Dumbarton 0 : 3 Glasgow Rangers - angers claim comfortable victory

Posted Sunday, October 26, 2014 by PA

Rangers refused to be distracted by Mike Ashley's off-field manoeuvrings as they eased to a comfortable 3-0 win over Dumbarton at the Bet Butler Stadium.

Ally McCoist's side could afford to see skipper Lee McCulloch miss a first-half penalty and still win as Kenny Miller, Lee Wallace and Kris Boyd scored.

But it is not a result which moves the Ibrox outfit to within six points of Scottish Championship leaders Hearts ahead of tomorrow's Edinburgh derby that will occupy the minds of the worried Light Blues supporters.

News broke just three hours before kick-off that Ashley had won the battle for command at Ibrox after the club's board voted to accept his B£2million loan offer.

The controversial Newcastle United owner - who already owns just under nine per cent of the club, runs their retail division and holds the naming rights to the stadium - saw off an 11th-hour bid by Brian Kennedy to grab influence in the corridors of Edmiston Drive, leaving the Rangers support to wonder just what he has in store for their club.

Ashley's victory will spell the end of Graham Wallace's stint as Rangers chief executive. Press Association Sport understands the former Manchester City chief operating officer has no intention of resigning, meaning the Sports Direct tycoon will have to press ahead with an emergency general meeting to have him removed.

Wallace was nowhere to be seen under the Dumbarton Rock after jetting out to Greece on a family holiday, while there was also a no-show by the rest of the Ibrox board.

McCoist's men have seen it all before when it comes to off-field drama but brushed off the saga as they travelled to Dumbarton for the first time since 1992.

With Boyd and Miller back in the line-up after being benched for the Petrofac Training Cup win at East Fife, Rangers were always going to have enough fire power to take care of Ian Murray's part-timers.

But some ropey finishing saw their early opportunities go abegging.

However, Stevie Smith - preferred down the left to David Templeton - was proving to be the visitors' most effective weapon and from his 11th-minute cross Miller just failed to open the scoring after Sons keeper Danny Rogers slipped to leave his goal gaping.

McCulloch's heart was in his mouth, though, after 23 minutes when he let Mark Gilhaney rob him inside the box, only to breath a hefty sigh of relief when the midfielder failed to find Colin Nish with his cut-back.

But it was a pull by David van Zanten on Lee Wallace in the opposite penalty box a minute later which should have provided Rangers with their first goal.

However, Rogers read McCulloch's mind as he dived to his left to push away his penalty.

The skipper's blushes were spared just 60 seconds later, though, when Smith swung over another teasing cross from the flank. Boyd failed to connect as the ball bounced into the box but Miller made no mistake as he slid in behind him to score.

Rangers should have made more of their winger's teasing deliveries but watched with frustration as Boyd and McCulloch failed to bury headers in the moments before the half-time break.

Boyd grabbed his first league goal of the season last week against Raith but blew another simple chance four minutes into the second half as he fired straight at Rogers following good work by Lewis Macleod and Miller.

The keeper stood up well again to deny Miller soon after as Boyd repaid the favour by sending his parter through on goal.

But defender Wallace showed his frontmen how it should be done after 61 minutes as he lead a rapid counter-attack before finishing coolly into the corner of the net after a quick exchange of passes with Miller.

And Boyd sealed the points with 18 minutes left when he finally took his chance, powering a firm header past Rogers from another tasty Smith cross.