dropped home points to Livingston plus another Champions League humbling.

But it was the Gers who started brightest – Fashion Sakala awkwardly volleying over a clipped Ryan Kent cross at close range.

New Dons hero Duk, however, announced himself to the Light Blues seconds later. After taking an excellent cross-field pass by Leighton Clarkson he quickly took on Ridvan Yilmaz and won a corner.

The Turkish left-back stayed down with what looked a hamstring problem and it would be game over for him.

Dons left-back Jack MacKenzie wildly fired high and wide soon after – but it was clear the visitors WERE full of intent.

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Rangers responded with a Tavernier shot at Kelle Roos from 22-yards as the game settled into a decent contest.

Aberdeen won successive corners, with bulwark Duk troubling the Gers defence.

Ex-Ger Ross McCrorie – right side of a three man central defence – always looked vulnerable to Ryan Kent’s pace and trickery and the winger went past him in the box before shooting into the side-net.

That was a reasonable chance.

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Lundstram and Colak had efforts in the 17^th and 20^th minute saved by Roos as Gers briefly took control – but it would be the Dons who grabbed the lead.

Ylber Ramadani smartly picked out playmaker Clarkson with a precision pass and in-turn the on-loan ace produced a brilliant ball of his own to Duk who raced into the box with menace.

The Portuguese frontman turned Leon King inside out three times before being tripped by Tavernier for what looked a definite penalty.

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But ref Nick Walsh – originally due to be the VAR man – either didn’t think it was or decided to leave it a split second with Barron positioned for the loose ball eight yards out.

If it was the latter then fair play to Walsh – with Barron lashing the ball home.

It was a stunning lead for Aberdeen with the Gers fans not slow in immediately getting at the players.

McCrorie cleared off the line in the 25^th minute as Goodwin’s men quickly came under pressure.

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Two minutes later the Dons buckled – as Colak clinically buried a Malik Tillman pass beyond a full-stretch Roos into the far corner.

Sakala headed wide from a cross by sub Borna Barisic on the half hour as Gers turned the screw.

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Roos saved from Tavernier with the Dons pinned back, although whenever called on Duk was a good out-ball.

Five minutes from the break Sakala was presented with a brilliant opportunity, left to race in on goal from a superb Colak pass. But the Zambian took far too long to get a shot away and when he did Roos parried.

A goal-bound Sakala shot was deflected over by Anthony Stewart’s header as the Gers dominated.

Then, in added time after a stoppage for treatment to Liam Scales, they went ahead.

A Barisic free-kick was eventually cleared to the edge of the box for Tavernier to steam in and unleash a vicious, low right foot shot which Roos saw late.

The Dons No1 saved well to push out but an alert Ben Davies raced in to cut the ball back for Lundstram to hammer home a point-blank shot.

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That was a gut-wrencher for the Dons so close to the break.

Yet, only 22 seconds into the second half they had a great chance to level – but Duk, rising well to a Jayden Richardson cross, could only head over six yards out.

It was a costly miss – with Rangers stretching their lead in the 51^st minute.

A typically effective Barisic cross to the far post saw Tavernier outjump MacKenzie to beat Roos with an excellent header from six yards. Game over.

Roos saved from Colak and Tavernier had another blasted effort deflected over as the Gers looked to inflict more misery.

And a big opportunity arrived in the 59^th minute courtesy of VAR.

Two minutes earlier, right wing-back Richardson clumsily controlled a Tavernier cross, hitting the ball against his left hand which he also flicked up to make it more obvious.

Ref Walsh, though, ignored claims at first but then got the signal for a video check. He raced across to the touchline to look at a TV replay before giving a penalty.

Tavernier sent Roos the wrong way – but also hit the post and the Dons cleared.

But Aberdeen were never in it again and sub Scott Arfield had a 73^rd minute shot cleared off the line by Clarkson.

Sub Morelos, who had earlier had a goal chalked off for offside by first a flag and then VAR, did get on the score-sheet in the 88^th minute with a tap in.

But that, too, was after a VAR check.

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