A POTENTIALLY turbulent week for Rangers off-the-field at least began in a positive manner.
The findings of Graham Wallace's 120-day review are expected to be made known on Friday as the chief executive lays bare - or doesn't, if you're of a cynical bent - the extent of the club's financial shortcomings.
That will likely have implications for manager Ally McCoist's transfer budget this summer although, given the ease with which Rangers swept aside Stenhousemuir here, the size of the rebuilding job may not need be as extensive as McCoist would maybe like. His team are now just three matches away from going through the entire League One campaign undefeated.
"It was a very good performance," said Kenny McDowall, McCoist's assistant. "The boys were excellent just as they have been all season. We stifled them [Stenhousemuir] and they couldn't really get near our goal. A 4-0 win - we would have taken that before the game."
This was Rangers' penultimate away match of the season and they were barely stretched. Steven Smith put them in front after 31 minutes with a drive from the edge of the penalty box, and the victory was all but assured four minutes later when Dean Shiels fastened on to Nicky Law's pass and curled an effort past Chris Smith with the outside of his right boot.
A third followed after 65 minutes. Robbie Duncan was adjudged to have fouled Law in the box, the full-back was sent off and Lee McCulloch rattled in the resultant penalty. Law rounded off an impressive personal display by scoring the fourth, running across the perimeter of the box before bending an effort into the far corner of the net for Rangers' 100th league goal of the season.
The midfielder had spoken a few days earlier about continually hearing he has been underperforming all season, although, after this display, he should be safe from any criticism for a wee while. Unlike Rangers, there was plenty at stake here for Stenhousemuir as they look to make the play-offs but they barely laid a glove on their opponents, a Ben Greenhalgh second-half free kick that arced just wide the closest they came to troubling Cammy Bell in the Rangers goal.
"Nobody likes getting beaten but I was happy with certain aspects of our play at times," said Scott Booth, the Stenhousemuir manager. "We had spells when we kept the ball really well."
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