GLASGOW, Aug 14, (AFP): Rangers got the defence of their Scottish Premier League title off to a winning start with a narrow 2-1 home victory over Kilmarnock on Saturday.
Chairman Alastair Johnston had sent the home fans wild when he unfurled the championship flag before kick-off and they were soon cheering again when Kenny Miller gave them a 16th minute lead.
James Beattie, the club’s first signing in two years, was handed a debut just a day after joining from Stoke City and came close to doubling the lead with an acrobatic volley.
Steven Naismith looked to have secured victory with a second-half strike but Killie pulled one back through a Jamie Hamill penalty on the hour mark after Sasa Papac pushed James Dayton in the box.

Old Firm rivals Celtic kicked off their campaign with a 1-0 victory away to Inverness. After an evenly balanced first-half, Neil Lennon’s side dominated after the break but it took a superb goal from Paddy McCourt to separate the sides.
At Ibrox all the attention may have been on Beattie but it was his striker partner Miller who had all the early chances, seeing an early header fly inches wide and a goalward bound low drive deflected out for a corner before he opened the scoring in the 16th minute.
Kirk Broadfoot’s shot was blocked on the line by Hamill but his attempted clearance ricocheted off Miller and into the back of the net.
This seemed to spark Killie into life and Allan McGregor confidently claimed a strong header from Manuel Pascali before Madjid Bougherra bravely blocked Jamie Fowler’s fiercely struck shot.
The Rangers strike force linked up well in the 25th minute when Miller headed Kyle Lafferty’s cross into the path of Beattie but his acrobatic volley was saved at point-blank range by Cameron Bell.