Rangers 1-1 Hearts. A difficult beginning

Ally McCoist would have wanted to start his managerial career with a greater flourish, but he could take encoutagemente from the way his side had regathered their poise after falling behind. That was what this opening game of the season came down to: small comforts.

Hearts were first to threaten inside the opening 60 seconds but David Templeton's shot was deflected wide. It was the visitors who broke the deadlock alter 16 minutes, however, David Obua taking advantage of dilatory defending to rise unchallenged and firmly head home Grainger’s corner. The defence was vulnerable.

Rangers tried to respond immediately, but it was Hearts who were the more inventive and incisive outfit against reigning champions whose central defense was rocking in the absence of suspended veteran captain David Weir.

Hints of a Rangers rousing from their slumber arrived moments before the interval, only a superb tackle from Ian Black (a terrific last-ditch tackle) preventing Naismith from claiming an almost certain goal.

It took a switch to 4-5-1 to bring some forcefulness and Rangers should have scored three times in two minutes after the break. A tactical move by McCoist during the break, moving the hitherto peripheral Steven Davis –is their best source of invention- into a more central position, triggered a more creative Rangers approach. Naismith passed up two fine chances to equalise before doing exactly that. When Naismith sets his mind towards playing, though, has obvious talent.

Naismith squandered a superb chance when he lashed well over from just inside the box after Jelavic cleverly dummied a low Ortiz cross. The Spaniard’s next cross found Naismith at the front post, but the Scotland striker’s head flick drifted over.

Rangers made their first substitution with 15 minutes left when Gregg Wylde replaced Ortiz, who has frustrated the Ibrox fans on occasion during his competitive debut.

Papac ought to have given Rangers victory in the closing minutes when he fired straight at Kello after a one-two with Naismith. In the end, a draw was perhaps a fair result- although McCoist would have preferred to have got the defence of the SPL trophy off to flier.

Rangers (4-4-1-1): McGregor; Whittaker, Biougherra, Broadfoot, Papac; Davis, Edu, McCulloch, Ortiz (Wylde76): Naismith; Jelavic.
Subs: Alexander (g), Fleck, Wallace, Healy, Bendiksen, Hemmings.
Booked: McCulloch.

Hearts (4-4-2): Kello; McGowan, Webster (Mrowiec 8), Zaliukas, Grainger; Taouil, Jonsson, Black (Stevenson81), Templeton (Elliott 51); Obua, Sutton.
Subs: Balogh (g), Novikovas, Smith, Robinson.
Booked: Zaliukas.

Referee: C Murray.