Match Report

Rangers v Stenhousemuir at Ibrox Park, Glasgow on 28.9.13

SPFL League One             Att 43,877

Rangers 8 [Daly 2,16,51, 82 Little 37, Wallace 61, Templeton 85, Mohsni 90] Stenhousemuir 0

Stenhousemuir would have went into this game with a mixture of trepidation and optimism as Rangers have steamrolled everyone in the league this season. The Warriors though had a 100% record away from home in League One and were hoping that some of that form could translate into points at Ibrox.

The game however didn’t turn out the way that Stenhousemuir had hoped for though as they handed the initiative to the home side from the start of the game and found themselves a goal down in only two minutes with the players being architects of their own downfall as they gifted Rangers the opportunity which they duly took.

Kevin McKinlay failed to control the ball properly and tripped Arnold Peralta on the edge of the box. Ian Black played the ball to the back stick for Jon Daly who headed home unmarked from close range.  A minute later a Brown Ferguson free kick was only partially cleared and Bryan Hodge was first to react firing just over from distance.  That was as good as it got for Stenhousemuir in the first period as they were totally over run and the home side missed several chances before they doubled the lead in the 16^th minute when Daly headed his second goal after a Sean Higgins attempted clearance struck a Rangers player before ballooning up to Daly at the far post to head home. Nicky Law then had a curling effort cleared off the line by McKinlay as a rampant Rangers tried to extend their lead.  After a few lucky escapes for Stenhousemuir their luck ran out in the 37^th minute when Bilel Mohsni’s header was only pushed out by Chris Smith and McKinlay’s attempted clearance struck Ross Smith and Andrew Little   who was in the vicinity looked to get the faintest of touches to help the ball into the net. Nicky Law then saw a header crash off the bar after clever footwork by Daly created the opening.

Stenhousemuir had a real chance to get on the score sheet in the 49^th minute when in a rare breakaway Darren Smith got behind the home defence but shot across goal when a pass to the unmarked Sean Dickson would have probably resulted in a goal as it was virtually a tap in for the midfielder.

After that it was all downhill for Stenhousemuir with Rangers getting their fourth in the 51^st minute when a cross from the right wing by Richard Foster was not cleared and it bounced to the back post for Jon Daly who secured a headed hat trick when he scored.

Little then saw Nicky Devlin clear an effort off the line before Law crash the rebound off the bar as Stenhousemuir struggled to stem the flow of chances. Rangers went nap in the 61^st  minute when the best pass of the game by Ian Black picked out Lee Wallace and he swept the ball past the despairing Chris Smith.

If the goals conceded was not enough there was more woe for Stenhousemuir when John Gemmell had to depart the scene thorough injury.  Ian Black missed the chance to get on the score sheet following his return from suspension when he headed wide when given a free header. The Warriors had a rare attempt at goal in the 76^th minute when Sean Lynch, who looked lively when he came on as a sub, headed a Bryan Hodge header over. Rangers scored their sixth in the 82^nd minute when Daly scored once again after no less than three players beat the offside trap and Daly slotted home from close range.

Ex-Warrior David Templeton then added salt to the wounds when he tucked home a rebound after Chris Smith originally denied Nicky Law with a fine save in the 85^th minute and the visitors were left reeling when Mohsni scored the eighth goal when he executed an overhead kick past Smith in the third minute of stoppage time.

Stenhousemuir were well beaten by a side that are a class above the rest of the division, however they didn’t help themselves with a performance well below the standard that they have set earlier in the season. It will be a test of the character in the team to see how they react to this drubbing, the worst since a 9-2 defeat in November 1985 to Raith Rovers and the first by 8 goals since October 1968 when they lost 9-1 at Forfar.     

Rangers – Bell, Foster, Mohsni, Peralta [Crawford 81], Wallace, McCulloch, Little [Clark 65], Black, Daly, McLeod [Templeton 76] and Law. Subs not used – Simonsen, Cribari, Smith and Aird.

Stenhousemuir – C.Smith, Devlin, McKinlay, R.Smith, McMillan, Hodge, Dickson, Ferguson [Lynch 59], Gemmell [Malone 70], Higgins [McNeil 81] and D.Smith. Subs not used – Shaw, Douglas, Anderson, Brash.

Referee – Brian Colvin   Assistants – Martin Cryans and Kylie McMullan