Derek McInnes has recorded his second pre-season victory as Rangers manager after his side beat Scottish Championship outfit Raith Rovers 5-1 behind closed doors.
The friendly took place at Auchenhowie, the club’s training centre, giving McInnes a valuable first look at his squad in a competitive setting.
Rangers invited the second-tier side to their facility for what is commonly referred to as a bounce game, a low-key but important fixture in any pre-season programme.
McInnes used the match to assess his options across the squad, rotating heavily throughout the ninety minutes to spread fitness work across his entire group.
In keeping with standard pre-season practice, the Rangers manager fielded a completely different XI in the second half, ensuring as many players as possible received meaningful game time.
Despite the wholesale changes at the interval, the goals continued to flow and Rangers maintained a commanding advantage throughout both periods.
Ross McCrorie, Nedim Bajrami, and Ryan Naderi were among those to get on the scoresheet, contributing to a thoroughly positive afternoon for the new manager.
Summer arrivals Ross McCrorie, Ben Godfrey, and Dan Neil all featured in the match, continuing their integration into the Rangers setup ahead of the new season.
New recruits Lawrence Shankland and Ivor Pandur were both absent, with the pair not expected back until later this month following international duty at the World Cup with Scotland and Croatia respectively.
Raith Rovers did pull one back from the penalty spot late on, but the consolation did little to dampen what was an encouraging run-out for McInnes and his evolving squad.
The result builds further confidence within the Rangers camp as McInnes looks to stamp his identity on the club and prepare his players for competitive action.
With key signings still to return and further pre-season fixtures on the horizon, Rangers supporters will be buoyed by the early signs emerging from Auchenhowie under their new boss.
