Rangers played host to Berwick in the Scottish Third Division this afternoon looking to extend their lead at the top of the division.
A hat-trick from Andy Little and a David Templeton strike secured three points for Ally McCoist's side, but it was not all plain sailing for the Gers.
Second-half goals from Ross Gray and Fraser McLaren twice pegged the hosts back before Little killed the game off with his third of the afternoon.
Find out how the action unfolded with our minute-by-minute text commentary below.
Good afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of Rangers' Third Division clash with Berwick. There's just over 45 minutes to go until kickoff, but we'll have team news, pre-match quotes and more for you until then.
Rangers are the clear favourites as usual, and could move a whopping 20 points clear of second-placed Queen's Park with a win here today, though it should be noted that Gardner Speirs's side have two games in hand.
Ally McCoist's men were held to a disappointing draw against Elgin City last weekend, but have been in scintillating form overall. They have now gone 12 games unbeaten in all competitions, their last defeat inflicted by Premier League side Inverness Caladonian Thistle in the Cup at the end of October.
Team news on the way...
RANGERS: Alexander; Hegarty, Perry, Cribari, Wallace; Little, Macleod, Hutton, Templeton; Shiels, Sandaza
SUBS: Currie, Crawford, Faure, Aird, Naismith
BERWICK: McCaldon, Jacobs, Gielty, Townsley, McLean, Currie, McLaren, Janczyk, Lavery, Easton, McDonald
SUBS: McCallum, Gray, Notman, Currie, Hoskins
McCoist has made two changes for this afternoon's game, bringing in Dean Shiels and Fran Sandaza. They will play up front in place of the suspended Ian Black and the injured Lee McCulloch.
Not too many household names in Berwick's starting XI, but Fraser McLaren is one to watch in midfield. He has experience with Scotland at Under-21 and Under-19 level. Kevin McDonald is a former Hibs man.
Rangers are the clear favourites here today, but Berwick should not be written off completely. They have already taken points off Rangers this season during a 1-1 draw back in August.
Rangers will sorely miss the experience and goals of Black and McCulloch, but McCoist is building a strong team of youngsters. My money is still on a home win by a significant margin. I'm going with 3-0 to the Gers.
There has been a lot of talk of how the proposed restructuring of the league system in Scotland could affect Rangers ahead of this game. Should the new measures come in, the Gers will be denied promotion even if they win the Scottish Third Division, which essentially makes a mockery of the current campaign.
McCoist has hit out at the proposals, saying they lack "lack sporting integrity". All of this pre-match controversy will likely have had some impact on the Gers' preparation for this game. How will that influence things out there on the pitch?
The teams are heading out onto the pitch now. It's a decent crowd here at Ibrox, but there are clusters of empty seats dotted around the stadium. Nevertheless, the ones that have shown up are in fine voice.
The teams are heading out onto the pitch now. It's a decent crowd here at Ibrox, but there are clusters of empty seats dotted around the stadium. Nevertheless, the ones that have shown up are in fine voice.
We are underway here at Ibrox. Berwick start the game and immediately play it into the Rangers half and maintain possession there.
A good start from Berwick. They've wasted no time settling into the game and have claimed the majority of the possession so far.
Ian Little's side still looking the more comfortable. Rangers apply pressure through Sandaza and Templeton, but the Berwick rearguard holds fast and clears the danger.
Half-chance for Rangers as Lee Wallace plays a long ball towards Sandaza at the back post, but it's too high for the Spaniard and goes out for a goal kick.
GOAL! Rangers 1-0 Berwick (Little)
Great work from Sandaza leads to the Gers' opener. The striker powered through the Berwick defence and found Little in the box, who was somehow able to bury from an incredibly wide angle!
FOUL! Little warned by the referee shortly after giving Rangers the lead for a mistimed tackle. He was lucky not to pick up a caution for that.
SHOT! Rangers almost go 2-0 to the good as Sandaza terrorises the Berwick defence after picking up Templeton's neat pass and forces a good save from McCaldon in the Berwick goal.
BOOKING! Lewis Macleod is shown the first yellow card of the match for a late challenge on Berwick's Dylan Easton.
Another half-chance for Rangers as Templeton plays in Sandaza in the danger zone, but the Spaniard's first touch is poor, allowing Berwick to clear the danger. The hosts are looking well in control of this contest and look highly likely to add to that goal.
Templeton cuts inside and shoots from range but McCaldon gathers without too much difficulty. That looked like it might have bounced awkwardly, though, and Sandaza was ready to pounce if the keeper had spilled it.
BOOKING! Devon Jacobs is the first Berwick player to go into the book for a late challenge on Templeton. He can have no complaints about that one.
CHANCE! Templeton makes a nuisance of himself once again, powering down the left flank and shooting across the face of goal. McCaldon gets his fingertips to it and pushes it behind for a corner.
More pressure from Templeton and Rangers as the former Hearts man swings in a free kick from wide on the left. There's almost a catastrophic mix-up between McLean and McCaldon at the back, but Berwick breathe a sigh of relief as the ball sails wide of the post.
Rangers well in control now. Berwick have no answer to Templeton's creative play and Sandaza has been a constant threat up front. The visitors have had no chances of any note so far.
SHOT! Sandaza wins the ball on the left flank and dances through the Berwick defence before firing wide. No shortage of Rangers chances, but they're going to have to take more of them if they want to take the pressure off.
Last weekend's 1-1 draw against Elgin City was a lot like this game. Rangers dominated that but were wasteful throughout, allowing the visitors to punish them. If Berwick manage to create anything in the final third, they might be able to do the same.
CHANCE! Rangers press once more through Shiels. He plays the ball wide to Little, but the striker drags his shot across the goalkeeper and wide of the mark.
HALF-TIME: Rangers 1-0 Berwick (Little)
Andy Little's goal separates the two sides at half time and it could have been much more. The Gers have been on top for the vast majority of the first period, with Templeton, Sandaza and Shiels running rings around the opposition.
That said, McCoist will be disappointed by his side's wastefulness. I think stronger opposition would have punished them for not taking their chances by now.
That isn't to say Berwick have played badly. They were forced to defend deeper and deeper as the half progressed and dealt with much of what Rangers threw at them well. Very little to speak of in the final third, though.
It's a hauntingly-familiar situation to last weekend's draw with Elgin City, a match that Rangers should have won by a landslide. McCoist's side need to be more clinical in the second period if they want to kill off Berwick.
Rangers get the match back underway.
GOAL! Rangers 2-0 Berwick (Little)
Brilliant start to the second half for Rangers as Andy Little grabs his second of the afternoon to put the hosts 2-0 up. That gives them some breathing space! Templeton provided the cross and the striker was there to poke a volley past McCaldon.
Half-chance for Berwick as Lavery finds space on the left and whips in a cross into the Rangers area. There are no Berwick players in the area so Neil Alexander lets it drift harmlessly by.
Little has a crack at goal from the edge of the box but it cannons off Gielty and rebounds to safety, allowing the visitors to clear the danger.
GOAL! Rangers 3-0 Berwick (Templeton)
Templeton gets the goal he deserves to make it 3-0 to the home side! Sandaza was the architect, swinging in a pinpoint cross from the right for the midfielder to volley home. A great finish from him!
SUBSTITUTION: Rangers are forced to make a change, bringing on Faure for the injured Hegarty.
SHOT! Sandaza is desperately unlucky not to get his name on the scoresheet. The ball falls awkwardly for him in the area, but he does well to turn and get a shot it. It whizzes inches wide of the post!
SHOT! It's a rare attempt on goal from Berwick as Easton shoots from distance. It bounces in front of Alexander and the Gers keeper gathers it at the second attempt.
GOAL! Rangers 3-1 Berwick (Gray)
Berwick pull one back through substitute Ross Gray, moments after he came on. It was a great finish from him, a low first-time shot into the bottom corner. He celebrated as though he had just clinched the winner in a cup final!
Rangers have looked somewhat shaky since conceding, but Berwick still have a mountain to climb. McCoist has plenty of options on that substitutes' bench. Now could be the time to inject some solidity with a change.
GOAL! Rangers 3-2 Berwick (McLaren)
The pressure is on now! Rangers are sloppy in defending a Berwick corner from the left and McLaren thumps a header past Alexander. McCoist will have a few things to say about that!
GOAL! Rangers 4-2 Berwick (Little)
The two-goal cushion is restored as Little completes his hat-trick in style, banging one in from the edge of the area to make it 4-2 to the home side.
SUBSTITUTION: Rangers bring on Fraser Aird to replace Dean Shiels. He's had a decent game, linking up well with Templeton and Sandaza.
OFF THE POST! Templeton is unlucky not to grab his second of the afternoon, beating McCaldon but not the woodwork after being played in by Sandaza. The Spaniard pokes an effort inches wide moments later.
SHOT! Aird comes close to making an instant impact with what would have been the goal of the game. He hits one from wide on the left from 30 yards back, his effort skimming the top of the crossbar on its way behind.
SUBSTITUTION: Rangers bring on Robbie Crawford to replace David Templeton. What a game he has had! A man of the match contender for sure, though Little's hat-trick presents a strong case for him.
Currie is given far too much space by Rangers. He goes in unnecessarily hard on Perry, who crashes into the sponsorship board and comes away with what looks like a dead leg. He'll feel that in the morning.
Berwick have a late effort on goal through McLaren, who fails to catch out Alexander from range.
Two minutes of added time to be played.
FULL-TIME Rangers 4-2 Berwick
A mixed bag from Rangers today I think. Little, Templeton and Sandaza were in great form and the Gers were dominant for the most part, but they gave two goals away in sloppy fashion and I imagine stronger opposition would have punished them more.
With Queen's Park drawing 0-0 with Peterhead, Rangers go 19 points clear at the top of Scottish Third Division. They're matching towards that title at great speed!
That's all from me here today. Many thanks for joining us at Ibrox this afternoon!
Written by
Mark Langshaw
Mark Langshaw
