Rangers fans dug out their old Michael Mols chant for Mikey Moore and Bojan Miovski savoured the unity on show
Bojan Miovski celebrates scoring for Rangers
Bojan Miovski may not have been able to find the back of the net lately but he insists he never forgot where it was.
It didn’t appear that the Rangers striker had much of a clue during an 11-game long scoring drought.
That was until Saturday night at Rugby Park where the 26-year-old gave his critics a brilliant reminder of why he was once one of the most feared frontmen in Scotland.
Russell Martin and Kevin Thelwell were hoping to tap into the talents that saw Miovski notch 44 goals in less than 100 games for Aberdeen when they brought him back to the Premiership this summer.
But the £2.6million signing from Girona’s struggles in front of goal were a key contributor to the explosion of fury that eventually blew both the manager and sporting director out the front door at Ibrox.
Miovski’s last Gers goal before Saturday night had come in a 1-1 draw at Falkirk on a day when Martin needed a police escort as he was whisked back to Glasgow to clear his desk.
It has taken his replacement Danny Rohl six weeks to tune into the North Macedonian’s service needs but things finally clicked against Kilmarnock as Miovski slotted two clinical finishes past Tobi Oluwayemi to send Rangers on their way to a 3-0 victory in Ayrshire.
It’s a result that lifts some pressure from the shoulders of Rohl after deflating draws against the Bairns and Dundee United.
You’d be forgiven for thinking it had heaved an even greater weight off Miovski’s mind.
But the striker was always confident he’d get himself back in amongst the goals.
He said: “As a football player sometimes you don’t score but you need to keep working hard. I did that, I didn’t forget how to score goals and I know that will come.
“So yeah, it feels good. I was working really hard behind closed doors.
“I always say when you work hard and give everything, the goals will come and so it did with Saturday’s two goals, and I hope I will continue that way.
“I didn’t have a lot of game time the last year in Spain so I was just trying to find a consistency and to get in shape, to collect more minutes on the pitch, and I’m starting to get that.
“And of course, I feel better, more sharper on the pitch, and of course, I’ll try to keep going.
“Every football player wants to play and spend more time on the pitch.
“As I say, I didn’t have that last year and as I say too, I played three games in a row in starting 11. Now I hope to keep going.
“Can the Rangers fans now see the real me? Yeah, of course, the confidence comes with spending more time on the pitch and, of course, to understand the players.
“We didn’t have a lot of time to work on training ground as well, national team, away games, and not a lot of training.
“So we start to feel the chemistry to understand the movements and these things. So I think I will be good.”
The addition of Mikey Moore back into Rohl’s formula has stirred the Rangers faithful.
They dug out their old Michael Mols chant as they hailed the on-loan Spurs kid after watching him make a goal-scoring return after two weeks out injured.
His first was a fabulous run and sweeping low finish to seal the points.
He’d have put a flourish on the scoreline with a delightful dink over the keeper, had his second goal not been ruled out for an off-the-ball trip by Manny Fernandez on Mikey Moore.
As the punters sang his team-mate’s name, Miovski paused to soak up a rare moment of harmony between team and terraces.
“Yeah, of course, it was great to have Mikey back, he is a top player,” he said. “There’s a reason he is at Tottenham and that is he’s a great player.
“So, of course, he’s helping us a lot.
“He showed up today. He showed up in the past, so, of course, it’s nice to be back in the team.
“The fans were happy today.
“It’s a normal thing in every football club if you don’t have results, the fans are angry, but that’s normal in football.
“We are focussed on the pitch and try to improve. It’s normal. If you win, you’re the best – when you lose you, it is normal [they feel differently]…”
Danny Rohl congratulates Bojan Miovski(Image: SNS Group)
Rohl was quick to praise the team efforts that earned the points and maintained his seven game unbeaten run in the league.
But it was built on a string of key individual displays.
Miovski lead the line with his double, Manny Fernandez stood up to the physical test having been criticised for the slip that let in United for their opener in midweek.
In midfield, Connor Barron’s energy and tenacity was vital, as were the stunning stops made by Jack Butland to keep out Bruce Anderson and Robbie Deas just when it appeared Killie were taking command during a second-half charge.
Miovski said: “Every position is important in football, I think. It’s 11 players on the pitch.
“Everyone from the goalkeeper to the striker needs to be good to, for one team to succeed.
“It’s not about the midfield or the strikers, it’s a team sport.
“But if you Pick out Jack, he’s a great goalkeeper. He’s showing, of course, that he was on big level before and he’s still on the big level.
“I’m not surprised that he’s making the those saves.”
Hailing the impact of the new manager, Miovski added: “Danny’s a great coach. Great experience. He worked a lot in the past with great managers.
“So, of course, he’s trying to show us where we can improve.
“We don’t have too much time on the pitch because there’s a lot of games, but we spend a lot of time in the building, watching videos, looking at where we can improve. And I think we are getting better.”