Dorrans double sees Gers edge out Well

Graham Dorrans’ debut double gave Rangers a winning start to the new Ladbrokes Premiership season at Fir Park.

The boyhood Gers fan marked his first competitive start with a goal inside four minutes, but the Light Blues found themselves pegged back just before the break when Ben Heneghan headed home.

Dorran capped off his dream introduction, however, when he slotted home a second-half penalty to ease the pressure on boss Pedro Caixinha.

The Ibrox manager was under scrutiny to show his team had made progress from their Europa League nightmare in Luxembourg. But the forward strides made in the month since that catastrophe in Niederkorn were obvious.

It took the Light Blues just four minutes to strike, with new boys Bruno Alves and Dorrans central to the opener.

A Daniel Candeias free-kick sailed deep but Alves swung it back to Kenny Miller at the far post. The veteran hitman nodded down for Dorrans who swept a composed finish past defender Heneghan’s despairing lunge on the line.

Motherwell struck back six minutes before the break. A foul on Louis Moult gave them a free-kick wide on the right and Heneghan was able to sneak in to finish.

The Gers went ahead again after 57 minutes when Fabio Cardoso took a elbow to the face from Moult as they tussled for a Candeias cross and Dorrans lashed the penalty past Trevor Carson.

The visitors held their breath when Ryan Bowman’s deft touch was only kept out by the post. There was more drama at the death when Alex Fisher’s late shot squirmed under Wes Foderingham before bouncing wide to Caixinha’s relief.

Graham Dorrans: scored twice on competitive debut.