Match preview from the Official Rangers site:

 

Ally Expects In Annan

ALLY McCOIST expects a similar game at Annan to the one Rangers got the last time they were there when they return on Wednesday.

But on this occasion he wants to start 2013 with a bang by collecting all three points and keep the club’s excellent recent form going.

The Light Blues were held to a 0-0 draw with Athletic at Galabank in the early part of the season as they went on a poor run of three draws and a defeat away from home.

Aside from those results, Gers have won every other game they have played in the Third Division and are 15 points clear of second-placed Elgin after 17 games so far.

The sequence of 10 consecutive wins they are currently on includes a 3-0 win over Annan at Ibrox back on December 18.

But while McCoist anticipates things will be tighter in Dumfries and Galloway two days from now, he still expects his men to have enough quality to emerge triumphant.

He said: “We went down there earlier on in the season and I expect we’ll get the exact same from them as we got before.

“The welcome we got at Annan was fantastic but it stopped as soon as the first whistle was blown by the referee.

“We didn’t play well down there but I thought Annan played particularly well. The surface was tricky but we’ve played on similar ones since and hopefully we’re adapting to that now.

“It will be a tough game and it’s like anything else. The opposition will be well up for it and their players will fancy their chances.

“Annan performed reasonably well a couple of weeks ago at Ibrox and there wasn’t an awful lot in the game.

“But hopefully there are no surprises for us now. There shouldn’t have been in the first instance but we have to cut the players a bit of slack as it was relatively new to them then.

“You would hope that second time around, we would all know what to expect, be ready for it and indeed match it.

“It’s an opportunity for us to go and win the game. Our results away from home have definitely improved.

“You’re loath to say you’ve turned a corner but you have to say we are very happy with the way things are going at the moment.â€

Kevin Kyle and Dean Shiels remain doubts for the game while it remains to be seen if Lewis Macleod and Kal Naismith will be fit enough after suffering flu-like symptoms.

Andy Little missed the match with Queen’s Park on Saturday due to a hamstring injury and he is another McCoist will give time to prove his fitness.

One man who is likely to feature though is David Templeton, despite the fact it was on Galabank’s artificial pitch that he suffered ankle ligament damage back in September.

He has since played on a similar surface at Montrose and came through the game without any problems so will be in the squad.

McCoist added: “It certainly won’t alter my plans. I think David is big enough, old enough and has been round the block enough to know he needs to go back and play there.â€

 

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Rangers: Neil Alexander, Darren Cole, Chris Hegarty, Ross Perry, Lee Wallace, Kyle Hutton, Ian Black, Robbie Crawford, David Templeton, Andrew Little, Francisco Sandaza

 

Final Score: Annan 1-3 Rangers (HT 1-1)

 

A bit of a scrappy game, both first half goals resulting from crosses that drifted into the back of the net. Rangers took a second half lead via Robbie Crawford, who's well directed shot sent the keeper the wrong way, with the three points cemented by an 85th minute own goal, putting Rangers 18 points clear at the top of the SL3.

 

Match report from the Official Rangers Site:

 

Annan Athletic 1-3 Rangers

 

 

RANGERS made a positive start to 2013 by picking up three more points on their travels against Annan Athletic.

Despite the cold and windy conditions at Galabank the Light Blues again worked hard to record their 11th league win on the bounce on a tricky 3G surface.

Goals from David Templeton (2) and Robbie Crawford gave the visitors a 3-1 New Year victory and few would argue it is wasn't deserved.

With several players unavailable Ally McCoist had to shuffle his pack and as a result his team did not perform at their best throughout the 90 minutes.

But getting another away victory was the objective and ten of the 16 players listed in Rangers squad came through the club's youth academy.

In total McCoist made three changes to his starting eleven with Barrie McKay dropping to the bench and skipper Lee McCulloch and Emilson Cribari ruled out.

This meant Darren Cole was in at right back but it was to be a frustrating afternoon for the defender who was stretchered off with an ankle injury at the start of the second half.

It is, however, hoped it is just bruising and he will not be out of action for too long.

Annan started the match positively but it was Alex Mitchell who had to make the first save after two minutes when Templeton’s powerful shot from 20 yards was well held by the number one.

On 19 minutes a silly challenge by Ian Black on Chris Jardine resulted in referee Stephen Finnie booking the combative midfielder who could have no complaints.

Rangers started to push more bodies up the park and on 25 minutes they took the lead with a fortuitous goal.

After good work from Sandaza, Templeton picked the ball up wide on the left.

He used his pace to get beyond right back John Blake and his deep cross crept in at the back post with Mitchell at full stretch.

The winger was again showing his quality and with Annan trying to regroup after going behind his delightful reverse pass found stand-in skipper Wallace but his cross had to be booted clear.

From the resulting corner Mitchell came from his line but flapped at the cross and Fran Sandaza’s downward header from eight yards bounced once before hitting the cross bar.

At this stage it looked certain Rangers would be the team to hit the net again but on 34 minutes Annan replied with an identical goal to Templeton’s.

Ally Love worked hard to create space down the left against Cole and, with seemingly nowhere to go, he managed to send a looping cross over Neil Alexander’s head and into the net.

The goal gave the Annan players and fans a lift and after levelling Love then tried his luck from 18 yards but his connection was poor and the ball trundled harmlessly across goal.

Into the second half and Rangers suffered a set back when Cole was stretchered off within ten minutes.

The right back twisted his left ankle when challenging Love for the ball and immediately signalled to come off. Sebastien Faure took his place in the side.

When the play eventually resumed Rangers looked to regain control and a left foot drive from Crawford went a foot wide of target.

On 62 minutes, however, the youngster made no mistake.

Templeton’s cross was missed by Black but the ball fell nicely in the box for the Murray Park kid who arrowed his shot low into the opposite corner of Mitchell’s net.

It was yet another fine finish from the midfielder who has shown great composure in front of goal this season.

Rangers continued to put pressure on Annan's goal in the latter stages and Templeton grabbed a third to complete the scoring.

After dropping his shoulder to get away from a defender he tried his luck from distance and his luck was in.

The ball took a wicked deflection off a defender and completely wrong footed Mitchell who could only watch on as the ball flew into the net as he fell to the ground.

ANNAN: Mitchell; Blake, McGowan, Monaghan, Swinglehurst, Sloan (Donley 73), Love (Hopkirk 64), Jardine, Daly, Chaplain, Steele (McKechnie 73)
 
SUBS: Summersgill, Thorburn

BOOKINGS:

RANGERS: Alexander; Cole (Faure 53), Hegarty, Perry, Wallace; Hutton; Little, Crawford, Black, Templeton (McKay 84); Sandaza

SUBS: Currie, Aird, Hemmings

BOOKINGS: Black (19), Perry (50)

REF: Stephen Finnie

 

 

Not a great game, but a good away win. First two goals in the game were crosses that beat the respective keepers !