Berwick Rangers 1-0 Livingston
Tuesday 25th August 2009
A rapturously received winner from Alan Brazil gave Rangers a deserved victory against Third/First/Who knows what division Livingston at highly-animated Shielfield Park on Saturday. A match already cloaked in intrigue was given added spice by the presence of former Rangers chairman Robert Wilson in his new role as a Livi director. Predictably, Wilson came in for pelters from the Ducket, which was clearly unimpressed by transient footballing loyalties.
The match kicked off in fairly ludicrous circumstances.If Livingston's appeal to the SFA against their demotion to the Third Division is upheld,then they could be reinstated in the higher division and Saturday's result would become null and void. Talk about farcical. That would be unfair reward for one of the most impressive Rangers' performances in recent seasons,a fine example of disciplined teamwork in which every player delivered putting paid to a full-time outfit geared towards success in the first division. Despite their straitened financial plight, Livingston were still able to field two high class trialists in Scotland cap Robbie Winters and Scotland U-21 keeper Andy McNeil. Rangers showed one change from last week's narrow defeat at Albion Rovers, Oliver Russell making a full debut in midfield in place of suspended skipper Stuart Callaghan.
The visitors dominated the opening exchanges with the pace of Halliday down Rangers' right keeping Stephen Notman in a state of heightened alert. The Winters brothers - David also starting for Livi - also looked sharp and Rangers were lucky not to lose a second minute goal after David Winters headed high and wide from a McParland cross with only Peat to beat. It took Rangers 20 minutes to settle into any kind of rhythm,but with Paul Currie,who had'nt trained for a week due to a virus,starting to drive forward in support of Brazil and David Greenhill maintaining his excellent form on the left,they began to build up a head of steam which was almost rounded off in the 24th minute when Currie's low drive was palmed around the post by McLean.Livi remained dangreous on the break and Halliday continued to cause problems,though he should have been cautioned for a ridiculous dive in the 35th minute. Ian Little grafted away in a slightly deeper role than recent weeks and kept up the supply line to Brazil,who led the line well throughout. The senior Winters brother almost caught Peat out with a dipping shot towards the break,but, with Andy McLean in imperious form for the home defence Rangers made it to the break more comfortably than they might have expected.
It says much for the new training regime at Shielfield that Rangers started the second half as the more influential side. Livi's midfield dropped off the pace with skipper Hamill particularly disappointing. Russell was having a quietly composed game on his full home debut and dovetailed neatly with the more dynamic Currie to build up Rangers' attacking momentum.Eight minutes in to the second period, Rangers were inches away from taking the lead,Greenhill chipping his free kick against the bar but Livi managed to clear the loose ball before anyone in a Red and Black shirt could take advantage. With the game edging away from them,Livi made one last throw of the dice in the 58th minute,introducing Armand One to the action and the big Frenchman made
an immediate impact with his physique and all-round awkwardness. With half an hour left,One turned on to a Winters cross and seemed certain to slot home, only for McLean to make a miracle block that had Bobby Moore smiling benevolently from above. Rangers grabbed the winner seven minutes later, Brazil chesting down a Little cross and volleying home in one sublime movement. As his teammates piled on top of him the ground erupted and the Ducket entered a state of near ecstasy. You could tell
from the reaction that this result meant more to people than the usual bread and butter league fare, and such is Livi's current standing in the game that similar scenes are likely to be repeated whenever the team playing them takes the lead. With fifteen minutes remaining Rangers visibly started to tire,but this is a resilient outfit and after McLean and Guy shackled One the threat was pretty much snuffed out. Russell could have put the match beyond doubt in the 81st minute but Watson got a saving tackle in before the midfielder pulled the trigger. Jimmy Crease introduced Radzynski and Gray in the last ten minutes to stetch the Livi defence and the former looked lively. A lot of Rangers' supporters would like to see him get a start shortly,such was the impression he made on his debut against Hibs in a pre-season friendly.
This was a day on which every Rangers player deserves credit for their performances,but the standouts were Andy McLean, the increasingly impressive Brazil,and Greenhill. Peat also looked very secure in goal. Queens Park visit next as Rangers' run of home fixtures continues. The Spiders seem to have had the indian sign over Rangers for years, so this would be a good time to overturn that run if the great start to the season is to be maintained.
Peat 8; Notman 7; Guy 7; Mclean 9; Smith 8; McLaren 6; Currie 7; Russell 7; Greenhill 8; Little 7; Brazil 8
Crowd - 608
LINK : League Table
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