Give Daniel a break, pleads Rangers star McCulloch as Cousin waits on Fulham switch

Daniel Cousin's 67th-minute introduction last night at least enlivened the atmosphere inside a stadium anxious about the course of this UEFA Cup first leg.

Walter Smith had deliberated long and hard about including the Gabon striker whose proposed £3million move to Fulham remains the subject of FIFA scrutiny. But the news from Zurich there would be no hearing until next week allowed him to take a place on the bench. Cousin had not played since January 20, and has made clear his desire to move to the English Premiership, but he was the man Smith turned to in search of a breakthrough.

As Charlie Adam trotted off to make way, Boyd must have been seething. The question of where he stands in the Ibrox pecking order had again received an unwanted answer.

Being overlooked for Lee McCulloch to take on the sole striking role in the starting line-up could not really have been a surprise. The physical effort offered by the former Wigan man had been widely tipped to be favoured, given that Jean-Claude Darcheville was suspended.

However, it must have been a cutting blow that, when the cavalry was called for, it was a player who wants to be elsewhere who rode into action. Some of those sentiments were echoed by fans, although it has to be said all grumbles could have been silenced in 77th minute.

Cousin fired in a fine, flashing header, which somehow didn't result in a corner, despite seeming to be sent wide by a touch from Panathinaikos keeper Mario Galinovic.

It turned out to be Rangers' last clear opening, with more boos heard as the final whistle.

Afterwards, McCulloch urged the supporters to lay off Cousin while he remained at the club.

"I think Dan needs encouragement from everyone, the players as well," said McCulloch. "It could be he has to stay on here, but he is a great player to have in the team. His head must be all over the place just now, with this transfer situation dragging on, but at least he will get the backing of everyone in the dressing room.

"Dan came on and tried to get his goal but it just didn't happen. Boydy could have come on and not scored either. That's just the way it goes sometimes."

While Cousin waits on his possible switch to Fulham, a player who has made the opposite journey found far more favour among the Ibrox faithful.

Steve Davis was handed a surprise debut by Smith after his loan move from Craven Cottage and acquitted himself in solid, if unspectacular, style. He was neat and tidy in his early possession, darting to find pockets of space in a congested midfield.

Rapidly forming an understanding with Barry Ferguson was his primary aim, but it took a quarter-hour for his blood to be properly stirred. A clash with Loukas Vyntra earned him a ticking off from Italian referee Nicola Rizzoli.

Moments later, he met a loose ball with a thudding right-foot drive that was expertly turned around the post by Galinovic, before play was pulled back for offside against McCulloch.

Davis tired in the second half, yet still scooped the sponsors' man of the match award. There were enough glimpses to suggest he could become a valuable addition for the frantic run-in facing Smith's squad.

"I think Steve is a good player," said McCulloch. "He gets around the park and can pass it well, which is maybe something we're needing in there. He has experience, even though he is young."

The Ballymena boy had taken a circuitous route to end up back at Ibrox and fulfil his long-held ambition of pulling on a light-blue jersey.

Davis had actually crossed the Irish Sea for trials with the club aged 12, playing in the same team as Steven Smith, but was left teary-eyed as the Rangers youth department passed on his potential.

Aston Villa were, however, more impressed and it was in Birmingham that he laid the foundations for his career. A £4m move to Fulham followed before the replacement of Lawrie Sanchez with Roy Hodgson in the Craven Cottage hot seat saw Davis head up the M74 on transfer deadline day.

His obvious passion for the Rangers cause found its reflection in the corner of Ibrox between the Govan and Broomloan Road stands. Shoehorned in under the big screen, were 1,000 Panathinaikos fans, who chanted, bounced and gesticulated with an occasionally alarming fervour.

They had begun filing into the ground at 6.30pm, a good 90 minutes before kick-off, and provided an exotically atmospheric addition to the occasion. Rangers will, of course, experience the full-scale treatment in Athens a week tonight. They will have to raise their game to enjoy the sound of disappointed silence.