On eleven minutes Kelsey Ewan combined with Mackenzie Strachan on the right and from his cross Robbie Ure’s header forced the first of many saves from former Rangers Academy goalkeeper Ross Connelly. Around the quarter hour mark Ross McCausland attacked on the right and passed to Robbie Ure inside the box, Ross Connelly saved low to his right and when the Rangers striker followed up a defender got a block on the shot.

Within a couple of minutes Arron Lyall skipped past a defender into the right side of the box but again Ross Connelly produced a fine save. Within a minute the ball was passed inside to Alex Lowry from the left and his effort from around twenty-five yards was just too high. At the midpoint of the half Ross McCausland on the left cut the ball back to Arron Lyall who shot just over.

The visitors threatened with a through ball that Jacob Pazikas got to first and just managed to remain within his penalty area. Soon after Alex Lowry sent a free-kick just wide of Ross Connelly’s right hand post with the keeper rooted to the spot.

Ross Connelly excelled again just after the half hour, Robbie Ure passed to Charlie Lindsay and the keeper parried the shot and when the loose ball was crossed in from the left he was there again to save Robbie Fraser’s header. Alex Lowry then turned one way and back again before sending a twenty-five yarder straight at Ross Connelly.

Following a corner from the left the East Stirling defence struggled to clear, Connor Allan stretched to get a header on the loose bouncing ball which was cleared from the line. East Stirling then broke on the right and from the cross Jacob Pazikas stretched to paw away from an unmarked attacker at the back post.

Five minutes before the break Rangers eventually drew level, from Harley Ewan’s right wing cross Ross Connelly denied Robbie Ure at point blank range, there was another block in the ensuing scramble before Robbie Ure forced the ball over the line with the East Stirling defenders claiming otherwise.

Half-Time: Rangers 1 - 1 East Stirling

Rangers took the lead five minutes after the break, Charlie Lindsay broke forward and exchanged passes with Ross McCausland to break into the right side of the box and shoot under the keeper’s dive. Ross Connelly did better a couple of minutes later saving from Zak Lovelace after he cut in from the left past two defenders and shot from the edge of the box.

The half was ten minutes old when Rangers a scored a third, Ross McCausland went past two defenders as he attacked the centre of the defence, when challenged inside the penalty area the ball broke to Robbie Ure who shot past the keeper. Just beyond the hour Ross McCausland cut in from the right, his shot beat the keeper but bounced off the crossbar. It landed at the feet of Charlie Lindsay inside the left side of the penalty area and Ross Connelly was forced to tip his shot over.

On sixty-four minutes Zak Lovelace broke on the right and from his cross Ross Connelly saved bravely at the feet of Arron Lyall. A minute later Rangers extended their lead, the ball was switched to Zak Lovelace on the right and his superb run and low cross setup Robbie Ure for a simple finish to complete his hat trick.

East Stirling came close to scoring with a superb curling effort from the left hand angle of the box that beat Jacob Pazikas but bounced off the far post. Play was soon back at the other end and when Kevin Ciubotaru hit the left hand byline he looked up to pick out Connor Young who shot just wide of the near post.

Connor Young’s through ball then sent James Graham racing clear, he dinked the ball past Ross Connelly but the ball came back off the keeper’s right hand post. The final chance was created from the right by James Graham and when his low cross found Connor Young he was denied by Ross Connelly diving to his right.

Full-Time: Rangers 4 - 1 East Stirling

Rangers: Jacob Pazikas; Kelsey Ewan, Lewis MacKinnon, Connor Allan, Robbie Fraser (Kevin Ciubotaru 72 Mins); Mackenzie Strachan; Charlie Lindsay (Greig Allen 72 Mins), Alex Lowry (Zak Lovelace HT); Arron Lyall, Robbie Ure (Connor Young 68 Mins), Ross McCausland (James Graham 68 mins)
Not Used: Lewis Budinauckas (Gk), Johnly Yfeko.

East Stirling: Ross Connelly, Kyle Ewing, Shaun Brown (Josh Winton 66 Mins), Tony Coutts (Andy Shirra 79 Mins), Connor Greene, Harvey Moyes (Scott Honeyman 62 Mins), Kenny Barr, Andy Kay, Jamie Kirkpatrick (Kai Wilson 66 Mins), Jack Hodge, Kyle Connelly (Aarron McAlpine 62 Min).
Not Used: Iain Ure (Gk), Ben Brady.