Kenny Miller claimed a brace as Rangers came from behind to maintain their 100% record in the league
Miller scores a brace as Rangers come from behind to win
Kenny Miller claimed a brace as Rangers came from behind to beat Celtic 3-1 to maintain their 100 per cent record in the league to claim victory in the Old Firm clash.
Striker Miller, who spent one season at Parkhead, struck twice in the second half after Celtic had led at half-time.
Gary Hooper had given the Bhoys the advantage at half-time, but Glenn Loovens' own goal let the visitors back in the game before Miller's decisive contribution.
What must be one of the most important games in world football was given that extra dollop of spice as both teams entered the fixture in excellent form.
Both had won their previous eight SPL fixtures to stand level on points, with only goal difference putting Rangers top.
As Rangers celebrated wildly at the end of the game, Celtic boss Neil Lennon will wonder how it all went so wrong.
It must be something that Lennon's opposite number Walter Smith will too have contemplated during his 50 Old Firm clashes.
A goal down at the interval, Smith sent his team pumped up out for the second half with winning intent dripping from them.
Passion is the one thing that you can expect in these games and within the first 15 minutes it threatened to derail this particular one.
Cautions
Anthony Stokes and Lee McCulloch both received cautions for robust tackles as they contest began to sizzle.
Yet, the referee must be credited for marshalling their aggression. Steven Whittaker almost gave Rangers the lead after three minutes but his shot from a clearance hit the post.
It served as a warning for Lennon's team, who controlled possession for the rest of the half, without threatening.
Ki Sung-Yueng had a couple of efforts from distance but was the architect of the goal in first-half injury-time.
His corner was helped onto to the far post where Hooper was lurking. He took one touch to control and rifled the ball into the roof of the net with his next for his sixth goal in as many games.
But two minutes into the second half, Rangers flexed their muscles and punched back.
Steven Davis delivered a wicked free-kick deep to the far post that had the Celtic defence flailing in their attempts to deal with it.
Kyle Lafferty raised a thigh to make contact with the ball and direct it towards goal and, as Loovens tried to scoop a clearance away from goal, he could only help to put the ball into his own net to level the scores.
Delirious
Rangers took a vice-like grip of this famous contest just six minutes later to send their fans delirious at Celtic Park.
What should have been a routine clearance for Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster was hit straight to Steven Naismith.
He cushioned the ball into the path of Maurice Edu, that the Celtic defence tried to clear but it found its way to Miller, who rifled in a crisp drive home.
It was Miller's sixth goal in 11 Old Firm games, but he would be hard pressed to find one that could be so timely or crucial.
With Celtic reeling from a rapid turnaround in events, Miller converted from the spot to enhance his already excellent goal record in this fixture.
Celtic, however, can deem themselves slightly unlucky at conceding the third goal after the ball deflected off the referee and into the path of Kirk Broadfoot, who went down under the slightest challenge from Daniel Majstorovic.
Miller duly stepped up to score the penalty to effectively seal the victory.
The win now leaves Rangers three points clear at the top of the league, with nine straight wins.
