St Mirren 0-1 Rangers: Jason Holt grabs the only goal of the game as away side maintain their 100 per cent start in the Championship

• Jason Holt struck in the first half to secure Rangers three points in Paisley
• Holt's goal maintains Rangers' 100 per cent start to Championship season
• St Mirren were frustrated throughout with Scott Agnew denied many times

By Stephen Mcgowan For The Scottish Daily Mail

Published: 11:56 EST, 25 October 2015 | Updated: 03:25 EST, 26 October 2015

St Mirren will feel some anguish at their failure to take something from this game. A lack of chances was never the issue. Forcing one past an inspired Wes Foderingham was more problematic.

The home side were denied on four occasions by the Rangers goalkeeper. That the visitors won the match through a whipped Jason Holt finish from an acute angle badly misjudged by Jamie Langfield served only to rub salt in the wound. This was one of football’s proverbial tales. That of the two keepers.

St Mirren were, for decent spells, the better team. In Scotland’s second tier, the Ibrox side occasionally resemble a cannonball knocking down skittles. This brisk, chilled autumn day in Paisley wasn’t like that. 

Jason Holt wheels away in celebration after opening the scoring for Rangers against St Mirren on Sunday

No 23 Holt puts the away side one goal up against struggling St Mirren at St Mirren Park in Paisley

Holt (centre) is mobbed by his fellow Rangers team-mates after scoring the only goal of the game in Paisley

‘We were six out of 10 today,’ conceded Rangers manager Mark Warburton afterwards. ‘We were slack with the ball and the players were first to admit that. But to come to this venue, against that type of opponent and get the three points is really pleasing.’

In the first minute Scott Agnew — St Mirren’s best player — forced a fingertip save from a thundering first-time left-foot shot before spectators had even taken their seats. There were times when the Paisley midfielder appeared to be engaged in a personal war of attrition with Foderingham, a keeper previously spared serious scrutiny by 10 consecutive wins in the Championship.

The league leaders will feel they, too, had chances they might have taken to make it a more comfortable affair, yet this was a day for grinding out victory. Aside from Foderingham, on-loan Spurs defender Dominic Ball was an assured replacement for Danny Wilson in defence for the third game in a row and will take some shifting. 

‘You saw Wes,’ added Warburton. ‘It’s the busiest he’s been by far this season. He pulled out three outstanding saves.

‘Young Dom Ball is 20 years of age. He was excellent and stood up. Rob Kiernan, at 24, stood up.

‘Dom has taken his chance. He has come in and delivered three very good performances.

‘He is making it very difficult and Danny Wilson knows that.

‘He is a good pro and Danny’s job now is to work hard every day to try to get that shirt back.’ 

Foderingham’s first-minute save from Agnew set the tone. The former Swindon keeper was called on again in 28 minutes to push a Stephen Mallan curling free-kick round the post. He would deny Agnew again in the second half. For St Mirren this was a day of frustration exacerbated when television shone a harsh spotlight on Langfield.

The veteran keeper has had inspired days in a Saints shirt, most notably against Morton at Cappielow. 

St Mirren's Steven Thompson does his best to hold off the tackle of Rangers player James Tavernier

St Mirren boss Ian Murray voices his opinion to his players as he looks to rally the Buddies during the defeat

He will toss and turn at the misjudgment which allowed Rangers to take the lead against the run of play in the 25th minute.

Holt, a very decent signing for Warburton, collected a Martyn Waghorn pass with a heavy first touch and was dragged wide enough to make a cross his only option. Or so we thought.

Instead the former Hearts midfielder glanced up and thrashed a fizzing ball towards the far post before his chance was gone. Langfield threw his arms up in the manner of a keeper who believed the ball was going wide. It wasn’t. As it thudded off the inside of the post, Rangers were 1-0 up.

But for a Kenny Miller effort from close-range disallowed for offside, it would have been two. Television pictures cast doubt over the decision, the former Scotland striker looking narrowly onside when Holt released his short pass towards the back post.

And yet. For all that Miller and Andy Halliday missed late chances in the first half, going two down would have been tough on the Paisley side.

There were bizarre scenes when Rangers captain Lee Wallace slotted a passback across the face of his own goal, the ball almost curling in at the post. Foderingham — for once — was beaten.

That St Mirren couldn’t do what Wallace almost achieved was their downfall. God knows they tried.

In 48 minutes, Agnew looked to have done it, curling a left-foot effort towards the top corner in a crowded area. The Rangers keeper threw himself towards the ball and pushed it wide.

When he was beaten moments later, Agnew’s thudding shot skidded inches wide of the top corner. 

Callum Gallagher (right) does his best to control the ball under pressure from Rangers ace Dominic Ball

Martyn Waghorn (centre) is challenged by St Mirren's Keith Watson as Rangers go on the attack in Paisley

Commendably, Saints manager Ian Murray played two up front and complained afterwards that his team put in plenty with scant reward. A former Rangers player, he knows well enough how this script reads.

‘It was a decent performance from us,’ said Murray. ‘The tempo and the intensity were excellent and, with a bit of better quality in the final third, we could maybe have scored a couple.

‘I’ve not seen the goal again but, at the time, I was disappointed given the angle the player has hit it at. It came like a bolt out of the blue and it was a setback for us. It was a good strike but, from that angle, I would expect us to deal with that.

‘The game plan nearly worked and we’ve given Rangers as good a run for their money as anyone this season.

‘You have to give good goalkeeping its due. Foderingham has probably won the game for Rangers. We could look at whether we could have done better with our finshing but, overall, I’ve got no complaints with our performance or effort.’

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