Rangers again proved they can cope without Alfredo Morelos as they eased to a 2-0 win over 10-man Hamilton at the Foys Stadium.
The Colombian was back in Steven Gerrard’s squad for the trip to Lanarkshire after being dropped for last week’s Kilmarnock victory.
But despite redoubling his efforts in training after having his focus his questioned by Steven Gerrard, the Lille target was left on the bench as goals from Ianis Hagi and James Tavernier killed off Brian Rice’s team.
Gerrard had warned Morelos – Rangers’ top scorer in each of the last three campaigns – that reputation would no longer guarantee him a game now that he has Kemar Roofe and Cedric Itten for competition.
Accies were looking to build on last weekend’s derby win over Motherwell and it is just as well they got that result as without it they would be propping up the table.
But he had struggled in domestic action so far this campaign and lost his place for last week’s win over Kilmarnock.
Itten’s calf injury gave offered a reprieve against Accies and he made the most of it with the opener after 15 minutes.
Scott Martin’s slip in the corner allowed Borna Barisic to pull the ball back for Steven Davis. Kemar Roofe met the Northern Irishman’s cross with a header which looped over Ryan Fulton before crashing against the crossbar.
But Rangers manager’s frown turned to a look of utter bemusement in the 64th minute when referee Willie Collum refused to give a penalty after a blatant two-handed push from McMann on Roofe.
Accies’ day got worse with 14 minutes left when McMann – already on a booking for a first-half tug on Kent – collected a second after barging over Barker.
