Annan Athletic manager Peter Murphy admits that he nearly applauded Kemar Roofe’s brilliantly-taken goal in Sunday’s 3-0 defeat to Rangers, speaking to the Daily Record.
It was an afternoon for returning centre-halves in the Scottish Cup.
While Christopher Jullien rose from the bench to make his first Celtic appearance since December 2020, Filip Helander marked another long-awaited comeback with a typically forceful header as Rangers put former third division foes Annan Athletic to the sword at the Galabank.
Glancing an Aaron Ramsey corner into the back of the net, the towering Swede offered a timely reminder of his aerial prowess ahead of Thursday’s intriguing Europa League clash with Borussia Dortmund.
But if Murphy was frustrated by the nature of Rangers’ opener, he had nothing but praise for the second. Collecting a Scott Wright pass on the edge of the area, Kemar Roofe span on a sixpence and drilled the most emphatic of finishes into the far corner.
It was, in short, a moment of match-winning magic from the £5 million man. The sort of ruthless efficiency you don’t often see in fourth-tier football.
Can Rangers win the domestic double under Van Bronckhorst?
“We conceded from a set-piece then I was nearly clapping myself at the second goal,” Murphy says.
“At the start of the game, my players were rabbits caught in headlights. They were maybe awestruck at the pace of the game. We didn’t pass like I’d asked. By the time we’d settled, we were 2-0 down.
“I had a bit of a go at half-time. That’s how much I expect from them. I asked them to get on the ball, to pass and to give options – not to shirk away.
“In the second half we showed up and I was pleased with it.”
Raising the Roofe
Fashion Sakala was responsible for Rangers’ third of the night – a goal Murphy describes as ‘the strangest I’ve ever seen’.
If the quicksilver forward was tempted to claim that this was a moment of inspiration rather than a mishit cross sent flying into the top corner, a telling glance across the six-yard box – Sakala was clearly looking for support rather than the back of the Annan net – certainly betrays his intentions.
January signing Mateusz Zukowski (below), meanwhile, could have marked his debut with a pair of assists, if Sakala and Roofe had not spurned presentable opportunities from close range.
The Gers have now won their last three games by an aggregate score of 10-0. Van Bronckhorst wanted a response after that haunting defeat at Celtic Park and he’s certainly got it.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
