The Glasgow Rangers Thread.

[chavy]

My cable & satelite both blacked out at 1:30 this morning I was all set to be flicking the channels again , but read the report this morning. It seemed to be a "backs against the wall" job for the gers & clould have nicked it near the end if the lad had connected properly.

[Spit the Dog]

After all the drama and disappointment of the last couple of weeks I sort of forgot that we were playing you guys.

I just hope that we can keep the score below 6 tomorrow.

[Jockstar]

After all the drama and disappointment of the last couple of weeks I sort of forgot that we were playing you guys.

I just hope that we can keep the score below 6 tomorrow.

Falkirk 1-3 Rangers

PA

Rangers returned from the international break to keep the pressure on Celtic at the top of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League table, but they were made to battle all the way for a 3-1 victory at Falkirk.

Carlos Cuellar's 20th-minute opener gave Rangers a deserved first-half lead and fit-again Jean-Claude Darcheville's goal 10 minutes after the break looked to have wrapped up the three points.

But John Hughes' men roared back and struck on 62 minutes through substitute Pedro Moutinho to leave the visitors with a fragile advantage.

The Ibrox outfit had Scotland squad keeper Allan McGregor to thank for two late brilliant saves to deny Graham Barrett and then a near own goal from Alan Hutton, before sub Kris Boyd added gloss to the result in injury time.

It was the perfect lift for Rangers ahead of Tuesday's Champions League trip to Stuttgart and helped banish previous away-day slips this term at Dundee United, Hearts and Motherwell.

Gers boss Walter Smith made two changes from the side that lost 2-0 in Barcelona back on November 7, with Brahim Hemdani and Charlie Adam dropping out for Kevin Thomson and restored Frenchman Darcheville.

The Bairns, meanwhile, were playing for the first time in three weeks and captain Steven Thomson returned in place of Moutinho.

In blustery conditions, both sides traded tame early strikes on goal. Darcheville burst forward to drive an angled shot into the arms of Tim Krul before Thomson's long-range effort was gathered by McGregor.

Rangers sought to settle into their game, pushing Falkirk on to the back foot and only Krul denied them an 11th-minute opener.

DaMarcus Beasley's dangerous cross from the right was headed towards his own net by Thomson and the back-pedalling Krul superbly clawed the ball into the air, before bravely scrambling it clear on the line under pressure from Daniel Cousin.

Ibrox captain Barry Ferguson then passed up a glorious chance five minutes later. Darcheville made a surging break down the left and played in the Scotland midfielder, but Ferguson slipped the ball just past the left post with Dutchman Krul beaten.

The Bairns replied when David Weir almost put a Barrett cut-back into his own net, before Russell Latapy's searing free-kick flashed over.

But a deserved breakthrough for Rangers came on 20 minutes with Cuellar's fourth goal of the season.

Beasley's corner from the far side was nodded home by the Spaniard over the despairing jump of Scott Arfield on the left post.

As the rain began to lash down, Falkirk tried to find a way back into the game but struggled to find an opening in front of the 6,627 crowd.

Clever link-up play by Barrett and Carl Finnigan did see the former strike a 19-yard volley on 34 minutes, but the effort lacked power and McGregor saved.

A controversial free-kick, won by Beasley on the left, then almost led to a second for the visitors four minutes from the break.

Ferguson's set-piece curled into the danger area and Finnigan nearly netted an own goal as he hacked over.

Another vicious in-swinging corner from Beasley followed, but Ferguson was unable to bundle the ball in at the back post to his obvious anger.

Inside three minutes of the second half, Falkirk could have been level.

A long ball over the top dropped over the head of the slipping Cuellar and ex-Newcastle youth Finnigan was in on goal at the left side of the penalty area, but instead of being direct and testing McGregor, Finnigan tried to cut the ball back and the chance was gone.

Barrett's cross was then superbly cleared by Alan Hutton inside his own six-yard box as the hosts upped their tempo.

But, with their tails up, Falkirk shot themselves at the foot at the other end to concede a second.

The Bairns rearguard was caught sleeping as Lee McCulloch found room on the far left and his cross was easily swept home by Darcheville beyond Krul (55).

Hughes made an immediate change by withdrawing Latapy for Moutinho.

Hutton was lucky to escape a booking after dumping Moutinho on the turf, but any lingering anger Falkirk felt disappeared when they pulled one back from the resulting 62nd-minute free-kick.

Dean Holden's lofted set-piece was headed on by Darren Barr and sub Moutinho kept his composure to clip the ball past McGregor.

The Bairns had looked down and out, but it was now a fascinating contest as Hughes' men sought the equaliser.

Smith made a change on 71 minutes, withdrawing Cousin for Steven Naismith while Finnigan went off for Michael Higdon.

Five minutes later Falkirk fans were off their feet when Barrett almost levelled in superb style.

Moutinho's chipped cross saw Irishman Barrett send an acrobatic 12-yard bicycle kick goalwards, but McGregor brilliantly tipped over.

McGregor was again magnificent three minutes from the end when he just turned round Hutton's attempted headed clearance, after the full-back had come perilously close to own goal.

But Rangers wrapped up the points in injury time when Boyd - on for Darcheville - slotted home after lead-up work from fellow replacement Naismith.