WHILE Rangers were struggling and failing to score at Ibrox, Michael O’Halloran would have been forgiven if he allowed himself a smile.

The hitman may wonder why he was allowed to join a St Johnstone side who now sit five points ahead of his parent club after their best ever start to a top flight campaign, aided in no small way by his goals.

O’Halloran was allowed to leave Rangers by Pedro Caixinha and joined fellow former unwanted colleagues Barrie McKay, Joe Garner and Martyn Waghorn in getting their name on the scoresheet on Saturday.

In fact, it was his fourth league goal in three games - the same as Rangers have managed by themselves.

His presence in Perth is to St Johnstone’s great benefit though and he was the class act as Saints deservedly beat a Thistle side who took three quarters of the game to wake up to the fact they were staring at their third defeat out of three in the league.

O’Halloran’s movement and composed finish was the difference and they already look like they are well placed to claim yet another top six finish. 

Defender Steven Anderson - whose defence-splitting pass teed up his colleague - certainly can’t believe his luck Rangers have allowed him to return to Perth.

He said: “We knew what Mikey was all about, we’ve seen it all before. He’s in an environment he loves. He knows all the boys really well and the gaffer. 

“He thrives on it. You can see that he’s enjoying his football and scoring goals. That’s what he did before he left.

“Confidence can be a big thing but he was exactly the same Mikey when he came back. He’s got something to prove – maybe prove Rangers wrong – and that’s what he’s doing. I really don’t know what happened at Rangers. 

“I don’t think he got a lot of chances to be honest. I don’t know why it hasn’t worked out for him at Rangers. 

“Maybe Pedro Caixinha will be looking at him and thinking, ‘I should bring him back’. You never know. I’m just glad he’s with us and scoring goals.”