Rangers continued their march to the Scottish League One title with a comfortable, yet hard-worked, 2-0 victory over East Fife on Saturday afternoon.
The hosts had a majority of chances after Dean Shiels's early opener, yet could only hold a 1-0 lead into the break, which left plenty to play for.
The second goal was crucial and it fell again to Shiels, who scored 20 minutes into the second half to give his side three points for the 19th time out of 20 this season.
Read how the action unfolded with our live text commentary below.
Hello Scottish football fans! Runaway Scottish League One leaders Rangers are back in action this afternoon and will today be looking to make whipping boys out of struggling East Fife.
Their march back to the Scottish Premiership is showing no signs of slowing down. After dominating the bottom division last year they are currently 18 points clear of second-placed Dunfermline with 55 points from a possible 57.
But what about the team news? It's in and I'll bring it right across to you. One moment please.
RANGERS XI: Bell; Faure, McCulloch, Mohsni, Wallace; Aird, Law, Black, Little; Shiels, Daly
EAST FIFE XI: Paterson, Campbell, Johnstone, Thom, Mbu, Fisher, Brown, Hughes, Buchanan, Henderson, Stewart
There are a number of players missing for the hosts this afternoon, but they should still have enough for a win. Nicky Clark has a foot injury and Arnold Peralta is suspended, which are both fresh concerns. They will join Steven Smith, David Templeton and Lewis MacLeod on the sidelines.
Bilel Mohsni does return, however, from suspension and slots right back in at centre-back. This is Gary Naysmith's first trip to Ibrox as a manager and although his East Fife side have won three of their last five they can't expect too much here.
So not long left until kickoff. Once more there's a good strong crowd at Ibrox, as has been the case throughout their exile. It is only a matter of time now before they wrap up the win and all going to plan they will be facing Celtic once more the season after next.
A reminder of the sad passing of Ian Redford, who Rangers manager Ally McCoist played with during his days on the pitch for the club. Redford was found dead on Friday morning.
"We are deeply shocked to hear the very sad news that Ian has passed away," McCoist told the club's website.
"I had the honour of playing with him early in my Rangers career and he was a terrific lad and an extremely talented footballer who will be sadly missed.
"Everyone at Rangers sends their sincere condolences to Ian's family and our thoughts are with them at this very difficult time." You can read our full story here.
There has been a short delay, but the players are out on the pitch now and shaking hands. We'll begin very shortly.
KICKOFF: After a well-observed silence, we kickoff at Ibrox. The visitors start.
Strong start from Rangers, who have seen plenty of the ball early on. No chances as yet, however, and East Fife will need to remain tight throughout.
GOAL! Rangers 1-0 East Fife (Dean Shiels)
I think that will be credited to Shiels. Initially Little does brilliantly to take a touch and shoot but his effort is hacked off the line. Then from the corner Shiels hits a pot-shot from an angle in the box and it squeezes in past goalkeeper and the man on the line.
BOOKING: Initially it looks as though the referee might have pointed to the spot, but there was little if any contact on Little as he just nipped into the box. He doesn't complain too much at being carded for simulation.
It's all Rangers and it's surely only a matter of how many they will score today. Shiels is playing really well dropping into space and is involved with everything at the moment.
Still no chances yet for the visitors, but they've managed to slow down the play of Rangers a bit in the last few minutes. That said Wallace gets in behind down the left and cuts to Shiels, whose effort was blocked clear.
Poor pass then from Black, who tries to find Daly in the air, but he's easily outmuscled. East Fife enjoy their first real spell of possession of the game and have won a throw on the left-hand side.
A cross from the right takes a slight deflection. Shiels is on to it quickest, but his effort is just under enough pressure from Mbu so that it's not a threat to Paterson.
No further chances in the last few minutes as the early pressure from Rangers has definitely died down a little. Little is still looking lively, though, as a shot on the turn flies over.
Aird almost manages to squeeze the ball in from the tighest of angles. He got to the byline and cut inside, before seeing his effort turned behind by the keeper.
CHANCE! Big chance there for Buchanan, who finds a bit of space in the box to shoot. However, a defender is just across to deflect it away from danger. That was far and away the visitors' best chance.
CHANCE! An equally good chance at the other end! Probably better, in fact. Mohsni is unmarked and meets a corner just six yards out, but somehow puts it over the bar.
Rare corner for the visitors and the ball in from it being played short causes trouble in the box. McCulloch takes it off his goalkeeper before a snap-shot comes in and goes wide.
Rangers are seeing more of the ball at the moment, but are not dominant as such. Paterson slices a clearance out of play to give the hosts the ball back in a dangerous spot.
Rangers are seeing more of the ball at the moment, but are not dominant as such. Paterson slices a clearance out of play to give the hosts the ball back in a dangerous spot.
Can the hosts add to their lead before the break? They certainly deserve their lead, and I'm sure East Fife will not mind if it stays 1-0 until half time.
MISS! Oh dear! The ball seems to get stuck under Daly's foot as he looks to shoot and ends up slicing it wide when really well placed.
BOOKING: Yellow card there for Thom as he lunged into a tackle. It wasn't dangerous, just clumsy, and it's a fair booking.
We move into stoppage time as Rangers continue to press. No more chances as yet, however, as East Fife are defending solidly.
HALF-TIME: Rangers 1-0 East Fife
Rangers lead at the break and they could be more comfortable having created plenty of chances. Of course, the visitors also had a really good chance to get one back so McCoist will not be too unhappy so far.
I do fully expect Rangers to go on to win this by three or four, but all the while it is 1-0 there will be some nerves. Some were shown in that first half, in particular Daly who squandered a brilliant chance.
There was also a yellow card early on for Little for what the referee deemed as a dive. Having seen the replay, I've certainly seen them given but can also understand why he was booked.
We are back underway here then. Immediately Henderson looks to drive through the Rangers defence but it's cleared behind thanks to McCulloch.
The hosts now look a bit more settled as the midfield are coming into the game more. The passing is patient, and the only chance so far in the half was the one a few minutes ago.
For once Shiels's first touch lets him down there. With just one man to beat he put it too far in front of him and allowed the East Fife man back in.
Dodgy goalkeeping there from Paterson, who comes to punch a corner but doesn't get enough on it. Fortunately for him Little had run beyond the flight of the ball.
Wallace just about manages to reach an overhit pass down the left. He cuts back to Aird, who shoots from just outside the box but flashes his effort well over.
The hosts are just camped in the Fife half, and really aren't creating enough chances for their possession if you ask me. Hughes pinches the ball and looks to create a counter-attack and it takes a great stop from Bell to stop it going in!
Wallace blazes over, but that's more like it from Rangers. He takes on the defence single-handedly using strength and skill before putting his left-footed shot over the bar from the edge of the box.
GOAL! Rangers 2-0 East Fife (Dean Shiels)
Training ground move there for this hosts. The ball comes into the box and Wallace flicks into the path of Shiels, who fires high from close range. That should be that.
Now Rangers can bide their time and pick off their opponents at will. There's great movement in midfield as Law is getting more and more involved.
CHANCE! Big lead there from Daly, who got ahead of his marker and threw himself at the ball, but somehow he puts his effort well wide. That should be 3-0.
East Fife have a corner from a rare attack. It's headed away initially by Mohsni then quickly closed down by Wallace as the danger is brished aside.
RANGERS SUB: On comes Robbie Crawford with the excellent Shiels making way for the hosts.
Great ball back across there from Little after being found by Daly, but no-one can reach it and it flies wide. He might even have been shooting there.
East Fife are still trying and do keep pressing forward, but at the moment the better fitness levels of the hosts are showing. Shiels is declared as the man of the match on the tannoy, and that can't be argued really - Little has been good, too.
Still Rangers with all of the ball, but their urgency has gone down in the last few minutes. There's no problem with that, barring a disaster this is win 19 from 20.
As we move into stoppage time there remains very little danger of East Fife getting back into this. I would expect the Championship to be too weak from Rangers as well, but there might be more of a threat than they've had this season.
FULL-TIME: Rangers 2-0 East Fife
So Rangers' march to the League One title continues, but they were made to work for it today.
Thanks for joining me for this one. Please stick around on site for reaction and analysis of all this afternoon's sporting action. Goodbye.
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
