Little and Cole Return To Action Tomorrow

[JM1872 3,705]

ANDY LITTLE and Darren Cole are expected to return to action tomorrow night when the club’s second string take on Morton at Murray Park in the SFL Reserve League.

Little has now recovered from a foot injury and it is hoped the Northern Ireland star will get 45 minutes along with Kevin Kyle ahead of Saturday’s Third Division clash against Queen’s Park at Ibrox.

Little, of course, has scored eight goals from the same number of games this season and his return will be a big boost for manager Ally McCoist as will the news of Cole’s comeback.

The 20-year-old has yet to feature in a first-team game this season due to an ankle injury but playing against Morton will give the talented defender the chance to get much-needed match action under his belt.

Tommy Wilson will also field Kal Naismith, Chris Hegarty, Kyle Hutton, Francesco Stella, Andy Mitchell and Robbie Crawford against The Ton and the Reserve coach is hoping his side can build on their 4-3 away victory over Airdrie United last week.

He said: “We’re all looking forward to the game and again it will be a good test for our lads.

“Morton’s first team are up near the top of the First Division so in relative terms they should be one of the toughest teams we will come up against.

“Their Reserve side has also had a good start to the season so we will need to work hard and play well if we are to pick up three points.

“Hopefully we can make home advantage count as we were disappointed to lose 2-0 to Dumbarton in our last outing at Murray Park a couple of weeks ago.

“I thought we did well enough to win the game, we just didn’t take our chances.

“We did a bit better in that respect away to Airdrie United last week and we were pleased to win 4-3 at the Excelsior Stadium.

“But for sure we want to use the surface we have at Murray Park to dictate the way the game is played and we know the size of the pitch.

“Some of the other pitches we play on can be smaller and some are astro turf.

“So we are comfortable at home and we have to make the most of that when we take on a good Morton side."

Tomorrow night's game will kick off at 7.30pm.

Brilliant news that Little is back in the frame. In my opinion, we've really missed him since he picked up the knock on his foot and it is definitely a big boost for the Club that he is returning to action! Some big games coming up and having him back, like I said, is a boost.

I'd also like to see Cole get a chance in the team. The defence has been a bit shaky so far this season. It would be interesting to see what he would give us.

[elephants stoned 2,994]

Great news and not before time too, hope Templeton isnt far behind and we will have our best 11 again.

[bluenose_72 198]

We will look a much better team with Little in the right attacking midfield position than Argyriou.

[AlBear. 8,499]

[JM1872 3,705]

Great news and not before time too, hope Templeton isnt far behind and we will have our best 11 again.

Seen a tweet from him yesterday saying looking at the start of next month before he'll be even thinking about playing football.

Unless I misread he's a week or two away from starting running again.

It's good news but, glad he'll be back sooner rather than later. Big blow to lose him so early into his Ibrox career.

[elephants stoned 2,994]

We will look a much better team with Little in the right attacking midfield position than Argyriou.

I hope Argyriou gets a chance in his RB position as i feel sorry for him that hes been played out of position almost all season.

[elephants stoned 2,994]

Seen a tweet from him yesterday saying looking at the start of next month before he'll be even thinking about playing football.

Unless I misread he's a week or two away from starting running again.

It's good news but, glad he'll be back sooner rather than later. Big blow to lose him so early into his Ibrox career.

Horrible time for him and us as he was looking in great form against Elgin, another few weeks to get him 100% isnt too bad but his creative spark is badly missed recently.

[bluenose_72 198]

I hope Argyriou gets a chance in his RB position as i feel sorry for him that hes been played out of position almost all season.

Agreed. He looked decent at right back IMO.

[elephants stoned 2,994]

Agreed. He looked decent at right back IMO.

He did and it should take some of the pressure of the lad, lets hope Ally agrees.

[Reformation Bear 6,453]

Good news. Will be good to get scoring potential back on the pitch.

[DAVIE8CH 296]

great to see the lads comming back may they remain fit.

[MasterD 7,435]

Good news, hopefully they come through the game OK. It'll be interesting to see if Cole can break into the 1st team squad soon. It's a shame that we can't have more subs at games.

[albluenose1990 29]

Great news, missed Little badly.

[hugh_capet 341]

Top news, we really can't afford many injuries these days

[the goal machine 7,791]

Great news. We need all the goals in the team we can get.

[robie1921 5]

Any truth in game been brought forward to 6. Tomorrow ?

[falwheel 222]

ffs

after watching some of tackles/assaults on our players recently I dread to think what the injury situation could become. Oh unless we follow that ex referee's advice and grow a pair.

Great seeing some of the injured return to action, just hope the ref's give em a bit of protection.

[kingtom28 8]

good news we need all our players fit.

[simplythebest 11,453]

Seen a tweet from him yesterday saying looking at the start of next month before he'll be even thinking about playing football.

Unless I misread he's a week or two away from starting running again.

It's good news but, glad he'll be back sooner rather than later. Big blow to lose him so early into his Ibrox career.

Certainly a sickener after securing him at the last minute.

[JM1872 3,705]

Certainly a sickener after securing him at the last minute.

Was indeed mate.

Didn't get to see the first half as I was at work but just before I got in the house I heard in the van he had to go off, "stretchered off" was the description. Instantly feared the worse.

Had played about 70 mins against Elgin or whoever it was and after he got his goal and settled in you could see he was going to be a big player this season.

Fucking typical he had to get injured.

[theySTILLKNOW 80]

Would love to see Little really getting an injury free run, it must drive him nuts with these injuries.

[wully 47,190]

ANDY LITTLE and Darren Cole returned from injuries as Rangers lost 3-1 to Morton at Murray Park in the SFL Reserve League.

The game itself didn’t bring many highs as Dylan McLauchlin, Lewis Hawke and Aiden Fulton goals swung it in the Greenock side’s favour despite Andy Mitchell’s late consolation.

But as Cole completed 90 minutes following an ankle problem and Little appeared for the second 45 following a stress fracture of his foot, those were positives for the Light Blues.

Manager Ally McCoist will now wait to see if there is any reaction to playing from the players before deciding whether they are ready for first-team comebacks.

He will be keen in particular to get Little into the group for Saturday’s match with Queen’s Park at Ibrox given his lack of striking options.

David Templeton and Francisco Sandaza are both still sidelined but having the Northern Ireland international available again will be a clear boost.

The sides went into this match sitting second and third in the table, with Morton’s perfect record and superior goal difference having them just ahead of Gers.

As you’d expect from a meeting of two sides at the top end of the standings, the first half was fairly tight with few chances.

The Light Blues made just one change to the side that beat Airdrie 4-3 with three goals in the final eight minutes last week as Cole replaced Andy Murdoch in the first XI.

And the settled look Tommy Wilson’s side had shone through as it enjoyed plenty of possession in the opening exchanges.

Robbie Crawford might have scored just two minutes in after a terrific run which took him away from three players.

But rather than take on the shooting chance himself, he chose to pass inside to Kevin Kyle instead and his attempt was deflected behind.

Kal Naismith also looked to have an opportunity after good build-up play resulted in a decent knock down from Kyle.

But this time the forward, a double scorer last time out against the Diamonds, was flagged offside when he had just the goalkeeper to beat.

Naismith did have another opportunity when he received a free kick from Kyle Hutton and squeezed between two men then into the box but his drive was again deflected off course.

As time went on, Morton began to settle more and a lot of their play ran through midfielder Tony Wallace.

He had three chances to net before the break, the first two being easily smothered by home keeper Scott Gallacher and the third running well wide of the target.

But where he failed, McLauchlin succeeded as he put the visitors ahead seven minutes before the midway point.

Kyle was unlucky as he tried to head a corner away and saw it deflect off an attacking head then back into the mix.

McLauchlin reacted quickest to the loose ball and poked it goalwards, with his effort just squirming over the line through Cole’s legs at the near post.

With Gers trailing, coach Wilson threw Little on for Kamil Wiktorski in a bid to bring a more positive approach to his side’s play.

But it was Francesco Stella who had the first chance after the restart as he cut inside and drove over from long range.

Morton very nearly made it two when Hawke found space at the back post and while the flag went up as he inexplicably shot over, it was a big let off for Rangers.

For all that, the warning appeared to go unheeded as Hawke again got in the right place to crack a shot on the turn off the post moments later.

Kyle tried to provide a response as he got up well to meet Stella’s cross but his header was just off range.

And that proved costly when another bizarre strike saw Ton double their advantage just after the hour mark.

It seemed Luca Gasparotto had done enough to clear the danger when Wallace’s cross fizzed into the box.

But he looked on in despair as Hawke got in the way and the ball smacked off him and spun into the net to make it 2-0.

Trailing by that scoreline for the third week running, it remained to be seen what would happen next given one previous match had been lost then the other one won.

With 13 minutes to go, substitute Murdoch saw the goal open up for him and had he scored it would have been game on once again.

He steered a foot beyond the woodwork though and it seemed defeat was on the cards for the second time this season.

But then, with eight minutes remaining, a short Hutton free kick was drilled home by Andy Mitchell from 18 yards and Gers were back in the contest.

Little connected really well as he drove goalwards but away keeper David Hutton got down well to save before he turned another shot from the Ulsterman behind.

Another cross from Mitchell was wayward as a stack of players queued up in the middle waiting and with that the chance to equalise was away.

To add insult to injury, sub Fulton then clinched victory in injury time with a lovely rising attempt from 25 yards to make it 3-1.

Winning sees Morton continue to set the pace in the 14-team competition with five wins from as many games. They’re three points ahead of Gers, who have played once more.

RANGERS: S Gallacher; Cole, Gasparotto, Hegarty, Mitchell; Wiktorski (Little 46), Hutton, Crawford; Naismith (Murdoch 75), Kyle, Stella (C Gallacher 59).

[JM1872 3,705]

Good news they both managed without any problems.

[4everGers 82]

good news need everyone fit & ready to go