Rangers brush off Raith to extend their advantage at top of table
Rangers stretched their lead at the top of the Ladbrokes Premiership with a 5-0 dismantling of Raith at Ibrox.
Skipper Lee Wallace opened the scoring in the fourth minute with fellow full-back James Tavernier adding a second goal before the break, with his sixth of the season.
The Gers' ninth consecutive win in all competitions under new boss Mark Warburton - and fifth in the league - was confirmed with further goals from Barrie McKay and Martyn Waghorn, who scored twice from the spot.
With Queen of the South losing at St Mirren, the Light Blues go five points clear of Falkirk having played a game more than the Bairns but with every sign they will motor their way back to the top flight this season.
The Kirkcaldy club had questioned Rangers' right to recall Ryan Hardie from Scotland under-19 duty - the Ibrox club responded in some incredulity given that Rovers had declined the opportunity to bring back Craig Wighton - but as expected the 18-year-old started on the bench.
Former Rangers striker Jon Daly returned with the visitors, who started positively - forcing two early corners they fell behind after Mark Stewart fouled Tavernier 20 yards from goal.
Andy Halliday's free-kick suggested a training ground routine but when it fell to Waghorn the striker improvised quickly to feed Wallace who turned on to his right foot and from 16 yards curled a shot past goalkeeper Kevin Cuthbert.
From then on it was a constant procession towards the Kirkcaldy goal.
In the 13th minute a fine saving tackle by Rovers stopper Lewis Toshney prevented the lively Tavernier getting in a shot from close range, after he had worked a one-two with Jason Holt.
Toshney then stopped Gedion Zelalem, making his home debut following his loan from Arsenal, making it number two, before Wallace's left-footed shot from Barrie McKay's cutback evading the far post.
The pressure applied to the Raith goal was steady with defender Danny Wilson heading a Halliday free-kick over and Cuthbert making a decent save from Tottenham loan player Nathan Oduwa.
However, with seconds of the first half remaining Tavernier worked a one-two with Oduwa before drilling his shot from 12 yards low past Cuthbert and into the far corner.
Gers keeper Wes Foderingham had been all but redundant but five minutes after the break he made a fine fingertip save from James Craigen's long-range drive, the home side defending the corner.
It was Oduwa who was the architect of Rangers' third in the 55th minute, weaving his way through the Raith defence and into the box before cutting the ball back for McKay to knock into the empty net.
Kenny Miller and Nicky Law replaced Zelalem and Jason Holt respectively just after the hour-mark before Toshney was adjudged by referee Brian Colvin to have fouled Waghorn inside the box.
The, Gers striker picked himself up before sending Cuthbert the wrong with his penalty to make it 4-0..
Waghorn was given another chance from the spot in the 69th minute when Toshney felled Oduwa inside the box to end an audacious run and again he slammed the ball past Cuthbert.
Oduwa was then replaced by Hardie as the tempo, understandably, dropped in the final stages - although Waghorn passed up a couple of chance for a hat-trick, blocked by Cuthbert first before blasting a shot over the bar moments later.
Source: PA
