Scottish Third Division
Rangers
Mar 23, 2013 12.00pm
0
0
HT : 0 0
FT
Stirling

Live Commentary: Rangers 0-0 Stirling Albion - as it happened

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Rangers 0-0 Stirling - as it happened
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Stirling Albion held Rangers to a frustrating 0-0 draw to claim their first point at Ibrox for almost 50 years.

The hosts squandered a couple of good chances in the first half before Stirling began coming into the match and had a few chances of their own.

Jordan White had an effort cleared off the line as Stirling came closest to breaking the deadlock, but neither side could quite find an opener as the match ended goalless.

You can read how a famous day for Stirling Albion unfolded with Sports Mole's live coverage below.

2pmRight, that's just about it from me today! Thank you for joining Sports Mole for what has been a famous day in the history of Stirling Albion, who have avoided defeat at Ibrox for the first time in almost 50 years. I will leave you with Liam Power's match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction to this one. I'm sure Ally McCoist will have something to say about it. Until then, though, goodbye!
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1.58pmStirling had a couple of really good chances and, realistically, could have won this afternoon. A lot will be said about Rangers' poor performance, but take nothing away from Stirling Albion. They put in a fine performance, did not look out of their depth and their fans will go home happy tonight.
1.56pmStirling are becoming something of a bogey team for Rangers, meanwhile. The supposed minnows have now taken five points off Rangers in their four meetings this season, claiming two draws and a famous win.
1.54pmThe Rangers fans will be very frustrated at that result. They are used to seeing their side challenging for the SPL title and competing in Champions League games, not failing to outclass Stirling Albion. It was an abject performance by what was, admittedly, a team hit by injuries and suspensions.
1.52pmStirling hold out for a famous point at Ibrox, their first for almost 50 years. In fact, they did more than hold out - they gave Rangers a really good game. It wasn't until the last couple of minutes that they came under really serious pressure, and for large periods they were the better team. Rangers could not have won the title today, but a win would have put it in their hands against Montrose. As it stands, if Rangers and Queen's Park both win their next matches then it could be decided when those two play each other in a couple of weeks.
90+2 minFULL TIME: Rangers 0-0 Stirling Albion
90+2 minCHANCE! Big chance for Rangers to win it at the death there! Arigiou steals in inside the box to get a header away, but his effort is bundled behind for a corner.
90 minThere will be two minutes of added time at Ibrox.
90 minSTIRLING ALBION SUB: Cunningham, at the tender age of 17, enters the field of play in place of Johnston.
89 minRANGERS SUB: That's all from Hemmings, who hasn't had the best game. He is replaced by Mitchell.
88 minHemmings looks to latch on to a pass down the left side of the box but Filler is off his line very quickly to collect. Good goalkeeping.
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86 minIt is now that Rangers' superior fitness shoudl start to tell, but I wouldn't jump to any conclusions based on this showing today. Stirling Albion have been impressive throughout and are nearing a famous point at Ibrox.
85 minHutton surges forward with the ball before giving it to Naismith, but his cross is once again cleared by the first man. Poor ball into the box, he really has to do better there.
83 minRangers haven't really created anything in this second half and even now, with seven minutes left and the title pretty much already won, they aren't throwing the kitchen sink at the visitors.
81 minWallace tries to feed the ball through the eye of a needle to Arigiou, but the sub just can't take it in his stride as Bishop gets a tackle in. The defender took a knock there and will need treatment.
80 minAshe dances his way into the box, showing some brilliant footwork along the way. He pulls the ball back into a dangerous area but the ball is scrambled clear. It is Stirling who are on top at the moment.
78 minSHOT! It all opens up for Ferry about 30 yards for goal and he gleefully accepts the invitation to shoot. There is a strong wind blowing against the shot, so it would have to be a screamer to beat Alexander. It isn't and it doesn't as the Rangers keeper gets down to collect.
77 minSTIRLING ALBION SUB: Stirling make a change of their own as Ashe replaces Flood.
76 minRANGERS SUBS: Aird is going off for the league leaders to be replaced by Argiriou.
74 minFlood picks up the ball from a rebounded shot and looks for a second like he is going to shoot from range but instead looks to take on his man. He can't get past him, but wins a corner for his side.
72 minMore patient play from Rangers results in a good cross into the box that Hemmings meets with a header. He is always stretching and it isn't an easy chance for the striker by any means, and sure enough he can't direct his effort on target.
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70 minAlexander takes a bit of a risk as he pulls off a Cruyff turn to dodge the onrushing Flood. He gets away with it, so you have to say it was a good bit of skill, but if he had got that wrong this already unhappy Rangers crowd may have been tipped over the edge!
69 minRangers build a good attacking platform but Forsyth puts a crunching tackle in on Naimsith to end it. It was a hard, but completely fair tackle from the Stirling defender.
68 minRangers now have a chance to put the ball in the box with a free kick in a good position, but Naismith's ball is even worse! It is cleared by the first man, much to the dismay of the increasingly impatient home support.
66 minStirling Albion now have a corner and a good chance to pack the box. The delivery is poor, however, and another chance to put Rangers under pressure goes begging.
64 minCLOSE! Crawford races down the right before playing a low ball in to Hemmings. His initial effort is blocked by Bishop and comes back out to Crawford, who again looks for Hemmings with a low ball. This time the Rangers striker gets a foot to it, but he can only turn it just past the near post.
63 minSTIRLING ALBION SUB: Davidson will have no further part to play in this one as he is replaced by Graham Weir.
62 minNaismith looks to make an immediate impact by dribbling through a couple of tackles before looking to find a blue shirt in the box. His cross is good, but Ferry is well positioned to clear it.
61 minRANGERS SUB: McCoist needed to change something, and he has done. Off comes McKay and on comes Kal Naismith.
59 minCHANCE! An awful pass from Aird gifts the ball to Stirling, who immediately look to take full advantage. A cross to the back post is met by an unmarked Davidson, who volleys it goalwards. He doesn't get the cleanest connection and McCulloch gets a head to it before Alexander bravely punches it clear.
58 minScott Davidson has two bites at the cherry to pick out a teammate in the box, but each time his cross is cleared by the first man. He needs to do better than that with Stirling's aerial prowess in the box.
56 minForsyth's free kick is only cleared as far away as Davidson, who goes for an ambitious first time volley from the edge of the box. He gets it all wrong, however, and slices it out for a throw in. One to forget.
54 minI'd probably say that Stirling Albion have started the second half as the better side. Rangers are struggling to find any sort of creative spark and, the longer it remains 0-0, the more frustrated the players and fans will become.
52 minSAVE! Better from Rangers. Aird gets the ball on the left touchline and immediately looks to cut inside. He runs straight at the heart of the Stirling defence, creating space to shoot from the edge of the box that the keeper pushes wide.
50 minHemmings concedes a foul in his haste to win the ball off a defender. It was good battling, but you can tell that the youngster is getting frustrated up there on his own today. It could be time to move McCulloch up front soon.
48 minStirling Albion have started this one quite well too, however. They are yet to find a way past the Rangers defence in the second half but they are looking for an opening every time they get the ball.
46 minWallace swings a free kick into a very dangerous area and McCulloch is more than a little interested in getting o the end of it. Bishop holds firm, however, and clears it away. Decent start for Rangers.
45 minRangers get us back underway in this one.
1.01pmThe teams are back out and ready to go again. Can anyone find the opener?
1pmTake nothing away from Stirling Albion, though. They were playing some good football at the end of the half and should be in the lead at the break. Manager Greig McDonald will want them to start the second half as they ended the first and, if they can do that, then they stand a good chance of spring an upset on the hosts.
12.58pmMcCoist will also be having strong words with his side. He will share the fans' frustrations - he is a fan himself after all - and will want to kick some life into Rangers. When you consider the chasm between these two sides in terms of resources, Rangers should be cruising through this one.
12.58pmMcCoist will also be having strong words with his side. He will share the fans' frustrations - he is a fan himself after all - and will want to kick some life into Rangers. When you consider the chasm between these two sides in terms of resources, Rangers should be cruising through this one.
12.56pmThe fans have gone through a lot at this club recently, having to adapt to life in the bottom tier without Rangers sweeping all before them with ease. Ally McCoist will be using their reaction to inspire his team in the second half, I'm sure.
12.54pmAlly McCoist will be concerned at the reaction at the half-time whistle from the Rangers fans. The hosts left the field to a chorus of boos, a strange reaction considering they are 20 points clear at the top of the table! There is so much frustration surrounding the club at the moment and the fans are getting restless.
12.52pmRangers have had chances of their own. Hemmings in particular has been guilty of missing a couple of gilt-edge openings. He is out of contract in the summer so will have to do better than he has been if he wants to stay at the club beyond then. Wallace also had a chance for Rangers, but he was denied by a decent save.
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12.50pmNo added time in this one as the two sides go into the break all square. Stirling Albion won't be happy about half time coming now as they finished that opening 45 minutes on top. They had an effort cleared off the line and another golden chance to break the deadlock with the last action of the half. Rangers were on top for most of the half, but they are by no means on their best form and this match is perhaps not a foregone conclusion as I first thought.
45 minHALF TIME: Rangers 0-0 Stirling Albion
45 minCHANCE! Huge chance for Stirling right on the stroke of half time! White is found by a brilliant pass and he, in turn, picks out Davidson at the back post. The Stirling man is in loads of space and has time to chest it down and shoot, but his effort is too high and goes over the bar. That should have been 1-0.
43 minSHOT! This is a lot better from Stirling now. Davidson finds himself in acres of space in the Rangers half and he drives forward. No-one comes to meet him so he has a go from range, but his shot flies over the bar. Encouraging signs from the visitors.
40 minOFF THE LINE! Stirling Albion come so close to breaking the deadlock against the run of play! I mentioned that set pieces may be their most profitable avenue of attack, and it is a corner that provides the danger here. White gets a good head to it and Alexander has no chance. Thankfully for the Rangers keeper, however, Aird is on the line at the back post to nod it clear. That's the closest we've come to a goal.
38 minYELLOW CARD! Thom is the latest man to go into the referee's book for a mis-timed tackle from behind on Crawford. Correct decision.
37 minHemmings almost gets released inside the box but he is well marshalled by Bishop, who buys a free kick off the 21-year-old.
35 min...but the deep cross doesn't cause them too many problems and is cleared.
35 minThis free kick is a good chance for Stirling as Rangers aren't the best at defending high balls into the box...
34 minYELLOW CARD! Lee McCulloch becomes the first Rangers player to enter the book, doing so for a cynical foul. He left a boot hanging out there and can have no complaints.
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32 minCribari squares up to Johnston after a shoulder-to-shoulder challenge, and the Brazilian has no need to react so angrily. Rangers don't want to get into a physical battle with this side as they should be able to outplay them with pure footballing ability.
29 minCHANCE! A big chance for Hemmings to mark his first Rangers start with a goal goes begging. The youngster finds himself through on goal with only the keeper to beat after a neat exchange of passes on the edge of the box, but he snaps at his shot, dragging it a fair way wide of the post. Should have done a lot better there.
28 minThe corner falls at the back post and is played back to McCulloch on the edge of the box. The Rangers skipper doesn't get enough on his shot, however, and it doesn't even reach the goal.
27 minAnother hint of an opening as McKay is slipped the ball while cutting inside from the right. His first touch is far too heavy, but his desire to win the ball back results in a corner being conceded.
26 minWallace and Hemmings exchange passes which almost releases the former through on goal. He is sprinting forward to try and latch onto the return pass, but the keeper is out quickly to collect.
25 minAird embarks on a mazy run on the edge of the Stirling box as he cuts inside before trying to slip a clever reverse pass into the box, but it is well defended by the visitors, who scramble it clear.
23 minYELLOW CARD! Stirling's Scott Davidson becomes the first man in the book as he catches McCulloch late when trying to block a clearance. Always harsh to give a yellow for them, I think.
21 minWe're 21 minutes in now and we've only really had two decent chances, both coming for Rangers. Stirling Albion are yet to pose Alexander any sort of problems.
19 minCHANCE! Hemmings gives the ball out to McKay on the right and storms into the box looking to a return cross. It comes from the winger and Hemmings rises highest to head just over the bar from the middle of the area. That was a good chance and the 21-year-old should have done better there.
16 minStirling have a hint of an opening as Rangers fail to clear a corner. The ball falls to Ferry just inside the box, but it just doesn't sit up for him quickly enough and the defence get out to block his eventual shot.
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15 minA long cross towards the back post interests Hemmings slightly as Forsyth trips when trying to defend it, but the Stirling Albion man recovers well to nod it back to the keeper.
13 minWallace looks like Rangers' most dangerous player at the moment. He lets fly from about 25 yards or so but his powerful strike is well blocked on this occasion.
11 minSure enough, they have just had their best passage of play so far. They passed the ball about confidently in the Rangers half but the move ends with a cross going straight into the arms of Alexander. Better from the visitors.
8 minStirling are really struggling to get into this one at the moment. I suspected that it would be like this but Stirling Albion haven't made it easy for Rangers in their other meetings so I'd expect them to pick it up a bit.
6 minCLOSE! McKay swings a corner in but at first it looks like a poor delivery. Somehow it gets through into the middle of the area and a Rangers man gets a touch, sending it spinning just past the right post. Better from Rangers.
5 minCHANCE! The first big chance of the match falls to Rangers as Hemmings slips Wallace in down the left. The Rangers man only has the keeper to beat but the angle is quite tight and the keeper makes himself big and pushes it behind for a corner. Big chance for an early goal.
4 minHemmings try to take down a long ball forward but his first touch is just too heavy as Stirling get it clear.
2 minIt has been a pretty slow start to this match. Neither side are holding on to possession for a prolonged period of time as they both try to settle at Ibrox.
0 minHere we go! Stirling Albion immediately pour forward but Rangers deal with the initial attack.
12pmRight, we're just about ready to go here. The players are lined up and Stirling Albion will get us underway.
11.58amAlly McCoist is cheerleading amongst the fans as he tries to drum up support ahead of this one. He has handled the whole situation very well throughout.
11.56amStirling Albion, meanwhile, come into this one on the back of a 9-1 win over East Stirlingshire and have won four of their last six games. They still only sit three points clear of bottom, but their recent form has improved their position significantly.
11.54amBy Rangers' standards, they aren't in the best form going into this game. They have won three, drawn one and lost one of their last five games, with the loss coming at the hands of minnows Annan Athletic in Rangers' last home game. That should provide Stirling Albion with confidence, but they will know how big a task they face today.
11.52amHowever, Rangers are in the strange situation of potentially not getting promoted even if they win the league. The proposed new league system in Scotland, a 12-12-18 structure, would see Rangers remain in the bottom tier of Scottish football. Rangers chief executive Charles Green is, understandably, unhappy about this but it looks increasingly likely to happen.
11.50amPREDICTION: It's not going to surprise anyone that I'm going to go for a home win with my prediction. Rangers are a class above every other team in this league, and the prospect of moving ever closer to the title should make them play even better than usual. I'll go for a 4-0 home win.
11.49amRealistically, though, the title was race was over a long time ago. Some may say that it was over as soon as Rangers' punishment of being relegated to the Third Division was confirmed in the summer.
11.47amAs it stands, Rangers are 20 points clear with seven matches still to play. A win today would put them 23 points clear with six to play, but Queen's Park still have eight matches left so, mathematically, would still be in the race.
11.45amIt is only a matter of time before Rangers clinch the Third Division title, but they have been made to wait longer than they may have thought. Ally McCoist's side could have won the title today had nearest rivals Queen's Park's match not been abandoned due to bad weather.
11.43amGood morning! Thank you for joining Sports Mole for today's match between Rangers and Stirling Albion! Let's get straight down to business.
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