Rangers secured a vital 3-1 victory over Hearts at Tynecastle Park, thanks in no small part to an unfortunate brace of own goals from Jamie McCart. The win came after a disappointing 1-0 Scottish Cup defeat to Queen’s Park, with Rangers boss Philippe Clement urging his side to bounce back—something they did with precision.

Rangers started brightly and took the lead after 20 minutes when Ianis Hagi’s cross found its way into the net via McCart’s unfortunate deflection. Despite the early setback, Hearts showed resilience and pulled level four minutes after the break. Michael Steinwender, the club’s recent signing, made his mark by glancing home James Penrice’s corner to equalise.

However, the match turned in Rangers’ favour when Vaclav Cerny, continuing his impressive league form, netted his 10th goal of the campaign in the 61st minute, putting the visitors back in front. Things went from bad to worse for McCart in the 73rd minute, as another miscue saw him put the ball into his own net once again, sealing a comfortable win for Rangers.

The game was one of mixed fortunes. For Rangers, the victory was much-needed following their recent struggles, but for McCart, it was an unforgettable evening. The win lifted some of the pressure off Clement, but with Rangers still 13 points behind Celtic, many fans continue to voice dissatisfaction with the club’s current direction.

As Sky Sports’ Kris Boyd pointed out before the match, Rangers’ league campaign has been far below expectations. “Europe is a bonus and your bread and butter is the league. It has not been good enough,” Boyd stated, clearly reflecting the frustration felt by many supporters.

While the result offered some short-term relief for Clement, Rangers’ uphill battle to challenge Celtic for the title remains daunting.