The Rangers Football Club got a win in their first game today but only after a hard fought game against Brechin City in the first round of the Ramsden Cup. Rangers got a 2-1 victory at Glebe Park after extra-time.
Glebe Park had its biggest attendance in years as it welcomed the light blues for their first competitive game as a lower league team. 4.123 squeezed into the tiny stadium to witness history. Rangers had a mixture of youth and experience in an unfamiliar looking team. Ian Black made his debut as a trialists.
Neil Alexander’s patience has paid off as he now has the number one shirt in his own right. The back four did have a mostly familiar look with three of the four of them regulars last season, and Broadfoot who was on the fringes last season. He was joined by Wallace, skipper Bocanegra and Dorin Goian. In midfield were youngsters McKay and Hutton along with new boy Ian Black. Up front were McCulloch, Little and MacLeod.
Rangers were out of the blocks fast with a goal in the third minute from Andy Little who scored the first goal of the new Rangers era when he slid the ball under the Brechin goalkeeper. Many thought it would then go on to be a rout but no such thing as Brechin made a game of it.
Neil Alexander showed he is still international class with an excellent save from Molloy. He was beaten though just before half-time after Jackson picked the ball up from a bad header from Broadfoot and caught Goian napping before slotting passed Alexander at the near post. Rangers had created plenty of chances in the first half, Broadfoot and Wallace in particular coming close but Rangers couldn’t get that second goal.
The second half was a hard fought one in the torrential rain. But neither team could find a second goal so it went into extra-time. Rangers soon gave their fans some relief when Lee McCulloch powered home a header in the first period of extra-time. That was enough to give Rangers the win and put them in the hat for the second round draw tomorrow.
Share this article
