Rangers return with victory

Carlos Cuellar's 20th-minute opener gave Rangers a deserved first-half lead and fit-again Jean-Claude Darcheville's goal 10 minutes after the break looked to have wrapped up the three points.

But John Hughes' men roared back and struck on 62 minutes through substitute Pedro Moutinho to leave the visitors with a fragile advantage. The Ibrox outfit had Scotland squad keeper Allan McGregor to thank for two late brilliant saves to deny Graham Barrett and then a near own goal from Alan Hutton, before sub Kris Boyd added gloss to the result in injury time.

Rangers sought to settle into their game, pushing Falkirk on to the back foot and only Tim Krul denied them an 11th-minute opener. DaMarcus Beasley's dangerous cross from the right was headed towards his own net by Thomson and the back-pedalling Krul superbly clawed the ball into the air, before bravely scrambling it clear on the line under pressure from Daniel Cousin.

Ibrox captain Barry Ferguson then passed up a glorious chance five minutes later. Darcheville made a surging break down the left and played in the Scotland midfielder but Ferguson slipped the ball just past the left post with Dutchman Krul beaten.

A deserved breakthrough for Rangers came on 20 minutes with Cuellar's fourth of the season. Beasley's corner from the far side was nodded home by the Spaniard over the despairing jump of Scott Arfield on the left post.

Inside three minutes of the second half, Falkirk could have been level. A long ball over the top dropped over the head of the slipping Cuellar and ex-Newcastle youth Finnigan was in on goal at the left side of the penalty area. But instead of being direct and testing McGregor, Finnigan tried to cut the ball back and the chance was gone.

But, with their tails up, Falkirk shot themselves at the foot at the other end to concede a second. The Bairns rearguard was caught sleeping as Lee McCulloch found room on the far left and his cross was easily swept home by Darcheville beyond Krul.

Hutton was lucky to escape a booking after dumping Moutinho on the turf, but any lingering anger Falkirk felt disappeared when they pulled one back from the resulting 62nd-minute free-kick. Dean Holden's lofted set-piece was headed on by Darren Barr and sub Moutinho kept his composure to clip the ball past McGregor.

Falkirk fans were off their feet when Barrett almost levelled in superb style. Moutinho's chipped cross saw Irishman Barrett send an acrobatic 12-yard bicycle kick goalwards but McGregor brilliantly tipped over. But Rangers wrapped up the points in injury time when Boyd - on for Darcheville - slotted home after lead-up work from fellow replacement Naismith.