Rangers survive Alloa scare as Russell Martin search for scintillating style rumbles on – 5 talking points

The League One side pushed the Light Blues all the way as the Wasps fell to a 4-2 defeat

A week of criticism stung after a dismal draw with Dundee and defeat in Pilsen.

But Rangers ensured the Wasps never inflicted any more pain - even if fans were far from buzzing at this display.

Gers huffed and puffed and flirted with disaster as they warmed up for the Champions League play-off crunch with Club Brugge with a 4-2 win sealed in the 90th minute.

Goals from Nedim Bajrami, a first in light blue for Manny Fernandez, a James Tavernier penalty and Findlay Curtis late settler eventually ensured their quarter final spot.

Bajrami netted the opener in the 14th minute when he played a one-two with Mikey Moore before bending a 20 yard effort in off the bar.

But Alloa stunned Ibrox when they levelled on 24 minutes through a comic-cuts own goal. Steven Buchanan got in behind Bailey Rice and had an angled shot saved by Liam Kelly before a spot of pinball in the box ended with Max Aarons cannoning a desperate clearance into the net off Joe Rothwell’s head.

Four minutes later the home side were back ahead though when Fernandez rose to power home a header from Rothwell’s free kick.

But the home fans were made to wait until the 67th minute for the third when Oscar Cortes’ effort was blocked by Cameron O’Donnell’s hand and sub James Tavernier kept his record of scoring in every domestic game so far in tact from the spot.

Still Rangers were made to sweat as Scott Taggart fired home Alloa’s second with 11 minutes to go. O’Donnell’s deep free kick was headed off the bar by David Devine and Taggart poked home.

Nerves spread through Ibrox. But sub Findlay Curtis finally put the game to bed as he cooly slotted into the bottom corner in the 90th minute.

Got there in the end

There was no repeat of the Scottish Cup humbling by Queen’s Park at Ibrox back in February. But this was far from scintillating from Rangers.

Slack at the back and too slow in building attacks, what should have been a routine win ended in another nerve-ridden ending for fans looking for inspiration. Russell Martin ripped up his starting XI with starts for Oscar Cortes, Manny Fernandez, Nedim Bajrami, Bailey Rice, Kieran Dowell and a debut for Mikey Moore.

The experiment failed to deliver much of a breakthrough though. It’s unfair to expect Rice to fill in at left back while Bajrami did okay in midfield and Moore had a lively introduction.

But the fans are getting restless with the pedestrian build-up and Alloa’s four shots, three on target, in the first half all came from unforced errors with Fernandez not looking overly convincing defending, despite his threat in the Alloa box.

The final scoreline never flattered Alloa which tells its own story.

Moore the merrier

Tottenham loanee Mikey Moore has had to wait to announce himself as red tape halted the winger’s eligibility until he turned 18 last week.

But after being unleashed for his debut the kid was looking to make a fast impression in his first outing at Ibrox.

Three minutes 40 seconds were on the clock when he turned inside and tested Liam McFarlane with a fizzing low effort before stinging the keepers palms again after 10 minutes.

The teen looked direct, can go to the bye-line or cut inside, and gave former St Mirren kid Owen Foster a torrid time on the flank for the first half. Moore’s likely going to have to be patient with Djedei Gassama exploding onto the scene since his move form Sheffield Wednesday. But it’s another option for Martin

Igamane the man?

Hamza Igamane made his first appearance since the home win over Panathinaikos as a second half sub. And the Moroccan showed enough in a lively 22 minute cameo to give Martin serious thought over who should lead the line against Brugge.

Danilo, again, flattered to deceive and remains goal-lessor the season. Igamane injected power, a hunger to shoot on sight and dragged the Alloa defence out of position. HIs ability to cause mayhem in the box is another tool that could well come in handy for Gers as they look for a focal point through the middle.

Brugge headache

Rangers made heavy weather of this - but the challenge was night and day to what lies in store on Tuesday night.

Ibrox will be rocking to its foundations for the Brugge blockbuster that has a £40m spot in the Champions League hanging on it.

Martin had another look at fringe men against Alloa but don’t expect any to have forced their way into his starting XI to face the Belgians.

Expect a more familiar line-up with Oliver Antman, Djeidi Gassama, John Souttar, James Tavernier, Nico Raskin and Jack Butland back in, with perhaps Igamane making a case for a start.

Wasps sting

Alloa won their opening six games of the season before finally losing to Stranraer in the cup in midweek - and they showed why they are a real force at their level here.

As well as forcing the own goal leveller, Andy Graham’s side carved out three more decent first half efforts as they caught Rangers on the break and fed off lackadaisical Gers’ mistakes at the back.

Steven Buchanan caused problems on the right while the experienced Stefan Scougall backed him up. Their second goal was deserved after the break.

This ultimately wasn’t Alloa’s fight. But they look more than capable of mounting a promotion push in the third tier.