A much-changed Rangers side booked their place in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final with a 4-2 win over League One Alloa Athletic but the victory was not without some defensive flaws.
Albania international Nedim Bajrami opened the scoring for the Light Blues in the 13th minute with a terrific finish but the visitors sensationally levelled after 25 minutes when Gers keeper Liam Kelly’s attempted clearance in a goalmouth melee cannoned off Light Blues midfielder Joe Rothwell and into his own net.
Gers debutant Emmanuel Fernandez restored the home side’s lead three minutes later with a header and in the 67th minute substitute James Tavernier added a third with a penalty
Scott Taggart reduced the deficit with 10 minutes remaining only for Gers substitute Findlay Curtis to restore the two-goal advantage in the last minute.
It was a good workout for those players who needed minutes on the park but now boss Russell Martin, still trying to grasp the high demands of being the Rangers boss since arriving in the summer, will have noted the poor goals conceded as he starts preparing to host Belgian side Club Brugge in the first leg of the Champions League play-off on Tuesday.
Despite reaching the play-off with a 4-2 aggregate win over Viktoria Plzen, the 2-1 defeat in the second leg in the Czech Republic during the week brought another fresh wave of criticism for the former Southampton boss.
As expected, he rang the changes with only defender Nasser Djiga retained from the trip to the Czech Republic.
There was a debut for Mikey Moore, the 18-year-old attacker who received his international clearance on his loan move from Tottenham, and Fernandez, signed from Peterborough this summer.
The home side, captained by Liam Kelly, took instant control.
Moore had a couple of efforts beaten away by Alloa goalkeeper Liam McFarlane before he laid the ball off to Bajrami, who took a touch and curled the ball in off the crossbar from the edge of the box.
The home side’s lead was cancelled out in bizarre circumstances, which began when Djiga lost possession.
Steven Buchanan skipped by left-back Bailey Rice, his angled-drive was blocked by Kelly straight to Luke Rankin whose shot was stopped by Rothwell – perhaps by his arm.
However, when the ball got through to Kelly again, he thrashed it off the head of the prostrate Rothwell and the ball landed in the net, irking the home fans.
Rothwell’s next contribution was more positive, however, slinging in a free-kick from the right for Fernandez to head in from eight yards.
McFarlane made good saves from Gers attacker Danilo, Djiga and Bajrami before club captain Tavernier came on to replace the injured Rice.
The second half continued along the same lines with Rangers attacking and Alloa defending and McFarlane made further saves from Danilo and Tavernier.
There was a VAR check when Alloa substitute Cameron O’Donnell stopped Oscar Cortes getting on to the loose ball when McFarlane parried another Bajrami drive.
Referee Daniel McFarlane checked his pitchside monitor and pointed to the spot, with Tavernier driving in off a post.
Thelo Aasgaard, the 23-year-old Norway midfielder signed from Luton, replaced Moore to make his Rangers debut, with Hamza Igamane and Connor also coming on for Rothwell and Danilo.
Alloa injected some tension into the game when Taggart tapped in from a yard after David Devine headed an O’Donnell free-kick off the crossbar.
But Findlay, on for Cortes, fired a low shot in off the far post to seal the win, but the Light Blues will be stress-tested to a greater degree by Club Brugge on Tuesday.
