Rangers show their revived credentials
Tables have turned as Ibrox manager hails his side’s dominant display at Fir Park a year on from Premiership play-off humiliation
WHAT a difference a season makes. On the last occasion Rangers travelled to Fir Park to take on Motherwell they ended up on the receiving end of a humiliating 3-0 defeat in the second leg of the Premiership play-off final and a 6-1 aggregate loss overall.
Little over a year on, this victory in the opening group game of the revamped Betfred Cup underlined that the Ibrox club will be capable of challenging for major honours in the forthcoming campaign.
The Ladbrokes Championship winners, despite only playing one pre-season friendly this summer, defeated top-flight rivals thanks to second-half goals from James Tavernier and Martyn Waghorn.
Mark Warburton, the Rangers manager, has spent the summer months strengthening his squad extensively. Joey Barton, Matt Crooks, Matt Gilks, Clint Hill, Lee Hodson, Niko Kranjcar and Josh Windass have all arrived. Joe Dodoo is expected to sign in the coming days.
None of the new arrivals, though, made it into the Rangers starting line-up. There was only one change from their last competitive outing in the William Hill Scottish Cup final against Hibs in May. Harry Forrester came in for the departed Gedion Zelalem.
For a while, it appeared as though the home team could rack up a win by another emphatic scoreline, looking more dangerous than their opponents and creating several openings up front.
Lionel Ainsworth had a shot cleared off the line by Andy Halliday in the second minute, Scott McDonald had an effort saved by Wes Foderingham, Chris Cadden fired wide and Marvin Johnson had an attempt blocked. Their rivals were fortunate to stay level.
Yet, it was almost inevitable that, having failed to convert on repeated occasions, Motherwell would fall behind. They did so just three minutes after the start of the second half. Waghorn cut the ball back to Tavernier on the edge of the area and his team-mate curled it beyond Craig Samson and into the top left corner. Having netted no fewer than 15 goals last term, the right back has picked where he left off.
Warburton gave Kranjcar and Windass their debuts in the second half. They came on for Forrester and Holt and looked bright. Elsewhere, Michael O’Halloran also took over from Miller as Rangers remained in control.
Mark McGhee was unhappy at the referee’s failure to punish Tavernier for a robust challenge on Johnson. He was spoken to by Steven McLean as a result.
The Motherwell manager wasn’t complaining, however, when the match official failed to take action after Samson blocked a Waghorn shot with his arm a good five yards outside his area. “It was a good save, the best one he made all day,” said McGhee.
The news that second-half substitute Louis Moult will require surgery on his groin and miss the first three Premiership games of the season was less well-received.
Waghorn sewed up a satisfying victory for Rangers in injury-time when he curled a left-foot shot into the net off the inside of the post from 20 yards out.
“It was our first game so I’ll take 12 minutes of rustiness,” said Warburton. “We dominated after the 15th minute and, in truth, we should have been further ahead.
“Considering it was our first competitive game, we lost out on a few one v ones and gave the ball away cheaply early on.
“Our energy levels were really good. Most of our players have only had 45 minutes of game time against Charleston Battery.
“We dominated possession, created chances and looked sharp. I’ll look at the game again because we could have been one or two down at the start and we should have stopped their chances.
“But then we took care of the football and won the one v ones, got tighter in key areas and there was only one team in it.”
Warburton confirmed Barton, Gilks, Hill and Hodson will feature in the Betfred Cup game against Annan at Ibrox on Tuesday night.
It was our first game so I’ll take 12 minutes of rustiness. We dominated after the 15th minute