Every single person in a black and white shirt was terrific. David Barron was outstanding in the Jim Goodwin role. Kenny McLean and Marc McAusland were solid - despite the latter making a mistake for the Rangers goal - and David van Zanten made some terrific passes. However, outshining them all was Paul McGowan. He was outstanding, making one goal and scoring another, and looks a completely different player to the one we had last season.
It could have all been so different. Rangers went in front after we lost an early goal - again - and that should probably have been that. However, Lee McCulloch then decided to take his elbow to Graham Carey and was sent off. We all remember what happened last time we were in a game where a Rangers player was sent off, but thankfully it didn't happen this time. Aaron Mooy scored a stunner before the break and there was still time for McGowan to dink us in front before half-time.
We didn't half wobble in the second half but we managed to see it out - even though Rangers tried their old plan of going down to nine men by getting Dorin Goian sent off. This time it didn't work and maybe, just maybe, the scars from Hampden can finally begin to heal.
Mooy was a surprise inclusion, with Lee Mair also starting. It was the usual system with Barron in midfield. After their troubles last week Rangers started both Nikica Jelavic and Kyle Lafferty. With Steven Davis in midfield we looked to be in for a hard afternoon. They showed they could fulfil the McGowan role for Rangers by moaning at Gregg Wylde when he opted to shoot rather than pass 25 yards out, the ball trickling wide. Lafferty had his own chance to score a few minutes late but screwed it wide. Wylde kept his mouth shut.
McGowan at least found the target when he shot from outside the box, although it lacked power and was straight at McGregor. And, having had a half-chance, we then did the usual and conceded with just 10 minutes gone. Sasa Papac released Lee Wallace, who made his way into the box, danced round the poor challenge from McAusland and then prodded the ball into the net. Game as good as over with hardly any time on the clock. Well, that's what I thought...
Graham Carey showed during his first spell with us that his tackling ability is rather suss and demonstrated it succinctly when he went in a tad late on Lee McCulloch. Foul? Definitely. Booking? Never, and referee Steven MacLean seemed to agree but just giving the Irishman a talking to. However, when you're playing the Old Firm the officials must consult with the opposition before reaching a final decision and so, after speaking to three or four Rangers players, Mr MacLean decided that yes, that nasty Graham Carey did deserve a booking after all. Incredible.
After conceding so early it was now a case of seeing whether we'd respond or collapse. McGowan shot well wide as he tried to do the former before we created further trouble for ourselves. Two Saints players couldn't stop Jelavic before Jeroen Tesselaar sent him tumbling. Wylde took the free-kick from out on the right and his swirling effort was caught by the wind, missed Samson's outstretched foot and ended up in the net. However, play had already stopped as a Saints player was lying in a heap on the ground. It was Carey and as Mr MacLean walked forward it became clear he had his red card out. McCulloch was deemed to be the aggressor and was swiftly on his way, perhaps allowing him to get on with some last minute Christmas shopping.
Now, despite not being a relative of Arsene Wenger I didn't see the incident so am not sure what happened, but while the Rangers players complained about things, McCulloch didn't. Therefore it would seem he did do something, whether it was an elbow or a punch, and probably hadn't calmed down from what had happened earlier. For a player of his experience to react is inexcusable – and the TV replays proved it was the correct decision. Wylde was withdrawn, replaced by Maurice Edu, Ally McCoist perhaps not realising that Rangers getting players sent off against us isn't necessarily a bad thing...
Would this time be any different? It appeared so, Steven Thompson almost bringing us level when he managed to get onto a woeful corner from Kenny McLean, McGregor producing a fantastic save to keep it out. Lafferty was next to go into the book for a late foul on McGowan, but there was no harm done to the midfield buzz bomb which was probably just as well considering what happened next.
A corner seemed to have been wasted when we tried to do something that had obviously worked on the training ground. However, when McGowan got the ball he played a neat pass to Mooy, who managed to turn past Whittaker and get just enough away from Papac to slam the ball home with the help of the post. With some of us worrying about trying to keep it level, David van Zanten then played a magnificent pass to McGowan, who beat McGregor to the ball and confidently dinked it over him into the net to send the Saints support into ecstasy.
It as an incredible turnaround, up there with Raith Rovers in 2000 and Motherwell in 2007, and it was fully deserved as we'd bossed things since McCulloch had been sent off. In a bid to ensure we weren't reduced to 10 men ourselves Carey was hooked at the interval, Gary Teale replacing him. Rangers replaced Lafferty with Sone Aluko and he nearly drew his side level, finding the side netting instead.
Things weren't so easy for us now we were in front, Whittaker firing over before Jelavic shot wide when it looked easier to score following Davis' wonderful pass. In between times, McAusland could have had our third when he met Gary Teale's free-kick but he too shot wide.
Rangers are quite capable of winning the ball without us giving them it but the pass, pass and sodding pass again style sadly helped them out. Barron and Mair gifted the ball to Aluko twice in quick succession, the first seeing him deliver a fine cross that had no takers, the second earning a corner that came to nothing. It was more a case of when, and how many, Rangers would score and so Hugh Murray was introduced in a bid to ensure that didn't happen, Mooy making way for the legend's first appearance of the season.
And while the ship wasn't completely steadied, it certainly didn't seem as rocky. The offside flag seemed to thwart our counter attacks on a number of occasions - the majority of the calls correct - before Teale skinned Goian who then stupidly tugged him back and got a booking. Carlos Bocanegra was then replaced by Kyle Bartley as Rangers stepped up their efforts to find an equaliser. With offsides being a problem the last person you'd have thought we'd put on would be Nigel Hasselbaink, but that's who arrived with six minutes left. Even worse was the fact Thompson was the man going off, losing us some aerial ability when it came to attacking and defending set pieces.
It was made irrelevant when Goian moronically pulled McLean's shirt after had flicked the ball away and got himself a second yellow card. I couldn't help thinking getting reduced to nine men was a cunning plan by Rangers to get something from the game...
If it was, it didn't work - and McGowan should have put the cherry on the tastiest of cakes in stoppage time. For once, Hasselbaink passed rather than chose to shoot and McGowan rounded McGregor before taking too long to shoot, Bartley clearing off the line. It didn't matter because we managed to see out stoppage time and didn't waste any time in celebrating.
A fully deserved three points. An awesome first half and three much needed and very welcome points. Santa really is a Saint.
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