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  • Date: 2008-08-09
  • Kick-off: 12:30
  • Attendance: 6669
  • Referee: McDonald, D

Live Commentary

90mins

The ref has blown his whistle for full time.

90mins

Kevin McBride is replaced by Chris Mitchell.

90mins

Rangers are replacing Kris Boyd with Daniel Cousin.

84mins

Rangers are replacing Kevin Thomson with Charlie Adam.

82mins

Michael Higdon is being taken off, Dayne Robertson has come on in his place.

73mins

Andrius Velicka is replaced by Jean-Claude Darcheville.

73mins

Falkirk are replacing Russell Latapy with Mark Stewart.

64mins

Goal!! Andrius Velicka scores for Rangers.

52mins

The referee has booked Kyle Lafferty.

50mins

Steven Whittaker is booked for unsporting behaviour.

46mins

The second half is under way with the score currently at 0 v 0.

45mins

The ref has blown his whistle for half time.

38mins

Christian Dailly is booked for unsporting behaviour.

0mins

The ref has blown his whistle and the match has started.

Match Report

Rangers striker Andrius Velicka was blamed by many for his costly late miss in Tuesday's Champions League defeat to FBK Kaunas, but the burly Lithuanian atoned in the best possible way by poaching the winner after 64 minutes.

Velicka's first goal for his new club gave a Rangers side weakened by injury and suspension a confidence-boosting three points to kick off their SPL campaign.

But full credit should go to goalkeeper Allan McGregor, who pulled off a priceless save from Michael Higdon's hesitant penalty with the score tied at 0-0.

"Obviously it was an important save for us," admitted manager Walter Smith afterwards.

"We didn't actually play all that well but managed to get the win which was the important thing especially after what happened during the week."

Rangers made a positive start with Smith discarding his usual caution by fielding an attacking line-up.

Fans' favourite Kris Boyd and Velicka formed a two-man strikeforce with summer signing Kyle Lafferty pushing up from midfield and there were no signs of a midweek hangover as Rangers dominated early on.

Home skipper Darren Barr had to make a desperate last-ditch tackle to deny Boyd as the striker prepared to pull the trigger and it took Falkirk 17 minutes to make any real impression.

Even then, Higdon failed to capitalise on a wild shot from Scott Arfield which fell kindly for him inside the penalty area.

Rangers ended the first period as they had started it and, after keeper Robert Olejnik pulled off an excellent save from Kevin Thomson's low left-foot drive, the home defence was required to scramble away an effort from veteran Christian Dailly.

Steven Whittaker's driving runs from the back were causing Falkirk problems, but the former Hibs man blotted his copybook in the 60th minute with a clumsy challenge on Kevin McBride.

Higdon failed to make Rangers pay and, even though the Ibrox side never looked totally convincing, there was a certain inevitability about their winning goal.

Boyd battled hard for possession and then fed Lafferty whose cut back was slotted home at the back post by Velicka.

Boyd's looping header almost killed Falkirk off and at the other end Kirk Broadfoot made a perfectly judged penalty box challenge on Higdon as time ran out.

Falkirk

Rangers

Corners

114

Fouls

712

Goal attempts

69

Shots off target

43

Offsides

12

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