The Light Blues started the contest in positive fashion and were rewarded after a series of chances through Robbie Fraser’s well-taken first half strike.
The Gers put themselves out of sight through two quickfire second half goals thanks to Thompson Ishaka and an Alex Lowry penalty as they put on a dominant display in the capital.
David McCallum named two changes to the side that were 5-3 winners over Burnley Under-21s at the weekend, with Kieran Wright and Zander Hutton coming into the team as they replaced Robbie McCrorie and Adam Devine.
Rangers started with comfortable possession in the opening stages at Ainslie Park. Bailey Rice dropped in between the two central defenders on multiple occasions before he found Robbie Fraser with a long diagonal pass but the ball ran out of play at the far side for the full-back.
The Gers created the first opportunity of the game thanks to a brilliantly threaded through ball by Rice. Captain on the night Alex Lowry made a clever run in behind which was well spotted by the midfielder as he took it in his stride beyond the Spartans backline but was denied by Jacques Heraghty who made the stop at the near post.
The visitors continued to control the opening stages of the contest in the capital. Fraser found Rice at the edge of the area with a cutback with the midfielder tried his luck from distance as it flashed wide of the target, with the Gers starting in positive fashion in Edinburgh.
Despite the better of the early play there was no breakthrough from the Gers after the quarter-hour mark. The League Two side had established themselves in the match but rarely threatened Kieran Wright in the Gers goal throughout the opening period of the game.
The Gers were getting continuous joy down the left flank with Fraser constantly making runs down the channel and being found on several occasions. He again looked for the arriving Rice at the edge of the area as the two combined again but the backline of the home side held firm.
Lowry almost turned provider for the opening goal on the 25-minute mark. Picking up the ball unmarked 30-yards from goal the midfielder spotted the run of Ross McCausland round the far post but the Northern Irishman couldn’t reach the ball on the stretch to turn it passed Heraghty who gathered.
The theme of the contest continued as the game reached past the half-hour mark. The Gers continued to dominate the majority of the possession and advanced into the final third of the pitch but still lacked that end product. Rice found fellow midfield runner in McCausland but his shot from the edge of the area flew over the top.
Spartans came to life for the first time in the match just moments later and almost went ahead. Bradley Whyte forced Kieran Wright into a smart save with his feet after his low left-footed strike was stopped by the keeper’s legs before the arriving Danny Denholm struck the rebound into the hands of the Gers stopper.
The game had sprung into life after a flurry of chances in a five-minute spell. Lowry almost produced a moment of magic as he struck a 30-yard free-kick towards goal but saw the effort hit the outside of the post and stay out.
The Gers deservedly did go ahead in the next phase of play however and it was left-back Robbie Fraser who produced the moment of quality. The left-back ran from deep as he carried the ball beyond several players before firing an unstoppable left-footed effort which hit the underside of the bar and found the back of the net as Rangers went in front.
Rangers doubled their advantage just two-minutes after the restart. Zak Lovelace did well to hold the ball in as he used the advancing Lowry who picked the ball up in space, he scooped the ball over the Spartans defence which allowed Thompson Ishaka to smash the ball past Heraghty as it found the back of the net via the crossbar as the visitors made the perfect start to the second half.
Lowry again went close from a dead-ball situation as this time his 25-yard effort from a central position hit the roof of the net. The Light Blues continuing from where they left off in the capital in the second half as they looked to extend their lead further.
The Gers had the chance to add a third as Lovelace was clipped in the penalty area after riding a number of challenges before making his way into the box before being brought down by Ayrton Sonkur. Lowry stepped up from 12-yards as he dispatched the ball cooly to the keeper’s bottom right as the Light Blues pulled further in front.
McCallum’s men remained in firm control as the game reached the hour-mark. Strachan and McPake were introduced the flow of the match continued as the visitors went in search of more goals.
Lovelace was almost involved again in producing the fourth goal of the evening. Hutton and Lowry combined well deep down the right flank with the former sending a delivery round the far post which was met by the striker, but he couldn’t get the desired contact to beat Heraghty who gathered.
Substitute McPake went close to adding a fourth as he got on the end of McCausland’s through ball. Making a run beyond the home defence the forward’s initial effort was kept out as Heraghty closed the angle but he was shut out before he could fire in the rebound at a tight angle.
Spartans registered their first effort of the second half late on as substitute Alan Brown called Kieran Wright into action, the shot stopper did well however as he kept out the powerful effort down to his left as he gathered at the second attempt.
The Light Blues went on to see out the match with comfort towards the end as David McCallum’s side put on an impressive showing in the capital as they booked their place in the second round of the competition.
SPARTANS: Heraghty, Watson, Allan (Brown 73), Sonkur, Whyte (Craigen 45), Denholm, Morrison (Armstrong 45), Brown (Ndolvu 78), Jones, Russell (Dishington 73), Tapping
SUBS: Carswell, Waugh, Henderson
RANGERS B: Wright, Hutton, Webster (Grant 81), Allan, Fraser, Rice (Strachan 60), Lyall, McCausland (Nsio 81), Lovelace (Graham 73), Lowry, Ishaka (McPake 60)
SUBS: Munn, Newton, Young
REFEREE: Ross Hardie
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