Daily Record Report

[Boab 73]

Rangers started the new season last night with a gentle spin in a town best known for manufacturing washing machines.

Over 4000 people are employed in Gutersloh at the factory of domestic appliance giants Miele.

But it was Rangers who were switched on for the first game of their German tour as they kept a clean sheet and added a splash of colour to agrey corner of Westphalia.

US star DaMarcus Beasley was the only new boy to make his debut, although striker Alan Gow, who played his first match for his club in LA back in May, also featured.

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Beasley looked lively in a game against amateur opposition that was never more than a high-tempo practice match.

But it was Chris Burke who stole the show on the right with a stunning third goal 15 minutes from time as Rangers eased to a comfortable win.

The Light Blues were leading by that stage through first-half goals from AndyWebster and Kris Boyd.

Rangers didn't make a single substitution over the 90 minutes with the players who turned out last night set to take a seat on the bench against Lippstadt tomorrow night.

Amateurs Gutersloh have certainly come through turbulent times in recent seasons after going bust in 1999, only to reform 12 months later. They almost walked through another storm in the buildup to the game when the PA announcer innocently played a CD of 'You'll NeverWalk Alone'.

The local version of the adopted Celtic anthem was taken in good humour by a crowd of around 2000, most of them Rangers fans, with quite a few dozen of them having travelled from Scotland.

Tickets for the game had been sold through official British Army sources, with so many barracks nearby, and a large group of squaddies and their kids turned up at the trim little stadium.

Rangers listed a strong starting 11 with 10 players, including new boy LeeMcCulloch, on the bench.

There was a place in the forward line for new boys Beasley and Alan Gow alongside slimline Kris Boyd, who'll never resemble the gable end of a crisp but whose summer weight loss is nonetheless remarkable.

He passed up a couple of chances early on, notably in seven minutes when he left full-back Daniel Eckel for dead only to see his effort blocked by keeper Alexander Kuschmann.

Gow had also gone close moments earlier when he was played in by Boyd after nippy footwork by Burke, but his lob dropped inches wide.

There was a clear gulf in class between the sides but the locals didn't lack pluck and striker Christian Knappmann rattled a free-kick over.

Knappmann was yellow-carded in 20 minutes, virtually unheard of in these games, for complaining about the close attentions of Andy Webster.

Perhaps he should have kept a more watchful eye on the defender six minutes earlier when he nodded Rangers in front with his first goal for the club.

Gow had been flattened wide right and Burke's subsequent free-kick was nodded into the net from six yards.

Gutersloh's Mahir Savranlioglu fired in a free-kick that shaved Allan McGregor's left-hand post and it succeeded only in prompting another burst of action around the home defence.

The same combination of Burke and Webster almost grabbed a second but Kuschmann clutched the defender's effort under the bar.

Then Beasley and Sasa Papac split open the defence down the left and all the defender's low cross needed was a taker but Boyd arrived just too late.

Boyd did deliver from the spot on the stroke of half-time after the impressive Alan Hutton dashed into the box, only to be upended by Eckel.

Ref Frank Meiwes immediately pointed to the spot and Boyd made no mistake from 12 yards.

Gutersloh made a string of changes at half-time while Walter Smith kept his starting side intact.

The locals almost scored when McGregor was called into serious action for the first time. Firstly he dived low to his right to finger tip away alow shot from Gazwan Avakliti.

From the resulting corner, he dived high to beat away another goalbound effort, this time from Knappmann.

McGregor was called into action again on the hour as he scrambled away a volley from Daniel Burger, with the keeper banging his head off the post dealing with the effort.

Webster almost snatched his second when he rose at the back post, only to nod Papac's free-kick wide.

Rangers were looking most dangerous down the right, where the athleticism of Hutton and the wing trickery of Burke were a feature.

On the other side, Beasley showed some decent touches and a few flashes of his pace. He darted behind the defence to connect with a clever pass from Gow midway through the half but Dennis Schulte nipped in to nick the ball from the toes of Boyd.

Rangers extended their lead on 76 minutes with a stunning goal from their best player Burke.

He picked the ball up on the right and drove inside, dancing past three desperate tackles before almost bursting the net with his finish from an acute angle.

RANGERS: McGregor, Hutton, Papac, Hemdani, Webster, Weir, Burke, Thomson, Boyd, Gow, Beasley. Not used: Cuellar, Ferguson, McCulloch, Smith, Murray, Sionko, Novo, Sebo, Fleck, Shinnie.

Sounds promising

[Ginnes90 0]

It's sounds like Mcgregor was quite busy.

[wronglypenalised 14]

all in all a run out for 11 guys (no subs used) against amateur oppo, would expect nothing less than a win, good to see that the team is creating chances even tho up against said oppo, this could have been a game against 11 youth team guys at murray park but played out in different climate ensures team bonding and other stuff that helps out over the course of a season, the first test for the guys occurs on tuesday teatime against a bundesliga outfit IMO

[FlippinEck 3,708]

i just read this aswell, looks like hutton/burke partnership was effective in this match, will look for more of this during pre season as it looks increasingly more like what we may line up with.

[Blue Stars Bearette 1]

a slim line Boyd and an improved Burke....does sound promising shows Boydy is serious

[BLUEDIGNITY 33,647]

Gary Ralston did the story mad tim ! Surprise surprise ? Gave wee Burkey match winning report ! Got in the wee bit about the innocent singing of you'll never walk alone ? He probably incited it as he was there 2 days before. Said it was obviously a local karaoke singer that was doin it ? How come in the back of beyond Germany that was brought up innocently ?

[adamcs 1]

Sebo and Sionko unused subs.. sounds promising.

[the_gers_fan 2]

No subs were used in that friendly

[adamcs 1]

ya, I'm joking of course.

[Saudibear 0]

Just part of the build up to get the boys match fit. I don't think you can read too much into individual performances against that type of team.

[ayeready 0]

looks good. win under the belt clean sheet some good fitness work. good use of 90 mins

[Schotte 0]

Gary Ralston did the story mad tim ! Surprise surprise ? Gave wee Burkey match winning report ! Got in the wee bit about the innocent singing of you'll never walk alone ? He probably incited it as he was there 2 days before. Said it was obviously a local karaoke singer that was doin it ? How come in the back of beyond Germany that was brought up innocently ?

I can beleave this F*NNY in nearly every ground hear in germany it gets played. I was at the game and it was a cd being played.I dont know what game he seen because Burke was lazy all of the game apart from the 2 min's where he scored.

Also the MotM for me never get a word said about him. Thomson he ran his heart off, was even better than Hemdani.