Rangers thrash Pars in derby warm-up

RANGERS warmed up for Sunday’s derby visit of champions-in-waiting Celtic by comfortably disposing of Dunfermline.

Rangers 4 Dunfermline 1

It was achieved in double quick time too with all five goals being netted before the half-hour mark. Rookie Alan Hutton headed the first in the second minute and Peter Lovenkrands, Ronald de Boer and Michael Mols were the other home scorers, with Andy Tod briefly heading the Pars back into the game.

The win was achieved at a cost however with Frank de Boer limping off with a knee injury sustained chasing a late fifth. With Henning Berg and Craig Moore already out injured, it was a real sting in the tail for Rangers manager Alex McLeish.

The result was no surprise as Dunfermline last won at Ibrox in 1972.

The scoring began after just 120 seconds when Ronald de Boer’s corner into the six-yard box was headed in by Hutton.

The second goal, in the 11th minute, was one to remember as Lovenkrands began a move with a pass to Gavin Rae and then sprinted to meet the midfielder’s flicked return with a low volley that flashed past the startled Derek Stillie.

Dunfermline had offered nothing, yet managed to reduce the deficit with their first proper attack in the 21st minute.

Theirs was a more simple effort with former Ranger Barry Nicholson sending a diagonal ball from the right to Tod to head across goalkeeper Stefan Klos into the net.

Rangers’ reply was a fine goal from Ronald de Boer five minutes later, although Lovenkrands provided the spadework.

The Dane somehow got the better of two challengers down the left and, having reached the byline inside the box, cut the ball back into the danger zone.

Stephen Hughes was there first and he laid the ball off for the Dutchman to send a curling effort arcing over defenders and goalkeeper alike to find the top corner.

Rangers struck again in the 28th minute when Mols, in for Steven Thompson, produced a trademark turn in the box before slotting the ball past Stillie.

Frank de Boer almost set up Mols for another seconds later with a ball over the top but Stillie made a fine block. Pars boss Jimmy Calderwood replaced Tod with Craig Brewster and swapped Aaron Labonte for Richie Byrne but his changes failed to reduce the deficit.

RANGERS: Klos, Hutton, Khizanishvili, F de Boer, Ball, Rae, Malcolm, Hughes, Lovenkrands (Burke 62), Mols (Fetai 72), R de Boer (Thompson 45). DUNFERMLINE: Stillie, Tod (Brewster 38), Skerla, Scott Wilson, Shields, Mason (Mehmet 83), Nicholson, Darren Young, Labonte (Byrne 45), Derek Young, Crawford.

Referee: D McDonald.