Berwick 1 Rangers 1: Gers escape with a point after late Townsley goal disallowed
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UPDATED:
13:26 GMT, 26 August 2012
Rangers were left still searching for their first away win in the Irn-Bru Third Division after being held to a 1-1 draw at Berwick.
Andy Little netted his seventh goal of the season for the Glasgow giants, before Fraser McLaren levelled for the home side, who could have snatched victory at the end.
It was not quite up there with Berwick's famous Scottish Cup win over Rangers in 1967 but they would have been the happier of the two sides with the outcome.
Fraser McLaren (left) celebrates scoring the equaliser for Berwick half-way through the second half
MATCH FACTS
Berwick Rangers: Bejaoui, Droudge, Townsley, Brydon, Hoskins, Notman,
Janczyk (McLaren 58), Currie, McDonald, Lavery (Gielty 58), Addison
Subs not used: McCaldon, Lancaster, Ferguson
Goal: McLaren 62
Booked: Currie, Janczyk
Rangers: Alexander, Perry, Emilson Cribari, Bocanegra, Argyriou, Little, McCulloch, Macleod (Naismith 77), Black, McKay (Crawford 64), Sandaza (Kyle 64)
Subs not used: Gallagher, Faure
Goal: Little 45
Booked: Bocanegra
Referee: Mike Tumilty
Attendance: 4,140
Anestis Argyriou made his Rangers debut from the start after signing a two-year deal yesterday.
Fellow new recruit Sebastien Faure – who joined the Ibrox side last week – was named on the bench.
Skipper Carlos Bocanegra also started
despite being an injury doubt before the game, while Ross Perry made his
first appearance of the season after recovering from a calf strain.
Like Old Firm rivals Celtic, Rangers had expressed a desire to play in England in the past.
But the clash at Shielfield, two miles
south of the border, was a long way from the promised land of the
Barclays Premier League.
Rangers started well and were threatening early on when a Barrie McKay cross found Lewis MacLeod and he fired wide.
Lee Currie then picked up the first booking after just four minutes for a crunching challenge on Ian Black.
Berwick refused to be overawed by their visitors and Dean Hoskins tested Neil Alexander at his near post with a cross come shot.
Little (centre) smashes the ball home to give Rangers the lead in first half stoppage time
Little (centre) is mobbed by his teammates after opening the scoring, but his goal wasn't enough for the three points
Neil Janczyk then had a go with an
effort from distance that deflected past several bodies in the box
before being smothered by the goalkeeper.
The home side continued to push
forward in search of the opener and Darren Lavery dragged his shot wide
when he should at least have tested Alexander.
Berwick goalkeeper Youssef Bejaoui did
not have a save to make for most of the first half but was left picking
the ball out of the net in injury time.
Lee McCulloch (right) challenges Lee Currie during the Third Division match
A Black free-kick found Lee McCulloch at the back post and he nodded into the path of Little to rifle home from six yards.
Berwick tried to hit back immediately
after the restart and Phil Addison saw his shot fizz across goal and
wide, before Alexander was called into action to gather from Currie.
They were back on level terms after 63
minutes when substitute McLaren sent a powerful angled drive past the
grasp of Alexander and into the bottom corner just four minutes after
coming off the bench.
Darren Lavery (left) and Carlos Bocanegra tussle for the ball
At the other end, Francisco Sandaza's
point blank shot was blocked by Bejaoui, before he was withdrawn along
with McKay to make way for Kevin Kyle and Robbie Crawford.
Berwick looked like they were going
for the win and Marc Lancaster was not too far away with a ferocious
shot that whistled just over.
Alexander then produced a superb save to tip over from McLaren with a couple of minutes to go.
Chris Townsley nodded home from the resulting corner but the referee had already blown for a foul.
