TWENTY-EIGHT days in, Rangers finally broke their October hoodoo as they registered their first win of the month in devastating style.
A hat-trick from Christian Nerlinger, a header from Nuno Capucho, a tap-in from Peter Lovenkrands and Egil Ostenstad’s late strike handed Gers a simple victory in what was a pedestrian performance in front of 26,327 appreciative supporters.
After five games without a win, Alex McLeish would no doubt have heaved a massive sigh a relief when he glanced at the fixture list after the goalless draw with Livingston on Saturday and noted that lowly Forfar were his side’s next opponents.
The Light Blues have not lost a match in this tournament since February 2001 and there was little chance of that record been broken this evening by the Second Division side.
This was the ideal opportunity to banish the vultures circling over Ibrox and Rangers seized upon it, albeit seemingly a tad reluctantly at first.
Unlike his counterparts down south, McLeish resisted the temptation to tinker with his team too drastically and only four new faces were introduced to the side that struggled against Livingston just three days later.
Allan McGregor made his first appearance in goal for 18 months but was rarely troubled by a Forfar side who seemed to lack the invention or desire to venture too often into the Rangers’ half.
Their best chance came just after the half-hour mark when Hugh Davidson ballooned a Paul Tosh pass over the crossbar and after that – with them already trailing by two goals – you felt any chance of a shock result had evaporated before the ball had even ricocheted off the Copland Road stand.
Considering the opposition’s limited resources, Rangers at times made heavy weather of working their way through them but once Nerlinger had put them in front after only 15 minutes there was no looking back.
Ostenstad did well to create space in the box and his reverse ball released the German who lifted the ball over the advancing goalkeeper.
Seven minutes later and the lead was doubled with Capucho’s run and selfless cross converted by Lovenkrands.
The Dane then battered the post with a towering header from Mo Ross’ cross but Rangers then seemed to take their foot off the gas and coasted through to the interval content that they had done enough in the opening 45 minutes.
With Fernando Ricksen on for Paolo Vanoli – the Italian seemed to pick up a knock late in the first half – the second half opened in similar vein to the first, with all traffic heading towards Michael Brown’s goal.
Stephen Hughes – relishing a rare start in the heart of the midfield – tested the goalkeeper with a fierce drive before the Ibrox side went three up.
Ostenstad was denied his first Rangers goal by a brave block by Brown only for the ball to spin goalwards where Capucho dived to head home from a matter of yards.
The former Porto man then turned provider when he threaded a defence-splitting ball through to Nerlinger who netted his second of the night and Rangers’ fourth after only 53 minutes.
With the match effectively over, it was time for the home side to delve into their box of tricks and only a goalline clearance denied Capucho with a flashy overhead kick.
Nerlinger then completed his hat-trick with a sweet finish from Capucho’s cross before Ostenstad finally got the goal his hard work had deserved when he rammed a shot past Brown after 74 minutes.
Ross had two late attempts to grab a rare goal – he followed a weak header with a powerful long-range drive – as Forfar reeled on the back foot amid a welter of Rangers’ possession.
Late cameos from Chris Burke and Darryl Duffy rounded off a near-perfect night for Gers before the crowd started to disperse, content with what they had witnessed.
Harder tests will undoubtedly follow this week but at least McLeish’s men are back on the right path.
RANGERS (4-3-3): 22 McGregor; 2 Ross (Duffy 84), 5 Khizanishvili, 3 Moore, 6 Vanoli (Ricksen 46); 10 Hughes, 4 Emerson, 8 Nerlinger; 11 Lovenkrands (Burke 77), 7 Capucho, 9 Ostenstad
Subs not used: Christiansen, Berg
Booked: Emerson (38)
FORFAR (4-4-2): 1 Brown; 2 Lunan (Maher 60), 4 Horn (McClune 63), 3 Rattray, 5 Stewart (Lowing 51); 6 Byers, 8 Davidson, 10 Henderson, 7 Sellars; 11 Shields, 9 Tosh
Subs not used: Ferrie, Taylor
Booked: None
Man of the Match: Christian Nerlinger