Rangers hand Motherwell six of best

December 19, 2009


Doubles from Kenny Miller and substitute Kyle Lafferty gave Rangers a 6-1 win over Motherwell which extended their lead at the top of the Scottish Premier League on Saturday.

Miller followed up his double in the 3-0 win over Dundee United on Tuesday with two super strikes either side of Kris Boyd’s 13th goal of the season.

Shaun Hutchinson pulled one back for Motherwell with a bullet header but it was just a consolation as Lafferty netted either side of a DaMarcus Beasley strike to seal an emphatic win.

With rivals Celtic not playing Hearts until Sunday it gives Rangers a four- point advantage at the top.

Walter Smith made two changes from the side which swept past Dundee United on Tuesday with Allan McGregor returning in goal and Kevin Thomson replacing Lee McCulloch.

For the second week in succession Rangers got an early lead at Ibrox when Miller scored after just four minutes.

The Motherwell defenders were static as Steven Davis teed up Miller at the edge of the box and he curled his first-time shot into the net off the crossbar.

Steven Saunders came to Motherwell’s rescue three minutes later when he twice cleared Boyd shots off the line.

Kirk Broadfoot was next to be given time and space in the Motherwell half and he fired a long-range effort just wide of John Ruddy’s post.

Thomson’s return from injury lasted just 20 minutes as he trundled off to be replaced by McCulloch following an ankle knock.

A good passing move resulted in Davis picking out Miller in the box but after turning his marker he sent a left-foot shot high and wide.

Lukas Jutkiewicz flashed a header across goal and Steven Jennings fired just wide as Motherwell grew in confidence.

Sasa Papac missed a golden chance to score on the stroke of half-time after Nacho Novo found him in space in the box but he sent a shot straight at Ruddy which the keeper blocked with his legs.

Boyd doubled the lead in the 53rd minute.

Davis played a perfect pass into the path of the Scottish Premier League’s top-scorer and he got in front of Hutchinson to fire it low past the out-rushing Ruddy.

Miller got his second five minutes later.

The Scotland striker chased down Madjid Bougherra’s long ball over the top before finishing from a tight angle to score his fifth goal in three league games.

Motherwell pulled one back with their first shot on target in the 67th minute.

Hutchinson found himself unmarked in the six-yard box to bullet a header past McGregor from Tom Hately’s corner.

Lafferty replaced Boyd in the 70th minute and it took him just five minutes to get on the score-sheet.

Miller played in Broadfoot and the right-back’s pass across goal was met by the Northern Irish international who tapped in from two yards out.

Miller was involved again as Beasley scored the fifth in the 84th minute.

The Scotland striker played a pass down the wing and the American held off Mark Reynolds to slot past Ruddy from an acute angle.

A mistake from Ruddy helped Rangers make it 6-1 with two minutes left.

The keeper rushed out his box to attempt to clear a long ball from Beasley but Lafferty got there first and fired the ball through the legs of Ruddy to get his second of the game.

GLASGOW (AFP)

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Miller at the double as Rangers go top

December 16, 2009


Kenny Miller struck twice as Rangers returned to the top of the Scottish Premier League with a 3-0 win over Dundee United in a rearranged game at Tannadice on Tuesday.

A sublime strike from DaMarcus Beasley was enough to separate the sides at half-time before Kenny Miller scored a second-half double to send Rangers one point clear of rivals Celtic in the race for the championship.

The Old Firm side will feel justice has been served after the original fixture between the pair on November 1 was abandoned at half-time due to a water-logged pitch with Rangers leading 1-0.

After a cagey opening ten minutes the first chance of the game fell to Rangers with Nicky Weaver producing a super one-handed save to keep out Beasley’s snap shot from 25 yards.

Lee McCulloch then lashed a shot wide from 20 yards before seeing a volley bounce just inches past the post.

United felt aggrieved when Jon Daly went down in the box following a challenge from Sasa Papac but referee Mike Tumily waved away their penalty claims.

The Arabs rarely threatened and it took until the 25th minute for them to have an effort on goal with Daly heading straight at Neil Alexander from Craig Conway’s free-kick.

Two minutes later Rangers had the lead through a superb left-foot strike from Beasley.

The American collected a pass from Miller on the right wing before jinxing past Paul Dixon and unleashing an unstoppable curling shot into the top left-hand corner of the net for his first league goal since September 2007.

Kris Boyd had a penalty claim turned down after taking a tumble following a nudge from Mihael Kovacevic before the SPL top-scorer sent a fierce low shot just wide from 20 yards.

With 55 minutes on the clock Daly beat his marker to flash a header past Alexander’s post from Dixon’s corner. But it was Rangers who added to their lead in the 58th minute.

Nacho Novo danced past Sean Dillon and Danny Cadamarteri before providing an inch-perfect cross for Miller who sent his downward header through the legs of Weaver and into the net.

United had former Manchester City keeper Weaver to thank for keeping the score down as he denied Madjid Bougherra and Boyd but he was helpless to stop Miller making sure of the points in the 75th minute.

The impressive Beasley picked out the Scotland international in the box and he turned inside defender Darren Dods before striking low past Weaver to seal his side’s second consecutive 3-0 win.

DUNDEE, Scotland (AFP)

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Rangers teen Wilson out to impress

November 7, 2009


Rangers defender Danny Wilson is not taking his place in the side for granted ahead of Saturday’s Scottish Premier League clash with St Mirren after an impressive start to his Rangers career.

The 17-year-old hasn’t put a foot wrong since being asked to partner David Weir in the centre of the Gers defence after Madjid Bougherra and Lee McCulloch were ruled out with injury.

The teenager made his debut in a 3-1 League Cup win over Dundee and has since made his European bow in the Old Firm side’s 1-1 with Unirea Urziceni on Wednesday.

Bougherra expects to be fit enough to return when Rangers take on St Mirren this Saturday at Ibrox but Wilson’s early contributions will cast genuine doubt over whether the Algerian merits an instant comeback after injury.

The teenager insists he is taking nothing for granted but there’s no doubt he has given manager Walter Smith something to think long and hard about as Rangers aim to cut Celtic’s lead at the top of the table.

Wilson – who became the club’s youngest Euro debutant since Willie Henderson in 1961 – added: “I’m just taking things as they come.

“I know there are more players in the squad who are capable of stepping back into the team.

“Just to have been given the nod for the couple of games I’ve played in so far has been excellent for me. I think I’ve done well so far but I need to keep trying as hard as I can when my chances come along. If I play I play and if I don’t, I won’t be too disheartened.”

Smith will be without injury victims Pedro Mendes, Maurice Edu and Kirk Broadfoot for the match against the Buddies, who have made a solid start to their league campaign.

On Sunday, league leaders Celtic are away to Falkirk where boss Tony Mowbray will be without midfielders Scott Brown and Shaun Maloney through injury.

But the boss has been boosted by the return of Marc-Antoine Fortune from injury after he made his come-back as a substitute in the 3-0 win over Kilmarnock last Saturday.

His eight-week absence limited Celtic’s striking options but Fortune looked sharp and dangerous when he came on as a second-half substitute.

“It’s easy to look back and say that we’ve missed Marc but you always miss good players when they are out,” Mowbray said. “He adds something different to the team.

“When he was fit and available at the start of the season, the team was generally scoring goals. He gives us a different dimension to the qualities of Scott McDonald and Georgios Samaras.

“Those two players have worked very hard for us, but Marc’s work with his back to goal can give us a platform. We will look to utilise him and the other strikers as the season goes on. They all have a part to play, but I was delighted with Marc’s return.”

Hibernian could join Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premier League if they triumph against Hearts in the Edinburgh derby at Tynecastle on Saturday.

John Hughes’ side are 12 points ahead of their city rivals, who sit in eighth position in the table but the Jambos have home advantage.

In Saturday’s other games Aberdeen take on St Johnstone at Pittodrie, Hamilton take on high-flying Motherwell in the Lanarkshire derby and Kilmarnock host Dundee United.

Fixtures (1500 GMT unless otherwise stated)

Saturday

Aberdeen v St Johnstone

Hamilton v Motherwell

Hearts v Hibernian

Kilmarnock v Dundee United

Rangers v St Mirren

Sunday

Falkirk v Celtic (AFP

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Sevilla blitz groggy Rangers

September 30, 2009


Sevilla dumped Rangers with a stunning second-half goal blitz as they made it two wins out of two in their Champions League campaign following a controversial 4-1 success at Ibrox.

The Spanish side ran out easy winners thanks to goals from Abdoulay Konko, Adriano, Luis Fabiano and Frederic Kanoute but that doesn’t tell the full story of a fiery encounter, which saw Nacho Novo score a late consolation for the home side.

Konko may have opened the scoring on 50 minutes to set them on their way but he was lucky to still be on the pitch after he somehow avoided giving away a penalty and receiving a red card after a blatant last-man trip on Steven Naismith in the box.

Referee Jonas Eriksson turned away the home side’s appeals, which seemed justified, and the visitors never looked back after surviving that first-half scare.

They are now in pole position to reach the last 16, with Rangers likely to be scrapping for second place with Stuttgart and Unirea Urziceni.

Home boss Walter Smith sprang something of a surprise before kick-off with his starting line-up. The 4-5-1 formation, his preferred in European competition, was expected but the inclusion of Steven Naismith as the lone striker, at the expense of Kenny Miller, raised a few eyebrows amongst the home support.

Manola Jimenez’s side arrived in Glasgow in sparkling form having won four of their opening five matches in La Liga, including a thumping 4-0 away win at Athletic Bilbao at the weekend.

The visitors showed their class on 14 minutes following a swift break orchestrated and nearly finished by Kanoute.

He released Jesus Navas down the right flank and his low cross was perfectly weighted into the path of the former Tottenham striker, who had continued his run into the box.

The Mali international barely broke stride but his right-foot strike from eight yards was superbly parried by Allan McGregor. The Scottish champions seemed happy to contain but Lee McCulloch fired a dipping volley inches over to lift the home support after a frustrating opening quarter.

Rangers were growing into the match and posed another question of the visitors defence on 28 minutes, but McCulloch dragged an effort wide after he had been neatly picked out by Kevin Thomson.

And the match erupted on 36 minutes when Eriksson denied the home side what appeared a clear penalty when Konko tripped Naismith in the area.

The sense of injustice was nearly made worse on 42 minutes when the Spaniards almost grabbed the lead.

Madjid Bougherra, the goalscoring hero in the opening-round 1-1 draw at Stuttgart, got caught in possession inside his area and Adriano’s shot was brilliantly saved by McGregor, before Navas fired the rebound over.

The Swedish official left the field to a chorus of deafening boos as the half ended with honours even.

And the mood inside the stadium worsened on 50 minutes when the visitors took the lead with a neatly-worked free-kick.

Lolo looked like he was shaping to shoot but instead passed to Navas and his right-wing cross was headed home from six yards by that man Konko. Papac almost offered an instant equaliser but he was inches away from turning home Whittaker’s cross.

Thomson then saw his 25-yard effort tipped over by Andres Palop as Rangers showed spirit after going behind.

But Sevilla killed the match on 64 minutes after Kanoute teed up Konko on the right wing. His cut-back found Adriano and he sent a curling right-foot strike beyond McGregor’s despairing dive from 16 yards.

Things went from bad to worse on 72 minutes when Fabiano headed home Kanoute’s cross to make it three. And things got even more embarrassing 90 seconds later when Fabiano turned provider to set up Kanoute, who coolly slotted home his cross from four yards.

Sub Novo pulled one back one back on 88 minutes with a brilliant 25-yard strike but it was too little too late for the Glasgow outfit.

GLASGOW (AFP)

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Ten-man Rangers draw at Kilmarnock

September 19, 2009


Rangers held on for a goalless draw at Kilmarnock on Saturday after Pedro Mendes and boss Walter Smith were sent off.

Portuguese midfielder Mendes saw red for two bookings before half-time and Ibrox manager Smith was sent to the stands for protesting too aggressively against the decision.

But despite playing for 45 minutes with 10 men, the Scottish champions – who have now drawn their last two league matches – were able to withstand severe Kilmarnock pressure to maintain their unbeaten record.

Their cause was helped when Killie’s Manuel Pascali was dismissed for a second booking nine minutes from full-time.

Veteran defender David Weir returned to the Rangers line-up after he missing the midweek Champions League draw in Stuttgart through injury, while midfielder Lee McCulloch was deployed at centre-half in place of the suspended Madjid Bougherra.

Kilmarnock had the first sight of goal when Craig Bryson picked out Conor Sammon, but the big striker’s close-range effort was kept out by Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor.

Mendes then picked up a harsh yellow card for clipping the heels of Bryson as Rangers struggling to get going.

There was a lack of cohesion about their play which was summed up when Steven Naismith shot wildly over after John Fleck’s free-kick rebounded into his path.

Naismith wasted a much better chance moments later when a point-blank shot was blocked by the legs of Kilmarnock goalkeeper Mark Brown.

With half-time fast approaching, Naismith was threatening again, this time running on to a Steven Davis ball only to be denied by Brown, who raced off his line to claim.

The game erupted two minutes from the interval when Mendes picked up a second yellow card for another foul on Bryson and Smith was sent to the stand for his reaction in the dug-out.

Danny Invincibile wasted a golden opportunity to open the scoring soon after the break when his close-range header was blocked by McGregor. Invincibile pounced on the rebound but hooked his shot over the crossbar.

The hosts were turning the screw now and only the woodwork denied Jamie Hamill, when his swerving effort crashed off the inside of the post and back into play.

With nine minutes to go, Kilmarnock were also reduced to ten men when Pascali picked up a second yellow card for a foul on Davis.

But Killie could still have snatched a winner at the last when McGregor did well to parry a close-range volley from Sammon.

KILMARNOCK, Scotland (AFP)

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Burley stays on as Scotland coach

September 15, 2009


George Burley will remain as Scotland manager despite having failed to lead his squad to the play-offs for next year’s World Cup, the Scottish Football Association (SFA) confirmed on Tuesday.

A 1-0 home defeat by the Netherlands last week ended Scotland’s chances of reaching the World Cup finals and was widely expected to trigger the dismissal of Burley, who had ruled out resigning in the wake of what was a deeply disappointing qualifying campaign.

But it appears Burley has convinced his SFA bosses to give him a second chance following talks at Hampden.

Burley, who replaced Alex McLeish at the helm of the national side in January 2008, has arguably not enjoyed his fair share of luck as Scotland manager with fixture scheduling, some controversial refereeing decisions and Chris Iwelumo’s open-goal miss in a pivotal goalless draw against Norway at Hampden all conspiring against his side’s chances.

He has also had to contend with Lee McCulloch and Kris Boyd calling time on their Scotland careers while he banished former captain Barry Ferguson and goalkeeper Allan McGregor from international football after an all-night drinking session following the 3-0 away defeat to the Dutch.

His critics will argue that those issues reflected poor man management and that luck should even itself out over the course of an eight-match campaign.

It will also be questioned how a Scotland squad that, under Burley’s predecessors, ran France and Italy close in qualifying for Euro 2008, could not secure at least second place in a much weaker group in this campaign.

After losing 4-0 in Norway in August, the Scots revived their chances with a 2-0 home win over Macedonia.

But despite a battling display against the Dutch, in which they hit the woodwork twice, they were unable to claim the win over the group leaders that would have given them the chance of reaching the play-offs for South Africa.

Afterwards, Burley said he had no intention of walking away from the job and insisted that he wanted to lead Scotland into the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012.

GLASGOW (AFP)

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Rangers and Celtic win on SPL opener

August 15, 2009


Champions Rangers and arch-rivals Celtic made winning starts to their respective Scottish Premier League campaigns on Saturday.

Rangers overcame a resolute Falkirk side 4-1 to go top of the league on goals difference over Kilmarnock, 3-0 winners over Hamilton, while Celtic won 3-1 away at Aberdeen.

The league flag was unfurled before kick-off at Ibrox and the Rangers fans were soon celebrating again when an unstoppable strike from Lee McCulloch opened the scoring in the 14th minute.

Carl Finnegan soon had the Bairns level but Scotland striker Miller netted either side of half-time and Steven Naismith scored late on to seal the victory.

Rangers go top of the SPL ahead of Kilmarnock and Celtic, who have a crucial Champions League match against Arsenal on Tuesday, with Hibernian the only other winners on the day.

Rangers manager Walter Smith admitted Falkirk had been the better side for long spells of the game.

“In terms of overall consistency of performance it was maybe not our best today,” Smith said.

“We started reasonably well but we were patchy in our possession of the ball.”

Smith, without several first-team regulars due to injury and suspension, was still able to play the prolific partnership of Kris Boyd and Kenny Miller up front while McCulloch occupied a holding midfield role.

The Bairns started brightly but a sensational strike from McCulloch opened the scoring in the 14th minute.

The Scotland international looked like he had let a pass overrun but he won his challenge with Burton O’Brien before picking himself up and unleashing a thunderous, rising shot into the top corner from nearly 30 yards out.

The goal seemed to fire up Falkirk and they were level 10 minutes later after O’Brien broke quickly down the left and his cross was met in the middle by Finnegan who ushered the ball past the helpless McGregor.

Miller restored the Rangers lead in the 34th minute, the Scotland striker sending a header over the out-stretched hands of Robert Olejnik into the roof of the net.

Falkirk continued to pressure Rangers in the second-half but Miller grabbed his second of the game when he danced away from a couple of defenders before calmly slotting past Olejnik in the 73rd minute.

Naismith sealed the win with seven minutes to go. He beat Jackie McNamara to the ball in the box before directing it past the outrushing Olejnik.

Falkirk manager Eddie May thought three of the goals had been avoidable.

“We were playing the best team in Scotland and they will punish you if you show any slackness. They were ruthless when they scored their goals,” May said.

With Tony Mowbray taking charge of his first league match since replacing Gordon Strachan in the close-season, Celtic’s players were keen to show they can win back the title from Rangers and raced into a three-goal lead before half-time.

Aiden McGeady’s double strike and a Scott McDonald goal had the Hoops in control and, although Dons midfielder Sone Aluko pulled one back after the break, there was never any danger of a telling comeback as the visitors got the boost they wanted for the Champions League clash against Arsenal at Parkhead.

“In the first half we played some good football, it could have been five or six,” McGeady said. “It was a disappointment not to score more goals in the first half.”

Mowbray added: “We were frustrated at half time. We should have had one or two more goals.”

A Kevin Kyle double and a Jamie Hamill strike secured the 3-0 win for Kilmarnock over Hamilton.

John Hughes saw new side Hibernian beat St Mirren 2-1 top claim what was only the fourth win in the SPL on the day.

GLASGOW (AFP)

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Rangers target winning run as SPL title race hots up

March 4, 2009

GLASGOW (AFP) – It is tight at the top in the race for the Scottish Premier League with Rangers and Celtic only separated by goal difference as they head into games against Inverness and Kilmarnock on Wednesday.

Rangers led their rivals by eleven goals before Celtic’s 7-0 demolition of St Mirren on Saturday drastically reduced the difference to just four.

The clubs face two weeks off league duty after Wednesday’s games due to their continued participation in the Scottish Cup before facing each other in the League Cup final at Hampden.

With 11 games remaining and both teams locked on 60 points, the title race could well be decided by goal difference as it was in the 2002-2003 season when the Gers clinched the title by one goal.

But Rangers defender Sasa Papac has told his team-mates to forget about trying to boost their goal difference and concentrate on winning all their games between now and the end of the season.

"It is important for us to just try and keep winning games," the Bosnian international said.

"We are top just now and it’s important we stay there. We have 11 matches left and we’ve got to try and win them all.

If there is an opportunity to score goals then we must try and take it. However, it’s more important to get the three points."

Papac added: "We’ve got a tough game against Caley Thistle now on Wednesday and our first objective has to be to simply win the game. They have started to pick up results recently since changing their manager.

"Terry Butcher is an experienced manager and we know that Caley Thistle will come to Ibrox and try to make life difficult for us. But it’s up to us to force the issue."

Walter Smith will still be without Lee McCulloch, Nacho Novo and Pedro Mendes through injury for the visit of Inverness, who sit bottom of the SPL. However, Portuguese international Mendes’s thigh strain is not as serious as first thought and he could make a return in the Scottish Cup fixture on Sunday. Meanwhile Celtic head into their away fixture against Kilmarnock boosted by their thrashing of St Mirren.

And weekend hat-trick hero Shunsuke Nakamura believes the next month could be crucial to the Hoops’ silverware ambitions as they face four away games in a row.

"We have a run of away games now and it is a big month for us," said the midfielder.

"I am looking forward to the game against Kilmarnock because I have always done well against them. But it is all the games coming up now that I want to play well in because they could be very important for our season."

The Japanese international also praised the club’s strikers, none of whom scored in the 7-0 defeat of St Mirren, and backed them to regain their scoring form.

"I don’t think it is a problem, no matter what people are saying about it. All the strikers played very well against St Mirren," Nakamura said.

"You have to realise that they do a lot of work for other people and that definitely helped me to get my hat-trick. They can take men away from me and give me a bit of space and that is what you need. They will be scoring soon, I am sure of that."

Shaun Maloney and Barry Robson will again be missing from Gordon Strachan’s squad as they recover from injuries. Dutch striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink is suspended for the match.

Fixtures (1945GMT)

Tuesday

Falkirk v Dundee

St Mirren v Aberdeen

Wednesday

Hamilton v Hibernian

Hearts v Motherwell

Kilmarnock v Celtic

Rangers v Inverness CT

Written by: AFP

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McCulloch relieved as Rangers cast aside gloom over Ibrox

February 14, 2009

GLASGOW, Feb 14, 2009 (AFP) – Rangers midfielder Lee McCulloch feared the worst when his cash-strapped club announced that a host of players would be sold in the January transfer window, but Walter Smith’s side are firmly back in the title race heading into Sunday’s showdown against Celtic.

It was doom and gloom at Ibrox as key men Kris Boyd, Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor were linked with big-money moves to English teams.

But despite all the speculation, Smith?s first-team squad was left virtually untouched and McCulloch believes the whole experience will have made the group stronger in their bid to land a first league title in four years.

Rangers are now just two points behind Celtic and could reach the summit of the table with a win at the home of their bitter rivals this weekend.

That result will, McCulloch accepts, have huge significance but perhaps not as much as when the transfer window slammed shut at 1700GMT on February 1.

"The speculation played in a lot of the players’ minds and I’m sure a lot of them were just happy when the window closed." he said

"The way it’s been going off the pitch has been difficult, but we have stuck by our job on the pitch pretty well. The stuff that’s written or said seems to have passed, for a while anyway.

"I think belief has been crucial. We’ve had to ignore a lot of the things that are being said. We have gained a mental strength from the start of the season which has been needed.

"You could say that?s what we perhaps lacked last season and why we didn’t win the league."

Since losing to Celtic at Ibrox at the end of December, Rangers have rediscovered their form and a six-match unbeaten run has seen them crank up the pressure on the leaders.

That sequence of results was produced in the backdrop of uncertainty surrounding the club but now comes the acid test for Smith’s improving side.

McCulloch, 30, added: "They are favourites to win as it’s a very difficult place to go. They are a quality team and have won the championship three times in a row. But we will go there and do our best.

"You don’t want to go and lose but it wouldn’t be over if we did. It would be close to being over, but there would still be a lot of big games to play.

"We want to try and go there and win. They have got the mental strength that we’re slowly starting to get."

While McCulloch, who has played in a variety of positions this season, is a battle-hardened veteran, Rangers team-mate John Fleck is starting out on his career.

The 17-year-old has started just four games but is already being tipped for a bright future and could be handed a first Old Firm start on Sunday.

"I think he’s ready to play in the Old Firm game, he’s certainly good enough," McCulloch said. "He has been like a new signing for us but I just hope we don’t get carried away with him.

"The management and the players won’t but it’s whether the press start making him out to be the next Wayne Rooney or not. He has got a long way to go before reaching that level as he’s just started four games.

"With regards to playing for Scotland, it’s up to the manager but I would say he is good enough. He is a quality player and the more games he gets, the better he will become."

Written by: AFP

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McCulloch banking on League Cup lift

January 27, 2009

GLASGOW (AFP) – Lee McCulloch believes Rangers can regain the feel good factor by clinching a place in the Scottish League Cup Final.

The midfielder was a surprise pick in last weekend’s goalless draw against Aberdeen – his first start since September – which left Rangers four points behind leaders and arch Glasgow rivals Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premier League.

But McCulloch reckons Tuesday’s League Cup semi-final against top-flight strugglers Falkirk here at Hampden Park can provide some cheer for disgruntled supporters who have voiced their concern over the running of the club.

Rangers chairman Sir David Murray has already announced that one top player must be sold during the transfer window to balance the books, much to the annoyance of the Ibrox club’s fans.

However, McCulloch thinks the chance of winning the first trophy of the season will boost the morale of everyone connected with Rangers.

"There has been negativity about the place so I think getting into a Cup final would give something back to the fans who have been feeling frustrated," McCulloch said.

"It’s not going to be easy but it would be great to reach a final for them as well as ourselves.

"There are things going on off the field but all we can do as players is go out and do our job on the pitch," he added.

"Everything else that’s going on is nothing to do with us. Those matters are the responsibility of the hierarchy.

"It’s easy to point the finger and we have some people getting carried away. We’re all focused on doing well for the club which will hopefully help."

Falkirk have struggled for form this season and sit second bottom of the Scottish Premier League, just two points above Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Rangers, who won the League Cup last season, defeated Falkirk 3-1 just two weeks ago in the league.

But Rangers boss Walter Smith says Falkirk manager John Hughes is the right man to get the Bairns back on track.

"John will use the experience he’s had at his club to pull him through and out of this Falkirk’s poor recent SPL form," Smith said.

"How they play on Tuesday will depend on how John sees the game. He might look at a cup game slightly differently from the league.

"But I’m sure he’ll not be too far away from going with the type of set-up he deployed at Ibrox.

"They did it very well and it allows them to still play in a manner that has been their way of playing, in terms of trying to pass the ball.

"For me, Falkirk are a team who on their day can play with the best of them," Smith insisted.

Celtic play Dundee United, third in the SPL, at Hampden in Wednesday’s second semi-final.

Written by: AFP

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