RANGERS started 2015 with a morale-boosting victory over Dumbarton although they had to battle back from being a goal down to claim three valuable Championship points.
With league leaders Hearts drawing with Edinburgh rivals Hibs earlier in the day it was crucial the Light Blues bounced back from their horror show at Easter Road in what was Kenny McDowall’s first game in charge at Ibrox.
They managed to do that but after just 15 minutes the League One champions were behind with Dumbarton skipper Andy Graham opening the scoring with a well-taken finish.
Before the break, however, Rangers were in front with Jon Daly and Lee Wallace on target in the 22nd and 41st minutes respectively. Substitute Dean Shiels then netted his side’s third goal at the death to secure an important victory for McDowall’s men.
The club’s caretaker boss made three changes to his team with Daly, David Templeton and Kyle Hutton all starting with Nicky Clark, Fraser Aird and Ian Black dropping to the bench.
Daly made the most of the opportunity, netting his fourth goal of the campaign, while 23-year-old Hutton also performed confidently on his first start.
On a clear, crisp day in Glasgow both set of players joined fans in observing a perfect minute of silence for the fans who lost their lives in the Ibrox Disaster on January 2, 1971.
Referee Brian Colvin then got the action underway and after a nervy start to the game it was Dumbarton who took a shock lead with just 15 minutes on the clock.
A deep corner was headed back into the six-yard box by the unmarked Colin Nish and skipper Andy Graham was there to prod the ball into the net in front of a stunned Copland Stand.
Instead of sitting back on their lead Dumbarton looked to double their advantage quickly and they nearly did. A cross was fired in from the left and Nish did well to get his header on target but it was straight at Steve Simonsen.
Rangers had to react quickly and just seven minutes after going behind they were level. Steven Smith delivered a low, curling cross into the danger area aimed for Daly. The ball took a nick off a defender but the big striker still managed to divert it into the net from close range.
The finish was perhaps fortuitous but Daly clearly didn’t care as he celebrated and either did the Gers fans who were understandably relieved to see their team back in the contest.
Now it was Rangers who were in the ascendency and after Smith had a curling free kick from 25 yards tipped over by Danny Rogers the visitor’s keeper again did well to deny Daly when his looping header from Hutton’s free kick dipped under the crossbar.
During this period Ian Murray also had a few harsh words for the Main Stand linesman who raised his flag early when a through pass found Nish and he rounded Simonsen and was all set to score.
The decision looked a tight one but it went in Rangers’ favour which clearly upset the Dumbarton boss on his return to his old stomping ground.
The Light Blues then got their noses in front with four minutes of the first half remaining and it was an excellent strike from Wallace. Smith played a neat pass inside to the number five who drilled a low shot across Rogers and inside his far post.
With no substitutions made at the break Rangers continued to press at the start of the second period and Kenny Miller came within a foot of netting a third goal for his side.
The former Scotland striker picked the ball up midway inside Dumbarton’s half and after skipping past one defender his curling shot from 18 yards went agonisingly wide.
Hutton was certainly seeing a lot of the ball on his return to the side and before the hour mark his powerful right foot drive from 30 yards flew over Rogers’ bar and into the Copland bears.
It was all Rangers at this stage and when Foster pushed forward and produced a teasing cross Miller’s glancing header went inches past the post.
On 74 minutes McDowall made a double substitution with Aird and Clark going on for Templeton and Miller as the home side looked to keep the pressure on Dumbarton’s backline in the closing stages.
It was Shiels introduction on 81 minutes, however, which proved crucial as the Ulsterman netted the decisive third goal.
With Dumbarton pushing bodies forward Clark broke free on the left wing and when he cut the ball inside to Shiels he showed his composure to roll the ball past Rogers before celebrating with his team-mates.
RANGERS: Simonsen; Foster, McCulloch, McGregor, Wallace; Templeton (Aird 74), Hutton, Law, Smith (Shiels 81); Miller (Clark 74), DalySUBS NOT USED: Robinson, Black, Boyd, FaureGOALS: Daly 22, Wallace 42, Shiels 90
DUMBARTON: Rogers; Van Zanten (Taggart 81), Graham, Mair, Linton; Campbell (Megginson 70), Turner, Agnew, Fleming (Gilhaney 70); Nish, KaneSUBS NOT USED: Ewings, McCallum, WhitefieldGOALS: Graham 15BOOKINGS: Linton, Nish
REF: Brian Colvin ATT: 30,031