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Rangers vs Stranraer. Viaplay Cup Group F.

Ibrox StadiumAttendance29,575.

Rangers 3

  • M Waghorn (5th minute pen, 16th minute)
  • N Kranjcar (53rd minute)

Stranraer 0

    Rangers 3-0 Stranraer: Niko Kranjcar nets as Gers seal place in last 16

    Niko
    Image: Niko Kranjcar got off the mark for Rangers in the League Cup victory over Stranraer

    Niko Kranjcar scored his first goal for Rangers as the Ibrox side booked their place in the last 16 of the League Cup with a 3-0 win over Stranraer.

    Martyn Waghorn put Mark Warburton's team in control against the League One part-timers with two early goals before Kranjcar opened his account eight minutes into the second half.

    Rangers now top Group F with four straight wins having notched up 10 goals and conceded none.

    As well as Kranjcar's maiden strike, the Ibrox crowd also got their first look at former Liverpool youngster Jordan Rossiter, who made his debut as a second-half substitute just days after returning to action with England at the U19s European Championships.

    Rangers' Martyn Waghorn opens the scoring
    Image: Martyn Waghorn opened the scoring from the penalty spot

    Warburton again changed his side up, making six changes to the team which overcame East Stirlingshire on Friday, with Joey Barton handed his first start.

    But it was Barrie McKay, who has started all four matches along with captain Lee Wallace and Andy Halliday, that did the damage just three minutes in.

    His trickery down the left was too much for ex-Kilmarnock youngster Ross Barbour to handle and the right-back's clumsy challenge on the Scotland international cost his side a penalty.

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    Stranraer goalkeeper Cameron Belford got down to Waghorn's effort but could not keep it out.

    Rangers' Martyn Waghorn celebrates after opening the scoring
    Image: Waghorn grabbed his second of the game shortly after netting from the spot

    Belford did better as he denied Danny Wilson after spilling James Tavernier's strike.

    But team-mate Mark McGuigan did his number one no favours with a dreadful back-pass on 16 minutes allowing Waghorn to pounce before sending his effort past Belford with a little help from a deflection off Barbour.

    Waghorn blazed the chance for a first-half hat-trick over the bar while Harry Forrester and Tavernier should also have made more of decent opportunities ahead of the interval.

    But Rangers would eventually get their third goal of the match, with Kranjcar netting on 53 minutes.

    Joey Barton
    Image: Summer signing Joey Barton made his first start for Rangers

    Waghorn's touch got away from him but the ball sat up perfectly for the former Tottenham and Portsmouth playmaker, who dispatched his 18-yard strike into the corner of the net.

    Rossiter's introduction came just after the hour mark as he replaced Barton - who had looked rusty having managed just half an hour of action previously - while Joe Dodoo was also given a run-out.

    The ex-Liverpool midfielder did not hold back with a couple of full-blooded tackles, which quickly gained him the backing of his new club's supporters.

    Substitute Kenny Miller had two goes at adding a fourth late on but wasted both.

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