HIS celebration was clumsy. An awkward forward roll, long legs akimbo, had all the grace of a pianist playing while sporting a pair of oven gloves.

HIS celebration was clumsy. An awkward forward roll, long legs akimbo, had all the grace of a pianist playing while sporting a pair of oven gloves.

But there was nothing cumbersome about either the performance or the manner in which Kris Boyd twice found the net to sink a resilient Kilmarnock on Saturday afternoon.

And needless to say that in the wake of the goals, Boyd's trademark scowl was still there. The mild aggression that greeted the striker's goals at Ibrox tells a story that has been something of an enigma these past 18 months.

As Boyd has had plenty of time to conclude this summer, it's not about what he has done at Gers but what he is still expected to do that matters now.

The Rangers striker's reputation as a goalscorer of note precedes him. But it has not been enough to earn him a regular start for Walter Smith's side.

Whether the two goals he scored against Killie are, on their own, enough to challenge that remains to be seen.

The player cut an isolated figure at Parkhead little over a fortnight ago when he was not even listed among the subs. Although Daniel Cousin has since departed for Hull, there remain an abundance of options up front, However, Boyd's goals will always be difficult to overlook.

"He always has that capability to score goals and could well have had a hat-trick today," said Smith.

"There are some games just now where we know the qualities of the opposition and we have to try to adjust to that, so he might not get as many starts as he used to get.

"But we know when we put him on the pitch, if we can create the chances, he'll get us a goal."

Boyd was one of only three players on Saturday - Davie Weir and Allan McGregor being the other two - who played in this corresponding fixture last year, such have been the mammoth changes that have taken place in the Rangers dressing room.

And how Jim Jefferies must loathe the sight of the player who first came to prominence under his tutelage. At lunchtime on Saturday afternoon, Boyd had nine goals to his name against Kilmarnock.

By the time he sat down to his dinner that figure had crept up to 11.

Rangers themselves, still giddy after the high of the Old Firm win, were made to work for the points against Killie. But there was little real suggestion that Smith's side would not run out worthy winners in this contest, despite the fight put up by Jefferies' side.

The Rugby Park club opened the scoring so early on that it always looked an unlikely task that they would be able to hang on for another 81 minutes without their backline being breached.

Frazer Wright's opener made McGregor look a bit silly, but the keeper had little of note to do after that.

Not so his opposite number. Alan Combe pulled off a clutch of cracking saves and when Kirk Broadfoot's name was announced over the tannoy as man of the match, the Killie stopper would have been entitled to request a steward's enquiry.

But an equaliser came from the spot, just as the Ibrox support were nursing a persecution complex with regard to whistler Calum Murray. Boyd, for all that he may have seemed like the forgotten man in recent weeks showed plenty of bottle to sink his kick.

He was at again when he collected the ball at his feet and turned. He got a lucky break when Simon Ford's deflection aided its passage past Combe and into the net, but in truth the win was just reward for the effort Rangers put in.

Smith's side have not lost a home SPL game since last October when Hibs went back to Edinburgh with the spoils.

Maintaining that kind of form will be critical if this is to be an SPL-winning season.

Boyd's concern at the minute is to make sure he's a part of it.

NEED TO KNOW

Was it a good game? It was entertaining and exciting. It was billed as a top of the table clash, which to be honest, wouldn't have fooled many people at this early stage of the season. However, Kilmarnock did themselves justice with a spirited and energetic performance that just ran out of steam as the game went on. Both teams were committed to getting the ball down and playing a bit of football.

Rangers' best player? Kirk Broadfoot took the champers, but it was the determination of Kris Boyd that was probably the most impressive aspect of the afternoon. The striker has appeared to be a man in the last chance saloon at the club, but he responded to his rare start with a committed display that included a couple of goals.

And Killie's top man? Mehdi Taouil was impressive in the middle of the park where at times he seemed to cause a fair number of problems for Rangers with his keenness to run with the ball at his feet. His distribution was also impressive.

However, it was Alan Combe who was the outstanding performer of the day and the keeper has enough about him to pose the question of why he is not involved at international level with Scotland. He was unlucky to concede his first goals of the campaign so far.

What about the ref? Calum Murray had a decent game. He was right to allow Killie's opener to stand when Frazer Wright clashed with Allan McGregor and he was brave enough to resist a number of first-half shouts in Rangers' favour. Murray was also correct to send off Gers' Sasa Papac for two second-half bookings.

Who's up next? A home SPL game against Motherwell on Sunday.