Gers open with Fir Park victory

Paul Le Guen's tenure as Rangers manager began with a nervy 2-1 win over Motherwell in the Bank of Scotland Premier League at Fir Park.

The visitors took the lead through midfielder Libor Sionko after only eight minutes and only poor finishing by Thomas Buffel, who missed at least three clear-cut chances, prevented the Ibrox side having the game won by the interval.

Motherwell midfielder Phil O'Donnell shocked the Light Blues when he equalised in the second half but a Dado Prso header in the 63rd minute gave the Gers all three points.

Le Guen can take plenty of positives from the game but the Frenchman is likely to include shooting practice at training next week, especially for the errant Belgian Buffel who could have cost Rangers victory.

The visitors began the match with impressive determination and the first chance came after only four minutes when Buffel cleverly turned Well defender Bobby Donnelly to run through onto a Charlie Adam pass.

However, he never looked confident under pressure from Well midfielder Brian Kerr and toe-poked the ball wide of the far post from 10 yards.

Moments later, Buffel again raced clear of the Motherwell defence in pursuit of a Julien Rodriguez through-ball but after Well goalkeeper Graeme Smith saved the striker's first shot, Donnelly forced himself in the way of the second effort and another good chance had gone.

However, the Fir Park side just could not handle the pressure and in the eighth minute the visitors eventually took the lead.

A wonderful Adam pass found Sionko, whose initial shot cannoned off Smith and against the Rangers midfielder before making its way slowly over the line.

The Ibrox side looked sharp and incisive and an Adam volley from distance in the 15th minute had Smith in trouble again, the former Ibrox goalkeeper gathering at the second attempt on his goal-line.

Rangers were slick and purposeful and in yet another swift counter-attack in the 29th minute Buffel again found himself with space approaching the Motherwell penalty area after taking a Prso pass.

The Belgian's strike from 25 yards was powerful enough but was guided too close to Smith.

Then, in the 33rd minute, Buffel spurned another clear-cut chance.

He picked up a clearance from his own penalty area following a Motherwell corner, ran 40 yards through the hesitant Fir Park defence only to chip the ball high over the crossbar with just Smith to beat.

In the 40th minute, an Adam cross from the left to the back post found Sionko but this time the Rangers midfielder volleyed over the crossbar.

In the 49th minute Rangers came close to doubling their lead with Buffel this time the provider.

The Belgian all too easily waltzed past three Motherwell players before setting up Adam on the left-hand side of the Well penalty area.

The Gers midfielder took a touch before crashing his left-footed shot off the crossbar, the ball rebounding away from the danger area.

However, Rangers were made to pay for their profligacy in the 51st minute when O'Donnell grabbed a dramatic equaliser.

Ross McCormack's cross from the left was met by the former Celtic player who forced a good reflex save from goalkeeper Lionel Letizi with his first effort, but the veteran playmaker, still unmarked, volleyed the rebound high into the net from six yards to stun the visitors.

But the game took another turn in the 63rd minute when the Glasgow giants regained the lead with a simple goal from a corner.

Adam, growing in confidence by the minute, swung the set-piece in from the right and Prso rose at the near post to bullet home a header past Smith.

Then, as rejuvenated Rangers went for the third goal, Smith brilliantly turned a Prso shot onto the woodwork.

Rangers were back on top now, their renewed confidence allowing them to push forward purposefully in search of a clinching third goal.

Motherwell kept battling, although more in hope than expectation, and as the game edged towards its conclusion Le Guen's side looked happy enough to settle for what they had.

In the first minute of injury time Prso shot over the crossbar when it looked easier to score.