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Rangers and Aberdeen added a new chapter to a 20year story of on-pitch unpleasantness with the sendings off of Philip McGuire and Neil McCann in last night's Scottish Premier League clash.

The 1-0 Rangers victory, thanks to a rare Tugay goal, means the champions have cut Celtic's lead to nine points. It seems a Rangers-Aberdeen fixture is a ticking time-bomb as well as a football match and it was midway through the second half when this one exploded with the dismissal of first McGuire, the young Aberdeen defender, and then Scotland winger McCann. Both were red mist affairs of the highest order.

Astonishingly, it took 35 minutes for either side to plant a shot on target and when it did arrive it ended up in the back of the net.

Tugay was the man who scored it, latching on to the loose ball after his own free-kick had bounced off the Aberdeen wall.

His shot was as sweetly struck as they come and flew past David Preece's outstretched right arm.

Aberdeen defended stoutly, showed plenty of movement when they had the ball and pressed when they could, content to allow the home side and their fans to become more and more frustrated.

Tugay's strike changed all that and Preece was kept busy after that, having to make good saves from Kenny Miller and his fitagain partner Tore Andre Flo.

This was also supposed to be the Fernando Ricksen-Darren Young rematch following the former player's controversial kung-fu kick on the latter at Pittodrie in November.

Ricksen, who was later to be booked for persistent fouling, did kick a Don but it was Derek Whyte who was hurt and little was made of the incident other than the awarding of a free-kick.

Celtic's game with St Johnstone was postponed last night due to fog.

RANGERS: Klos, Porrini, Wilson, Vidmar, Numan, Ricksen, Konterman, Tugay, McCann, Flo, Miller. Subs: Christensen, Mols, Johnston, Hughes, Malcolm.

ABERDEEN: Preece, McNaughton, Whyte, Solberg, McGuire, Guntveit, Rowson, Derek Young, Belabed, Darren Young, Winters. Subs: Esson, McAllister, Stavrum, Dow, Mackie.

Referee: J Rowbotham (Scotland)