Rangers travelled east to New Broomfield this evening, as the Glasgow giants continued their Scottish League One campaign against Airdrieonians.
Ally McCoist's side wasted no time in stamping their authority on the match, taking a two-goal lead into the break courtesy of strikes from Lewis Macleod and Andy Little.
Further goals followed in a dominant display from the Gers, with Jon Daly opening his account for the club with a brace after the interval.
Look back at a six-goal success for Rangers as their 100% start to the league campaign continued with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute commentary below.
Evening football fans. A packed weekend of action across Europe begins this evening at the Excelsior Stadium, with Rangers searching for a third successive win in Scottish League One against Airdrieonians.
Ally McCoist's side have made the short trip east in fine form as the continue the long haul back of Scotland's football pyramid, despite more headlines the coach could do without this week. Midfielder Ian Black has been included in tonight's squad, despite facing charges relating to breaking betting rules.
McCoist will also have his selection hampered tonight by a strange rule regarding trialists. The Gers boss can only select two players on trial until next month, when a year-long transfer embargo imposed on the Glasgow giants is up. A very strong Rangers side will still be confident of victory this evening, against an Airdrie team looking for a major scalp in a rare live televised outing.
Airdrie can go into tonight's match without pressure, but have failed to win either of their last two matches. Jimmy Boyle's men were last in action on Tuesday, when their run in the Ramsdens Cup was ended by a 2-0 home defeat to Queen of the South.
Boyle has also been sweating on the fitness of experienced midfield stalwart Martin Hardie ahead of kickoff, with the 37-year-old set to undergo a late fitness test. The Diamonds will play their third game in six days tonight, as they look to banish memories of a disappointing effort last season. A win over Rangers tonight would achieve that ambition in some style!
TEAM NEWS! Tonight's starting XI's are in and show one change for Rangers from last week's 3-0 stroll at Stranraer. Robbie Crawford comes in for the visitors, replacing Dean Shiels in an advanced midfield role. A full look at both teams will follow in just a few moments.
RANGERS! Gallacher, McAusland, McCulloch, Faure, Wallace, Black, Crawford, Law, Macleod, Little, Daly
AIRDRIE: Stewart, O'Neil, Boyle, McCormack, Buchanan, Sinclair, Bain, Blockley, Lister, Coult, McLaren
No surprises that Rangers have largely decided to stick with a winning team, with Shiels unlucky to miss out. Nicky Clark and Emilson Cribari are among the players still technically considered trialists and miss out, while David Templeton have to settle for a place on the bench.
For the hosts Hardie's omission is a huge blow, with the former Kilmarnock midfielder failing to shrugg off injury in time for tonight's clash. New Broomfield is a sell out this evening, with the two teams due out imminently!
PREDICTION: Just time to put my neck on a line before kickoff and predict an away win tonight. Rangers have been in confident mood early this season, with an nice mix of youth and experience controlling games. McCoist has expressed some concerns about the artificial pitch used by Airdrie, but should still have enough to maintain a 100% start in the league. I'll go for Daly to notch in a 3-1 win for the Gers.
Here we go then at New Broomfield, with Rangers getting the match underway shooting from left to right. Airdrie make use of the surface to win back possession thanks to a kind bounce in the early going, with toilet rolls and a flare being removed as play is halted for the pitch to be cleared.
An early chance for Airdrie as Nathan Blockley drives wide. That was a positive run from the midfielder, who drove beyond a static defence to meet a pass inside, but could only hook his shot well wide.
SAVE! Gers keeper Gallacher has just been forced to make a brilliant save low at his far post. Airdire continued a positive start as McLaren burst past Crawford into space in the penalty area, with his driving effort just tipped round the post by a vital late touch. The referee decides to award a goal kick, but that was definitely a save Gallacher deserves to be credited for.
Rangers show some intent going forward for the first time tonight, with shots from Law and Black both charged down quickly inside the penalty area. Wallace and Black then combine out wide, but the midfielder's speculative strike from 30 yards is never troubling Stewart in the Airdire goal.
More positive, albeit direct play from Airdire creates another half-chance, with Sinclair taking advantage of disarray in the Rangers penalty area to find space. The midfielder's acrobatic strike falls a few yards wide of the bottom corner, but that should serve as a warning sign for the visitors, sharpen up or risk being punished!
SAVE! Ian Black's instinctive flick on the half volley has just forced Colin Stewart into a superb reaction stop. The goalkeeper was at full stretch to deny the midfielder, who was unlucky not to see his sweetly-struck effort find the bottom corner.
Rangers half-heartedly appeal for a penalty as Bain slides in on Wallace inside the penalty area, but his challenge is perfectly timed and deflects the ball wide for a corner kick.
GOAL! Airdrie 0-1 Rangers (Macloed)
The first moment of quality from Rangers sees the visitors break the deadlock through Lewis Macloed. The winger drifted inside to meet a clever pass inside from Crawford, before being allowed to control and shoot quickly from 12 yards. His low, controlled effort found a home in the bottom corner, despite an outstretched arm from Stewart, to give the Gers an early advantage!
Rangers have now seized control of possession following the breakthrough, but Daly looses the ball under pressure in midfield after dropping deep. The forward wants a free kick but quickly gets up to join an attack for the visitors, sending a cross into the box that just evades Crawford and Little at the back post. Not where you would expect to the centre forward, but a great delivery that perhaps deserved better all the same.
Andy Little shows terrific awareness to let the ball drop over his head just outside the penalty area, before swivelling to shoot from range. His controlled volley flashes just beyond the top corner, but earns praise from his teammates despite missing the target.
Black follows little by trying his luck from distance, hitting wide first time after a kind bounce invited him to strike on the half-volley. Rangers are then nearly caught cold on the counter, with McCulloch forcing Coult wide before eventually conceding a corner kick with a fine block.
A penalty appeal from the home side for handball against McCulloch is turned away by the referee, who decides the Gers skipper knew little about touching the ball with his left forearm. Airdrie then string together a few nice passes inside the opposition half, before winning a free kick which is hammered safely through to Gallacher's grateful arms by Bain.
SHOT! Lister shows quick feat and assured touch to control and find space inside a packed penalty area, but is let down by a top-punt finish that goes well wide of the target. The Diamonds have reacted well to conceding that early goal, with plenty of positives in possession for Boyle's men.
GOAL! Airdrie 0-2 Rangers (Daly)
Simple direct football has helped Rangers double their advantage before the interval through Little. Last season's top scorer met a header back across goal from Daly, before turning neatly to turn his marker inside the six-yard box. All the quick move needed was a finish, which Little duly applied by smashing into the roof of the net from close range. That's harsh on Airdire but very clinical stuff from the visitors.
YELLOW CARD! David Blockley picks up the game's first caution just before the break, with the young Airdrie midfielder penalised for persistent fouling. From the free kick Rangers quickly work forward to Little, who improvises after a poor first touch, aiming an overhead kick towards goal which Stewart sees all the way to palm clear.
McCulloch is down after a clash of heads on his 600th club appearance, but soon gets back to his feet as the match continues.
Close for Airdrie just before the break as McLaren cuts inside to meet a precise pass from Couts. The midfielder is surrounded by defenders but squeezes out a low shot, which trickles inches beyond Gallacher's near post.
HALF-TIME Airdrie 0-2 Rangers
An efficient, satisfactory half for Rangers on the road, with a ruthless streak in front of goal helping McCoist's men build a two-goal lead. Airdrie had chances early on and have been punished for not taking them, with MacLeod and Little's goals the difference between the two sides at the break.
The Gers have looked slightly shaky at the back so far tonight, but more than make up for that with attacking intent at the other end. Daly has looked something like a return to his best in attack, while MacLeod, Crawford and Wallace have all bombed forward at every opportunity.
McCoist will now be urging his troops to maintain concentration when play resumes, with Airdrie looking for an early response in the second half. In the other dressing room Boyle needs his side to push the pace in midfield, with some early success created by forcing mistakes from the visitors under consistent pressure.
Another Rangers goal could see changes at the break, with David Templeton among the replacements available to McCoist. The former Hearts man missed out on a starting role tonight, partly due to injury concerns with the artificial pitch in mind, but will be desperate to play a part and continue his push for a regular place in the side.
Both sides are back out at New Broomfield, with Airdrie about to kick off. Can the hosts somehow claw their way back into this match, or are Rangers home and dry in their search for a third successive league win. We are about to find out.
Rangers have settled quickly in possession, with Daly dropping deeper to press and help the visitors keep the ball under pressure. Law then attempts to swap passes with Wallace in a give and go just outside the box, but O'Neill reads their intentions and gets across to smash clear.
GOAL! Airdrie 0-3 Rangers (Crawford)
Rangers have a third goal through Robbie Crawford, but Macleod and Wallace deserve much of the credit for creating a chance that the youngster couldn't miss. Their slick interchange found Wallace in space out wide, with his cross taking a deflection before finding Crawford. With time to pick his spot the midfielder lashed home from close range, scoring a goal which probably just about ends this match as a genuine contest.
The visitors burst forward again with purpose through Little, who sends a perfectly weighted ball into the penalty area for Daly. His late run into the box is well timed, with a controlled volley hit down into the ground just trickling beyond the far corner. Very unlucky there for the striker, who continues to be frustrated in his search for a goal.
SUBSTITUTION: Airdrie have made a change to offer fresh legs in midfield, with McClaren replaced by Martin Hardie. The veteran should offer much-needed experience as the hosts look to fight back, or at the very least keep the scoreline respectable and take some positives from a tough assignment.
YELLOW CARD! Airdrie skipper McCormack picks up a caution after tearing into a late challenge on Black. Rangers use the free kick to find Daly as Wallace continues to cause chaos down the wing, but the strikers snatched shot stays central enough for Stewart to claim with minimum fuss.
SUBSTITUTION: The hosts make their second change and once again it's in favour of experience over youth, with Bain replaced by former Kilmarnock stalwart Jamie Hay.
More inventive play down the right for Rangers sees Little and Wallace swap passes in the penalty area, but two covering defenders just manage to force an error and scramble clear. This is a damaged limitation exercise now for Airdrie, who must maintain focus and discipline to avoid a pasting.
Little attempts to seize on a mistake from Buchanan at the back for Rangers, heading forward into space. With that touch the race is on between the forward and O'Neill, who just has enough pace to head back safely to Stewart, despite pressure from Little and Daly advancing quickly.
GOAL! Airdrie 0-4 Rangers (Daly)
The goal drought is over for Daly with an old-fashioned header crashed in from close range. It wasn't pretty but you can bet the striker will care little, his first Gers goal! Daly leapt higher than his marker to meet Law's looping deflected cross at the far post, showing strength to head into the top corner under pressure. McCoist is delighted for the big forward, who looks a relieved man.
GOAL! Airdrie 0-5 Rangers (Law)
If Daly's goal was a little scrappy then a fifth goal for Rangers more than makes up for it. A classy move up the pitch sees Little pick out Law inside the box, with his deft flick first time finding the bottom corner with aplomb. A fine team goal for the Gers, who are threatening to run riot.
GOAL! Airdrie 0-6 Rangers (Daly)
Daly quickly finds a second goal in Rangers colours, after waiting what seemed an age for his maiden strike. The forward turned swiftly to evade two challenges in the penalty area, before guiding into the corner with composure and assurance. McCoist is waiting on the touchline to embrace his striker, with the whole team clearly delighted. A wait off Daly's shoulders tonight, with time still to make it a hat-trick. Meanwhile Airdrie have made a final change, swapping Lister for 16-year-old Liam Coogan.
SUBSTITUTIONS: Rangers make a pair of changes just after Macleod and O'Neill are both booked for tussling following a 50-50 challenge in midfield. Macleod is of the players to make way, with Black also getting a well-earned rest as Templeton and Shiels are introduced in the closing stages.
Coult sends a tidy ball forward as Airdrie break to win a corner kick, which comes as welcome relief for a defence tiring considerably. The hosts take it short towards Boyle, who slams a speculative shot into a crowded penalty area, which Rangers hammer upfield to clear their lines.
Templeton gets involved for the first time since coming on, cutting inside on his left foot to fire towards goal. His strike is hit with venom and drops at an awkward height for Stewart, who palms wide in a safety-first save.
Airdrie win a late free kick which Hardie deflects into the wall, with Gallacher out quickly to claim a cross swung back into the danger zone on the follow-up. Rangers clear quickly and look to break through Wallace down the right, but he is flagged for offside after just failing to delay his run. That's just about his only mistake tonight in a fantastic display.
Daly just creeps offside by fractions as the forward is denied a free strike at goal by the linesman's flag. That should just about do it at New Broomfield, as McAusland comes forward to take a throw-in.
Rangers are furious as Templeton has a goal chalked off, with the whistle blown for a free kick before his strike found the top corner. McCoist isn't happy either on the touchline, he wanted advantage to be played there. The Gers have to make do with a free kick just on the edge, which Law curls just wide.
FULL-TIME Airdrie 0-6 Rangers
In the end a very comfortable victory for Rangers keeps their 100% start to the league campaign intact, as McCoist's men continue to look a class above their opponents in the Scottish third tier.
That just about does it for Sports Mole's coverage from New Broomfield, on a night packed full of positives for the Glasgow giants. Good evening and enjoy your weekend, while of course sticking with us for comprehensive coverage from across Europe.
Written by
Liam Power
Liam Power
