Esbjerg 3, Rangers 3
THE Rangers roadshow rolled into the southern part of Jutland last
night without the powerful presence of Paul Gascoigne and without a
glimpse of the elusive Romanian, Florin Raducioiou, and the
unfamiliar-looking team which manager Walter Smith fielded could only
manage a draw against Danish second division side Esbjerg.
Rangers had started the game without skipper Richard Gough, and two of
his normal defensive partners, Alan McLaren and David Robertson, as well
as Gascoigne.
Then, in the second half, when Craig Moore was injured, first-team
coach Davie Dodds appeared at the heart of the defence as a replacement
for the Australian.
It was after these changes that the makeshift Ibrox defence lost the
three goals.
Afterwards, manager Walter Smith explained: ''We did not want to use
Paul Gascoigne, or David Robertson, because they have played in all the
pre-season games so far. We felt they deserved a breather.
''Richard Gough and Alan McLaren both have slight knocks, nothing
serious, but enough to cause me some slight worry.
''If the game had been important then they would have played but this
is not a time for taking chances with anyone's fitness.
''That is why we took Gordon Durie and Craig Moore off as both of them
picked up groin strains.
''Davie Dodds had to go on because he was all we had left.
''As for Gascoigne, he needed a breather and we want him fit for the
tournament at Ibrox when he will make his home debut. It's important
that he is ready for that.''
Rangers were two goals ahead at half-time.
The first arrived after 13 minutes when Durie dispossessed the Danish
keeper, Peter Jensen, as he tried to dribble a pass-back round forward.
The ball broke from Durie to Brian Laudrup, who crossed to Alexei
Mikhailichenko, and his pass across goal found Trevor Steven, who scored
from close range.
Eleven minutes before half-time Rangers scored a second.
This time, Laudrup threaded a ball through the defence and
Mikhailichenko moved on to the ball, beat a defender, and shot home into
the corner of the net.
A minute later Mark Hateley became the night's first substitute when
he took over from Durie, who had collected an injury setting up the
opening goal.
At the start of the second half, Colin Scott appeared for Andy Goram
and Ian Ferguson for Laudrup, who had felt a hamstring tighten.
Within four minutes the defence became even more makeshift when Moore
was injured in a tackle at the edge of the box.
He went off to be replaced by Dodds and the Danes scored from a free
kick with John Lauridsen beating the defensive wall and leaving Scott
helpless.
Within two minutes Michailichenko had scored again. Stephen Wright
sent in a cross, Steven glanced a header towards the far post, and the
Ukrainian was there to stab the ball over the line.
Rangers seemed comfortable, though there were moments of concern in a
defence which now had only one player left who would be likely to start
the season -- Wright.
Then, a bizarre decision by a linesman helped Esbjerg score a second.
Two Danish players looked offside when the ball was played. While the
Rangers defenders appealled, the linesman waved play on and Scott
brought down Chris Hermensen.
The referee awarded a penalty and Michael Pedersen sent the kick
beyond the keeper.
Then, two minutes from the end, the defence was left in tatters when
Morten Christensen broke down the right and fired a cross into the box.
Hermensen rose to send a header into the net and the Danish fans
celebrated all around the neat little stadium.
Said Smith later: ''These games are about getting players ready for
the important matches which lie ahead early in the season.
''What we have done so far on this tour is to get the players working
together but Gough and McLaren will play in Copenhagen.
''There will be a more settled look about us for that match.''
RANGERS -- Goram, Wright, Mikhailichenko, Cleland, Moore, Reid,
Steven, McCall, Durrant, Durie, Laudrup. Substitutes -- Scott, Ferguson,
Hateley, Dodds.
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