Report: Livingston 1-2 Rangers

RANGERS came from behind to claim the all-important three points at Livingston this afternoon with a 2-1 victory.

Trailing to Joel Nouble’s early opener, Scott Arfield and a super James Tavernier free-kick within two minutes of each other in the second half secured the win ahead of Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League qualifier.

There were competitive debuts for Antonio Colak, Tom Lawrence and John Souttar, with Malik Tillman also available to van Bronckhorst from the bench.

That meant it was a back five of Jon McLaughlin in goal with Tavernier, Connor Goldson, Souttar and Borna Barisic in front of him.

Glen Kamara and John Lundstram anchored the midfield with Ryan Kent, Lawrence and Scott Wright playing in support of Colak.

In front of over 7500 away supporters, Gers made a lively start and inside 30 seconds, Tavernier was in-behind the home defence with Kent inches away from connecting to his cross.

But with their first foray up field, Livingston took the lead. A bouncing ball wasn’t dealt with by Gers, and from the edge of the area, Joel Nouble was able to lob a ball over McLaughlin and into the back of the net to hand them the lead with just five minutes on the clock.

Gers soon began to probe again and Jack Fitzwater had to be lively to prevent Colak tapping home on his debut when Goldson of all people popped up in the right of the box to cross.

Lawrence came close with a driven effort from 25-yards, while McLaughlin gathered a header from Ayo Obileye at the other end as Livi threatened a second.

With the home side a goal to the good at the interval, Tillman won his first official appearance in place of Wright.

Tavernier had an early effort well-held by goalkeeper Shamal George, while Kent had a half-volley cleared off the line as the pressure began to mount.

Colak then had a goal disallowed for offside on the end of a super Tavernier cross, while George somehow clawed away a looping Barisic effort, and then saved the rebound from Tillman to keep Livi ahead.

Lundstram saw a curling effort from 20-yards squeeze just by, while Tavernier beat George to a Kent cross at the back post, but nobody could squeeze home the loose ball as it trundled along the line.

Then, with 73 minutes on the clock, Rangers drew themselves level. From the left, Ryan Kent delivered a teasing ball to the front post, and escaping from his marker to meet it with a clever, flicked header beyond George was sub Scott Arfield.

Drawing themselves level was one thing, but less than two minutes later, Rangers were ahead. Colak was felled 22-yards from goal to the right of the target, with James Tavernier stepping up to take the free-kick.

And with that effort, the captain could not have been any more accurate, curling a stunning drive into the top-right corner to spark pandemonium around three sides of Almondvale.

From there, Gers took pretty much exclusive ownership of the ball and did well to limit Livingston to nothing in front of McLaughlin’s goal.

It’s on then to Leuven on Tuesday night to face Union Saint-Gilloise as Gers get their Champions League qualification bid underway.

RANGERS: McLaughlin, Tavernier, Goldson, Souttar (Sands, 67), Barisic, Kamara (Arfield, 67), Lundstram, Kent, Lawrence (Jack, 84), Wright (Tillman, 45), Colak.

SUBS: McGregor, Davis, Fashion Jr, King, Devine.

LIVINGSTON: George, Devlin, Fitzwater, Obileye, Cancar (Montano. 34), Omeonga, Shinnie (Anderson, 77), Kelly, Holt, Pittman, Nouble.

SUBS: Konovalov, Bahamboula, Brandon, Mullin, Bitsindou, Longridge.

REFEREE: Don Robertson.

ATTENDANCE: 9672


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