Match ends, Rangers 3, Livingston 0.
RangersRangers3LivingstonLivingston0
Rangers made it six wins out of six in the Scottish Championship with a comfortable victory over Livingston.
Captain Lee Wallace's struck to give the home side the lead just after the quarter-hour mark.
And Martyn Waghorn doubled their advantage shortly before the break, turning in Barrie McKay's pass.
Nicky Law added a third with a shot high into the net as Mark Warburton's side claimed their tenth win in all competitions.
Having scored five goals in each of their last three matches, Rangers were keen to maintain their impressive goal haul but their second half performance failed to match the tempo displayed in the opening 45 minutes.
The hosts were unchanged for the first time this season and in-form Waghorn quickly garnered their first scoring opportunity with barely five minutes gone as he pounced on a defensive error to test Darren Jamieson but the goalkeeper reacted well.
Livingston, the only side in the Championship without a league win this season, responded with their first chance when a Myles Hippolyte free kick found the head of Declan Gallagher but his header picked out keeper Wes Foderingham.
It was from a free-kick that Rangers took the lead after 16 minutes The pre-planned move broke down but the ball rebounded to Wallace who, from 30 yards, struck the ball cleanly with his left foot low in to the bottom corner for his fourth goal of the season - equalling his tally for last season.
Livingston were without the suspended Ben Gordon and lost his replacement Craig Sives to injury inside 25 minutes, with Morgyn Neill replacing him. The bottom side did not dwell on their misfortune and only a flying save from Foderingham kept out Liam Buchanan's powerful shot.
Rangers, fuelled by the guile of Nathan Oduwa and the lively front play of Waghorn, dealt Livingston a decisive blow five minutes from half-time.
Oduwa was involved in the build-up, Waghorn holding up the ball and rejecting all passing options to work his way free and precisely angle a low shot beyond Jamieson.
If a second half onslaught was expected it did not appear as Rangers failed to match their earlier intensity while Livingston never gave up but never seriously threatened the home goal.
Kenny Miller, who appeared as a substitute in the first ever meeting of these sides in 2001, came off the bench and slid a pass into the path of fellow substitute Law who angled his shot high into the net for his first goal of the season.
Line-ups
Rangers
Formation 4-3-3
- 25Foderingham
- 2Tavernier
- 4Kiernan
- 27Wilson
- 5Wallace
- 8ZelalemSubstituted forShielsat 74'minutes
- 16Halliday
- 23HoltSubstituted forLawat 64'minutes
- 19McKaySubstituted forMillerat 64'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 33Waghorn
- 10Oduwa
Substitutes
- 6Ball
- 7Law
- 9Miller
- 20Aird
- 22Shiels
- 32Kelly
- 42Hardie
Livingston
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 1Jamieson
- 2Millen
- 14Gallagher
- 5SivesSubstituted forNeillat 27'minutes
- 3LongridgeBooked at 27mins
- 4ColeBooked at 16mins
- 7PittmanBooked at 77minsSubstituted forGibbonsat 90+1'minutes
- 31Glen
- 8da Encarnação Pires Faria
- 11HippolyteBooked at 66mins
- 19BuchananSubstituted forMullenat 70'minutes
Substitutes
- 9White
- 10Mullen
- 12Gould
- 15Neill
- 16Gibbons
- 17Georgiev
- 18Sheerin
- Referee:
- Greg Aitken
- Attendance:
- 44,832
Match Stats
Home TeamRangersAway TeamLivingston
- Possession
- Home66%
- Away34%
- Shots
- Home14
- Away5
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away2
- Corners
- Home2
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away24
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Rangers 3, Livingston 0.
Post update
Attempt missed. Myles Hippolyte (Livingston) left footed shot from the left side of the box is just a bit too high.
Booking
Kenny Miller (Rangers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Kenny Miller (Rangers).
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Myles Hippolyte (Livingston) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Livingston. Kieran Gibbons replaces Scott Pittman.
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Nicky Law (Rangers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Darren Cole (Livingston).
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Delay in match (Livingston).
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Attempt missed. Dean Shiels (Rangers) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left.
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James Tavernier (Rangers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Myles Hippolyte (Livingston).
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Attempt blocked. Nathan Oduwa (Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Foul by Nicky Law (Rangers).
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Gary Glen (Livingston) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Rob Kiernan (Rangers).
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Daniel Mullen (Livingston) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Goal!
Goal! Rangers 3, Livingston 0. Nicky Law (Rangers) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Kenny Miller.
Post update
Nathan Oduwa (Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
