A first-half Jermain Defoe strike was enough to give Rangers a narrow win over St Mirren in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

The veteran striker showed his predatory instincts when he struck on 34 minutes to give the Gers all three points at Ibrox.

It was far from a memorable match with neither side creating many clear cut opportunities throughout the 90 minutes. Saints game plan to frustrate Rangers largely worked but despite efforts to have a go in the final stages of the match, the Buddies couldn't get the goal they craved to grab a share of the spoils. 

Jim Goodwin's men were dealt an early blow when stand-in captain Kyle Magennis had to be stretchered off in the opening 10 minutes. The midfielder went down inside the Rangers half with what appears to be a knee injury and had to be replaced by Ilkay Durmus. Magennis is set for a scan which will determine the damage he has suffered with the manager confessing he is looks set for significant spell on the sidelines. 

It took Rangers until 25 minutes to really create anything of note. Vaclav Hladky did well to save from Ryan Kent after the Rangers winger danced his way into the Saints penalty area. The ball found its way to Steven Davis on the edge of the area but the midfielder's clipped ball into the box was too high for Defoe. 

But just under 10 minutes later the Ibrox side were ahead. Borna Barisic's low ball across the box deflected off Junior Morias and found its way to an unmarked Defoe who guided home from close range.

Rangers almost added a second right on the stroke of half-time with a number of men in blue looking to get a final touch on the ball in a stramash but Saints goalkeeper Hladky gathered.

It took over 22 minutes after the interval for anything of note to take place in the second-half. Nikola Katic rose the highest to meet a Davis corner. The Croatian defender headed it across the box with Defoe lurking at the back post but the striker couldn't meet it to double Rangers' advantage. 

Saints started to commit more forward and with just 15 minutes remaining went close to grabbing an equaliser. Conor McCarthy, making his first Ladbrokes Premiership start, nodded just wide after getting on the end of a Cammy MacPherson free-kick.

Rangers twice could have wrapped the game up in the closing minutes with substitute Sheyi Ojo seeing an effort deflected just wide while fellow sub Scott Arfield shot straight at Hladky from close range.

In the end one was enough for Rangers to ensure all the points remained in Glasgow.

Full-Time: Rangers 1-0 St Mirren

St Mirren: Hladky, Flynn, McCarthy, P.McGinn, Famewo, Waters, Magennis (Durmus 7), Foley, MacPherson (Mullen 87), Morias (Andreu 77), Obika
Subs Not Used: Lyness, Erhahon, Henderson, Mullen, Cooke

Rangers: McGregor, Flanagan, Katic, Goldson (c), Barisic, Kamara (Arfield 69), Jack, Davis, Aribo (Ojo 80), Kent, Defoe
Subs Not Used: Foderingham, Edmundson, Ojo, Halliday. Jones, Patterson

Referee: Nick Walsh
Assistant Referee: Alan Mulvanny
Assistant Referee: Graeme Leslie
Fourth Official: Steven Kincaid

Attendance: 49,297

Jim Goodwin gives his thoughts on the Buddies' narrow loss at Ibrox.

The gaffer also looks ahead to Sunday's match against Aberdeen at the Simple Digital Arena and gives an injury update after Kyle Magennis had to be stretchered off.

Saints head to Ibrox tonight for our first Ladbrokes Premiership match of 2020.

FORM

St Mirren - WWLDDW

Rangers – WWWWWD

The Buddies come into tonight's match having beaten Broxburn Athletic 3-0 at the Simple Digital Arena in the William Hill Scottish Cup on Saturday.

Saints were made to work hard for the win but the Buddies dominance told in the second-half with Jon Obika scoring a double either side of a Danny Mullen strike.

Jim Goodwin's side closed out 2019 by defeating Kilmarnock 1-0 in their final league match of the year. Ilkay Durmus scored the game's only goal to keep Saints in 10th place. 

Indeed the Buddies have lost only one of their last five Ladbrokes Premiership matches - a 2-1 defeat to Celtic on Boxing Day.

Meanwhile, second-place Rangers have won their last four Ladbrokes Premiership matches defeating Celtic (2-1), Kilmarnock (1-0), Hibernian (3-0) and Motherwell (2-0). 

A win for Saints tonight could see them leap to eighth place in the league depending on results elsewhere, while Rangers would go top with a win should Celtic fail to beat Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.

PREVIOUS

Saints have already faced Rangers once this season, hosting the Ibrox side at the Simple Digital Arena in August 2019. 

A Borna Barisic free-kick on 59 minutes was enough to give Rangers a 1-0 win.

Saints were beaten on both trips to Ibrox last season with Rangers winning 2-0 in August 2018, before a 4-0 loss in February 2019 which saw Rangers awarded four penalties.

The Buddies last took a point off Rangers in May 2016 when Lewis Morgan's 90th minute equaliser snatched a 2-2 draw in Paisley. 

St Mirren's last point at Ibrox was in October 2011 when another last minute goal earned us a draw. Steven Thompson finished from close range in stoppage time to grab a 1-1 draw.

You have to go back to November 1991 for Saints' last win at Ibrox when Kevin McGowne scored the only goal in a 1-0 win.

TEAM NEWS

Kirk Broadfoot played 65 minutes for the St Mirren Reserves on Monday afternoon but is unlikely to be involved tonight.

Gary MacKenzie, Stephen McGinn and Kyle McAllister remain out. 

Rangers are without the suspended Alfredo Morelos while Greg Stewart and James Tavernier are also likely to miss out. 

MANAGER'S THOUGHTS

"Rangers have been playing very well and their fans are right behind them.

"We're going to have to be disciplined in our approach, we're going to have to be compact and deny them space. If we do all that side of the game properly then we believe we have got good players in the forward areas that can cause them problems. 

"We had opportunities against Rangers the last time we played them. The big thing in these games is that you maybe get two or three really good chances and you've got to be ruthless when they come along. 

"The most important thing for us is to go there with that belief that we can go and cause an upset. If we go about our business in the right manner and we're organised and that structure of the team is where it needs to be then I do believe we can get something from the game. 

"We'll have a few boys that will be going there for the first time and I think they'll be excited. It'll be a great experience for them."

*Over 65, 16-17 year-olds
**Anyone requiring a wheelchair and carer ticket must contact the Ticket Office. Companion free of charge.

There will be no sale of tickets at Ibrox on the day of the match so any tickets must be purchased/collected from the St Mirren Ticket Office.

Additional Information for Travelling Fans

St Mirren head to Ibrox to face Rangers in a Ladbrokes Premiership match.

The referee on tonight is Nick Walsh and he will be assisted by Alan Mulvanny and Graeme Leslie. The Fourth Official will be Steven Kirkland.

St Mirren are in Ladbrokes Premiership action for the first time in 2020 as Jim Goodwin's side head to Ibrox to face Rangers tomorrow night.

Tickets for that match are now on-sale at the St Mirren Ticket Office and online. 

There will be no sale of tickets at Ibrox on the day of the match so any tickets must be purchased/collected from the St Mirren Ticket Office.

The match and tickets info is as follows:

Rangers vs St Mirren
Ladbrokes Premiership
Venue: Ibrox Park, Glasgow
Date: Wednesday 22nd January 2020
Kick-off: 7:45pm

Ticket Prices

Adult - £29
Concession* - £22
Under 16 - £11

Wheelchair

Adult - £16
Concession - £12
Under 16 - £7 

*Over 65, 16-17 year-olds
**Anyone requiring a wheelchair and carer ticket must contact the Ticket Office. Companion free of charge.

St Mirren Ticket Office Tel: (0141) 840-6130.

St Mirren Ticket Office E-Mail: tickets@stmirren.com.

The St Mirren Reserves are in SPFL Reserve League action for the first time in 2020 as they travel to the FOYS Stadium to face Hamilton Academical this afternoon.

The Buddies sit fifth in the 10 team league with 16 points from their opening 10 matches while Hamilton are top of the league with 23 points from their opening 10 games.

Kick-off is 2pm.

To find out more about the SPFL Reserve League please click here.

Tickets are on-sale for St Mirren's trip to Edinburgh to face Hibernian in the Ladbrokes Premiership at the start of February.

Tickets are available at the St Mirren Ticket Office and online. 

The match and tickets info is as follows:

Hibernian vs St Mirren
Ladbrokes Premiership
Venue: Easter Road, Edinburgh
Date: Saturday 1st February 2020
Kick-off: 3pm

Ticket Prices

Adult - £23
Concession* - £14
Child** - £12

*65 & over, 12-17 year-old and full-time student with valid ID.
**2-11 years-old, under-2s go free.

Wheelchair/ambulant disabled are priced at regular match price depending on age etc. Carers go free with wheelchair users.

Ambulant disabled must be in receipt of Higher Rate DLA or Enhanced PIP for a personal assistant. If a PA is needed and proof can be provided this will be free of charge. Ambulant/wheelchair tickets must be purchased direct from St Mirren.

A ticket POD will be in operation on the day for the sale of away tickets located next to the South Stand. 

The St Mirren Ticket Office opening hours for the remainder of this week are as follows:

Tue, Jan 21st - 10:00am - 2:00pm
Wed, Jan 22nd - 10:00am - 2:00pm
Thu, Jan 23rd - 10:00am - 2:00pm
Fri, Jan 24th - 10:00am - 2:00pm
Sat, Jan 25th - CLOSED
Sun, Jan 26th - 10:00am - 12:30pm

St Mirren Ticket Office Tel: (0141) 840-6130.

St Mirren Ticket Office E-Mail: tickets@stmirren.com.

St Mirren have been drawn at home to face Motherwell in the Fifth Round of the William Hill Scottish Cup. 

The match will take place at the Simple Digital Arena on the weekend of Saturday 8th February 2020. 

The Buddies progressed to the Fifth Round following a 3-0 win over Broxburn Athletic at the Simple Digital Arena yesterday.

Ticketing arrangements will be announced in due course. 

St Mirren booked their place in the Fifth Round of the William Hill Scottish Cup with a deserved 3-0 win over Broxburn Athletic.

After a goalless first-half, Jon Obika opened the scoring in 54 minutes to finally make the breakthrough.

Two goals in the closing minutes from Danny Mullen and Obika put the seal on the win as Saints saw off the stubborn East of Scotland League side.

It took until the final few moments to wrap up the match, but it could have been a more comfortable afternoon had the Buddies opened the scoring with a chance inside the first 60 seconds. Calum Waters low ball across the box was laid on a plate for Obika who didn't catch the shot well enough and clipped over the bar. 

The Buddies asserted themselves in the opening stages and had the vast majority of possession and territory. Junior Morias curled into the arms of Broxburn goalkeeper Connor Wallace with eight minutes played, while Ilkay Durmus dragged an effort wide on 15 minutes. 

Obika sent a tame effort into the arms of Wallace on 22 minutes after a neat exchange with Morias and really should have had Saints ahead three minutes later. Morias charged down the left-hand side and slide the ball across the area where both Obika and Durmus were waiting. The former got a toe onto the ball but it somehow creeped centimetres wide of the post. The English forward then headed past the same post just after the half-hour mark.

For all the dominance Saints were failing to make Broxburn goalkeeper Wallace work, but that would change after the interval with the goalkeeper making a good stop to deny captain Kyle Magennis on 50 minutes.

Durmus should have had St Mirren ahead two minutes later but somehow smashed wide from eight yards. 

Thankfully, the wait for the breakthrough only lasted another two minutes with Obika opening the scoring on 54 minutes. It was a scrappy goal for Broxburn to lose with a low Waters effort coming off an unfortunate Broxburn defender and ricocheting off Obika into the net. 

The Buddies fitness told after that and only heroics from Wallace kept the scoreline down. The goalkeeper made terrific saves to deny Morias twice, while he did well to push away a Mullen volley. Arguably the pick of the bunch came when he denied Jamie McGrath a debut goal on 79 minutes. The Irishman curled towards the far corner from the edge of the area with Wallace at full stretch to tip the ball round the post.

Wallace would make further saves in the final 10 minutes to stop Obika and Morias attempts, but Saints finally added a second to secure their place in tomorrow's Fifth Round draw with Mullen curling home from 20 yards. 

Mullen then turned provider a minute later when he slammed the ball across the ball to meet the chest of Obika to put the icing on the cake for the Buddies. 

Full-Time: St Mirren 3-0 Broxburn Athletic

St Mirren: Hladky, Flynn, McCarthy (Andreu 67), Famewo, Waters, Magennis (c), Foley, MacPherson (McGrath 60), Durmus (Mullen 60), Morias, Obika
Subs Not Used: Lyness, P.McGinn, Erhahon, Cooke

Broxburn: Wallace, Grant, Donaldson, Gavin, Townsley, Linton, Nimmo (Ross 68), Scott, Gibson, Locke (Richards 79), Kelly (Miller 57)
Subs Not Used: Binnie, Beesley, Gillen, Donoghue

Referee: David Munro
Assistant Referee: Dougie Potter
Assistant Referee: Colin Drummond

Attendance: 4,372

Jim Goodwin gives his thoughts on Saints' 3-0 win over Broxburn Athletic as the Buddies seal their place in the Fifth Round of the William Hill Scottish Cup.