Rangers forward Kevin Kelsy has received official league recognition for his starring role in Saturday’s 4-0 victory over St Johnstone, though the striker was ultimately denied the week’s top individual accolade just hours before Wednesday night’s high-stakes showdown at Tynecastle.

Derek McInnes‘ side head to Edinburgh to face Hearts, looking to build on their impressive momentum, having scored at least two goals in all three of their Scottish Premiership outings since the international break.

Central to that attacking surge has been Kelsy, who has scored three goals in those games. The Venezuela international produced his finest performance in a Light Blue shirt on Saturday afternoon, finding the net in the 29th and 66th minutes as Rangers swept St Johnstone aside at a rain-soaked Ibrox.

That Ibrox double was enough to earn Kelsy a spot in the official SPFL Team of the Week selection published on Tuesday, 27 October. The lineup was picked by Craig Fowler from A View From The Terrace, who named the former Portland Timbers frontman in a dynamic three-man frontline alongside Ross County’s Brian Graham and Partick Thistle’s Euan Henderson.

Rangers striker Kevin Kelsy named in SPFL Team of the Week, but overlooked for top honour

However, despite putting on a goalscoring display in the Scottish top flight, Kelsy was pipped to the official ‘Star Man’ recognition. The week’s highest individual honour was instead bestowed upon Henderson.

Henderson claimed the accolade after netting a hat-trick at Firhill to propel the Jags top of the Championship with a 3-0 win over previous leaders Stenhousemuir under atrocious weather conditions brought on by Storm Boelo.

Graham also bagged a hat-trick for Ross County in their 4-0 League One win against Airdrieonians, while Alfie Stewart bagged a brace for Inverness in their 2-0 Championship victory over Raith Rovers – meaning Kelsy was not short of competition.

According to match statistics provided by FotMob, Kelsy put on a masterclass in front-line play that provided an emphatic answer to recent concerns regarding Rangers’ finishing efficiency:

• Elite Shot Volume & Expected Goals (xG): Earned a match-high 9.1 rating after registering 2 goals from 7 total shots (match-high and 4 on target), generating 1.71 non-penalty xG and 2.10 expected goals on target (xGOT) during his 83 minutes on the pitch.
• Penalty Box Presence & Ball Security: Logged 22 total touches, including 7 inside the opposition box, completing 10/14 passes (71% accuracy), made 2 line-breaking passes, completed the only dribble he attempted, and was never dispossessed.
• Aerial Dominance: Won 5 out of 7 aerial duels (71% success rate) to give Rangers a powerful physical target upfront, while also creating 1 key chance for his teammates.

While Kelsy may feel aggrieved to miss out on the top recognition after a two-goal display in the top tier of Scottish football, the slight provides additional fuel ahead of the trip to Tynecastle if the Rangers forward needs any at all.

Rangers take on an injury-riddled Hearts side at Tynecastle on Wednesday (28 October) night, where Kelsy is expected to lead the line once again. Having earned a spot in the SPFL Team of the Week, the 22-year-old striker will carry an extra edge into the capital, eager to channel the snub into another decisive performance and secure three crucial title-race points.