East Stirlingshire vs Rangers. Premier Sports Cup Group F.
Ochilview ParkAttendance2,246.
Saturday 23 July 2016 10:24, UK
Rangers maintained their 100 per cent start to the new Scottish season with a comfortable 3-0 win over East Stirlingshire in the League Cup.
Having already beaten Motherwell and Annan by the same scoreline, first-half goals from Andy Halliday and Josh Windass gave the Ibrox outfit a good lead.
New signing Joe Dodoo came on after the break and got a debut goal in stoppage time to make it three wins out of three for Mark Warburton's side with no goals conceded.
Rangers are now all but assured of progression to the knockout stage from the newly-introduced group format.
Although they still have one game to play against Stranraer, they are likely to finish as group winners and even if they do not, they should be one of the best-placed runners up.
Rangers began on the front foot and dictated for much of the 90 minutes, albeit the second half was much quieter than the first.
Windass and Harry Forrester both squandered early openings before the visitors were awarded a penalty when Barrie McKay was brought down in the penalty area.
Halliday converted and Rangers quickly set about trying to build on their advantage, with captain Lee Wallace almost adding a second after good play from McKay.
Kenny Miller had a couple of good opportunities but could not convert before he had a header kept out and it wasn't to be his night.
Windass did strike, however, as he put last season's Championship winners further ahead 10 minutes before the break.
He got a fortunate break after a ball came into the box but adapted his feet well to guide the ball into the net from close range with the outside of his foot.
Windass' reward was being taken off for the restart as Niko Kranjcar replaced him and the game took on a more pedestrian feel as the away side looked happy to consolidate their lead.
Playing on an awkward artificial surface and keen to avoid injuries, they made less chances but should still have increased their lead through Miller and Forrester.
Dodoo came on after an hour and had an early opening but couldn't convert while youngster Jordan Thompson had a long-range effort parried away.
It wasn't until deep in stoppage time that Rangers finally got their third and it was a satisfying one for their latest recruit.
Dodoo got ahead of his marker to meet a Wallace cutback and finished well as Warburton's side rounded off a one-sided contest.