Rangers travelled to Airdrieonians in Scottish League One on Thursday evening.
The Gers sat top of the division, and could move 17 points clear with a win in this match, while Airdrieonians were looking to continue their recent improved form and climb off the foot of the table.
However, it was Rangers who emerged triumphant with a slender win.
Read how the match unfolded in our live commentary below.
Good evening and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage from Scottish League One where Rangers are in action. They travel to bottom club Airdrieonians tonight.
It's top against bottom in the Scottish third tier this evening, as Rangers look to move 17 points clear as they continue their climb back to the SPL. In their way of victory on this occasion are Airdrieonians who, despite being stuck at the foot of the division, have started to find some form.
Unbeaten Rangers have won 16 of their 17 games this season, and have only conceded eight goals while scoring an astonishing 64. It will take something special tonight for Airdrieonians to get anything from the match.
Having gone months without a point, Airdrieonians are on a two-match unbeaten run as they look to turn their fortunes around in 2014. They drew with Stenhousemuir prior to Christmas, before recording a 2-1 win over Arbroath in their final match of 2013. Can they make it three games unbeaten in a row?
Let's get the team news.
AIRDRIEONIANS XI: Rogers, Gilmour, Bain, Watt, O'Byrne, Buchanan, McAleer, McCormack, Lister, Blockley, McLaren
Gary Bollan makes three changes to the team that beat Arbroath at the weekend.
Lister, Blockley, and McLaren all come into the team, when Cadden and Coult are among those to drop to the bench.
Let's take a look at those substitutes.
AIRDRIEONIANS BENCH: Parker, P Boyle, Coult, Cadden, Grier, Coogans, Stewart
So that's what the hosts have put forward, let's see what tonight's away team have to offer.
RANGERS XI: Bell, Faure, McCulloch, Mohsni, Wallace, Aird, Black, Law, Macleod, Daly, Clark
Ally McCoist makes just one change to the team that beat Dunfermline 4-0 last time out.
Lewis Macleod returns to the starting XI, while Steven Smith misses out. Ricky Foster is fit enough to start on the bench, but David Templeton is out with a thigh strain.
Here is what McCoist has in reserve.
RANGERS BENCH: Simonsen, Cribari, Little, Crawford, Shiels, Foster, Peralta
There will be a minute's silence prior to kick off as we remember those who passed in Ibrox disaster 43 years ago this afternoon.
The teams are in the tunnel ahead of kick off.
The teams are out, the minute's silence will shortly commence.
Airdrieonians are sporting their home kit of white shirts with a red V pattern, black shorts and red socks. Rangers are in their first kit of blue shirts with white shorts and their changed white socks.
Respects have been paid, and we're shortly going to be underway.
KICK OFF! Airdrieonians, playing from left to right, get the first half underway.
McAleer has a cross/shot from the right of the box after running onto a loose ball, but his lofted effort drifts just over.
Airdrieonians have made a good start to this game. They seem fairly confident, and aren't afraid of going on the attack in front of their home fans.
Rangers enjoying a bit more possession now, as Buchanan and Wallace exchanged a lovely one-two on the left flank before former whipped in a cross at the byline. It fell to Aird on the far side of the area, but his powerful shot was block, and fell into the arms of Rodgers.
Rangers have a free kick which Black lofts to the far post where Daly is lurking. He gets to it, but cannot get his effort on target.
Rangers are still on top at the moment, but haven't been able to properly test Rodgers in the Airdrieonians yet.
Buchanan is a bit lucky there to escape a yellow card for a bad challenge on Clark.
Rangers have another free kick and again waste it. Wallace the guilty man this time.
We have a brief stoppage in play as Faure is allowed to receive treatment after landing heavily from an aerial challenge. He should be fine.
SAVE! Daly plays a nice ball over the top and into the box, which Clark is on to in a flash. He gets a shot away with his left foot, but Rodgers can make a fine stop with his legs.
GOAL! Airdrieonians 0-1 Rangers (Lewis Macleod)
Classy finish from Macleod as Rangers go in front. Clarke nods the long ball down into the path of the Rangers striker. He gets a little bit of luck on the edge of the D as the ball comes back to him, but plants a wonderful low finish into the bottom left corner for his fifth of the season.
CLOSE! What a goal this would have been from Lee Wallace, the left-back. He gets the ball on the edge of the box, tricks his way past one man before lobbing the ball over a second and then firing just wide of the far post.
YELLOW CARD Brockley goes into the book for a late, high challenge on Black.
CHANCE! Good opportunity for Airdrie to get an equaliser as Lister is found from a cross inside the box, but he heads straight at Bell.
CLOSE! Nearly a stunning second goal for Macleod, who smacks a dipping effort from range which lands on the roof of the net.
CHANCE! Rangers are well on top at the moment and it should be 2-0, but Daly could only head over from Law's cross at the far post.
MISS! Mohsni should have scored there. The corner comes in from the right, and he is left unmarked at the near post, but cannot hit the target.
It must surely be just a matter of time before Rangers double their lead.
YELLOW CARD McAleer slides through Wallace on the left edge of the box to receive a booking.
Rangers are dominant at the moment and I'd be a bit surprised if it was only 1-0 at the break. Airdrie have nearly everyone back, and are not doing too well on the counter.
Clark and Buchanan endure a nasty collision, but I think the pair will be okay after a short break.
Airdrie have an attack as Lister beautifully brings a cross down on the turn, but he cannot get a shot away and Rangers can clear.
We will have two minutes of added time.
HALF TIME: Airdrieonians 0-1 Rangers
Well there goes the half-time whistle, and the only surprise is that Rangers aren't further ahead.
Lewis Macleod has scored the only goal so far, but Rangers should be a lot further ahead. But for now, it's just 1-0.
The teams are back out, and we're ready for the second half.
KICK OFF! Rangers, playing from left to right in this half, get the second period up and running.
CLOSE! First chance of the half falls to Rangers, as Daly glances a header over the bar.
Rangers have carried on from where they left off in this half. They have been dominant so far, and have had a succession of corners.
Airdrie clear the ball to the edge of the box, but only as far as Black. He gets the ball under control but then fires his shot over the bar.
Not too much happening at the moment. Rangers have had pretty much all of the ball, but they haven't peppered the Airdrie goal for a while.
It's pretty scrappy at the moment.
Buchanan concedes the corner cheaply, which then breaks to Law. However, he cannot keep his shot down, and it flies over the bar.
This has been an incredibly poor second half so far. The longer it goes on though, the more Airdrie will believe that they can get something from this.
Mind you, Airdrie haven't shown enough in this match to convince you that they will score.
YELLOW CARD O'Byrne is booked for a heavy challenge on Daly.
This slump is still going on. I'd love to tell you that there is stuff going on here, but I'd be telling porky pies.
AIRDRIEONIANS CHANGE: Nathan Blockley has been taken off, with Parker being sent on.
Macleod has a chance, but smashes a low effort wide. It wasn't the greatest strike in the world.
CLOSE! Nearly an equaliser for Airdrie! Buchanan tries a spectacular bicycle kick, but it pings just wide. Spot of pressure from Airdrie here, and the crowd are right behind them.
SAVE! Rangers hit back with an attack of their own, and Rodgers brilliantly denies Clark with a brave tackle.
YELLOW CARD Mohsni and Lister go into the book for a clash.
YELLOW CARDS Jamie Bain is the latest to enter the notebook for a late challenge on Ian Black. The Rangers man is booked for his reaction after pushing Bain.
RANGERS CHANGE Clarke makes way, as Richard Foster comes on.
SAVE! What a stop from Bell to somehow deny Airdrie an equaliser. McLaren smashes the half-volley from the edge of the box through a crowd of bodies, before Bell throws himself to the left to save it. Mohsni then blocked it on the line. Should be 1-1.
Airdrie are having a real go at this late on. Surely they cannot snatch something?
We will have three minutes of added time.
FULL TIME: Airdrieonians 0-1 Rangers
Well there were a few nervy moments at the end for them, but Rangers get the win they deserve.
That's it from me for this match. But join me in a moment for coverage of Hibernian vs. Hearts from the top tier.
Written by
Matt Cotton
Matt Cotton
