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Rangers cruise into Scottish League Cup last 16

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Martyn Waghorn celebrates one of his two goals

Rangers cruised into the last 16 of the Scottish League Cup with a fourth straight group win against outclassed League One Stranraer at Ibrox.

The visitors failed to cope with Barrie McKay, who was felled by the hapless Ross Barbour for an early penalty.

Martyn Waghorn dispatched it and plundered a Mark McGuigan back pass to add a second after 16 minutes.

The impressive Niko Kranjcar completed the scoring with a precise, controlled finish early in the second half.

Rangers might have added further goals but substitute Kenny Miller had an effort cleared off the line by Steven Bell and then diverted a James Tavernier cross wide from six yards.

But they comfortably maintained their 100% record and have yet to concede a goal after four competitive games, with the next round on 9/10 August.

McKay’s menace leaves Stranraer stranded

Stranraer offered little resistance, passing the ball poorly and failing to close opponents down, and Kranjcar, Joey Barton – making his first start – and Andy Halliday controlled the game from midfield while operating at a low tempo.

The home side were capable of bursting into life, though, often when McKay was carrying the ball with impudence and menace towards the Stranraer defenders.

Quick and elusive, he glided past Barbour, whose instinctive reaction was to dive at the attacker and bring him down inside the penalty area.

Barrie McKay is brought down by Stranraer's Ross Barbour<!–

Referee John Beaton pointed immediately to the spot and Waghorn converted, despite Stranraer goalkeeper Cammy Belford getting a hand to the ball.

The dynamic of the game was set, not least because the Stranraer players were unable to retain possession, much to manager Brian Reid’s annoyance.

Waghorn might already have scored a second with a header before he gathered McGuigan’s mis-hit pass and clipped a shot over the exposed Belford.

Kranjcar grows in prominence

With Barton dictating the pace and range of the home side’s play from a deep role in midfield, Rangers racked up dominance and possession, although many of their efforts on goal were from long range.

Reid brought on Craig Malcolm and Kyle Turner at half-time, but the rhythm of the game remained unchanged. Waghorn almost completed his hat-trick only for the ball to be bundled clear as he was about to convert Halliday’s cross.

Niko Kranjcar celebrates his first goal for Rangers<!–

Kranjcar grew in prominence, and added the third when Waghorn brought a high ball under control and the Croatian midfielder drilled a perfect volley low into the corner of the net.

The Ibrox crowd got their first look at former Liverpool youngster Jordan Rossiter when he replaced Barton for his debut just days after returning from England duty at the Under-19s European Championships.

Kranjcar continued to spray passes around the field, and Miller scampered onto one, but Belford and Bell combined to block his shot before clearing.

Post-match reaction:

Rangers boss Mark Warburton: “The boys maintained the intensity, moved the ball well and created lots of chances, so overall it was a good night’s work.

“That’s four games, four clean sheets and 10 goals scored, so I am pleased.

“We have two days off now before we play Burnley [in a friendly at Ibrox on Saturday] which is very important after four games in nine days.”

Stranraer boss Brian Reid: “We were a bit our own worst enemies at times and that start made it very difficult. But some of those boys only finished work at 5 o’clock so it is a good lesson for them.

“It could have been worse but we made a couple of changes, dug in and I felt we were a bit better in the second half.

“But you could see the difference in class with the players Rangers have got.”

Line-ups

Rangers

  • 1Foderingham
  • 2Tavernier
  • 4Kiernan
  • 6Wilson
  • 5Wallace
  • 19Kranjcar
  • 8BartonSubstituted forRossiterat 64′minutes
  • 16HallidaySubstituted forDodooat 64′minutes
  • 15Forrester
  • 33Waghorn
  • 10McKaySubstituted forMillerat 64′minutes

Substitutes

  • 3Hill
  • 9Miller
  • 14Dodoo
  • 17Hodson
  • 18Rossiter
  • 25Gilks
  • 29O’Halloran

Stranraer

  • 1Belford
  • 22BarbourBooked at 38minsSubstituted forTurnerat 45′minutes
  • 5McKeown
  • 2Robertson
  • 3Dick
  • 20McGuiganSubstituted forMorenaat 75′minutes
  • 23ThomsonBooked at 79mins
  • 8Bell
  • 10Agnew
  • 33GibsonBooked at 73mins
  • 27NadeSubstituted forMalcolmat 45′minutes

Substitutes

  • 7Osadolor
  • 9Malcolm
  • 11McCloskey
  • 13Currie
  • 14Morena
  • 16Turner
  • 21Kemp
Referee:
John Beaton
Attendance:
29,575

Match Stats

Home TeamRangersAway TeamStranraer
Possession
Home66%
Away34%
Shots
Home25
Away2
Shots on Target
Home10
Away0
Corners
Home15
Away0
Fouls
Home9
Away12

Live Text

Match ends, Rangers 3, Stranraer 0.

Full Time

Second Half ends, Rangers 3, Stranraer 0.

Attempt missed. Martyn Waghorn (Rangers) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.

Attempt saved. Jordan Rossiter (Rangers) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Liam Dick.

Attempt blocked. Joe Dodoo (Rangers) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is blocked.

Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Liam Dick.

Attempt missed. Kenny Miller (Rangers) right footed shot from very close range misses to the right.

Attempt missed. Kenny Miller (Rangers) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top right corner.

Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Scott Robertson.

Booking

Ryan Thomson (Stranraer) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Niko Kranjcar (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Ryan Thomson (Stranraer).

Attempt saved. Kenny Miller (Rangers) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.

Attempt missed. Giuliano Morena (Stranraer) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left.

Hand ball by Lee Wallace (Rangers).

Substitution

Substitution, Stranraer. Giuliano Morena replaces Mark McGuigan.

Booking

William Gibson (Stranraer) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Jordan Rossiter (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by William Gibson (Stranraer).

Attempt missed. Harry Forrester (Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left.

Attempt missed. Lee Wallace (Rangers) right footed shot from the left side of the box is too high.

Attempt blocked. Joe Dodoo (Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Foul by Jordan Rossiter (Rangers).

Liam Dick (Stranraer) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Substitution

Substitution, Rangers. Joe Dodoo replaces Andy Halliday.

Substitution

Substitution, Rangers. Jordan Rossiter replaces Joey Barton.

Substitution

Substitution, Rangers. Kenny Miller replaces Barrie McKay.

Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Steven Bell.

Attempt blocked. Martyn Waghorn (Rangers) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Scott Agnew.

Foul by Niko Kranjcar (Rangers).

Scott Agnew (Stranraer) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Foul by Martyn Waghorn (Rangers).

Scott Agnew (Stranraer) wins a free kick on the left wing.

James Tavernier (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Craig Malcolm (Stranraer).

Attempt blocked. Barrie McKay (Rangers) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.

Andy Halliday (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Steven Bell (Stranraer).

goal

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