Makeshift Rangers made to struggle

night without the powerful presence of Paul Gascoigne and without a

glimpse of the elusive Romanian, Florin Raducioiou, and the

unfamiliar-looking team which manager Walter Smith fielded could only

manage a draw against Danish second division side Esbjerg.

Rangers had started the game without skipper Richard Gough, and two of

his normal defensive partners, Alan McLaren and David Robertson, as well

as Gascoigne.

Then, in the second half, when Craig Moore was injured, first-team

coach Davie Dodds appeared at the heart of the defence as a replacement

for the Australian.

It was after these changes that the makeshift Ibrox defence lost the

three goals.

Afterwards, manager Walter Smith explained: ''We did not want to use

Paul Gascoigne, or David Robertson, because they have played in all the

pre-season games so far. We felt they deserved a breather.

''Richard Gough and Alan McLaren both have slight knocks, nothing

serious, but enough to cause me some slight worry.

''If the game had been important then they would have played but this

is not a time for taking chances with anyone's fitness.

''That is why we took Gordon Durie and Craig Moore off as both of them

picked up groin strains.

''Davie Dodds had to go on because he was all we had left.

''As for Gascoigne, he needed a breather and we want him fit for the

tournament at Ibrox when he will make his home debut. It's important

that he is ready for that.''

Rangers were two goals ahead at half-time.

The first arrived after 13 minutes when Durie dispossessed the Danish

keeper, Peter Jensen, as he tried to dribble a pass-back round forward.

The ball broke from Durie to Brian Laudrup, who crossed to Alexei

Mikhailichenko, and his pass across goal found Trevor Steven, who scored

from close range.

Eleven minutes before half-time Rangers scored a second.

This time, Laudrup threaded a ball through the defence and

Mikhailichenko moved on to the ball, beat a defender, and shot home into

the corner of the net.

A minute later Mark Hateley became the night's first substitute when

he took over from Durie, who had collected an injury setting up the

opening goal.

At the start of the second half, Colin Scott appeared for Andy Goram

and Ian Ferguson for Laudrup, who had felt a hamstring tighten.

Within four minutes the defence became even more makeshift when Moore

was injured in a tackle at the edge of the box.

He went off to be replaced by Dodds and the Danes scored from a free

kick with John Lauridsen beating the defensive wall and leaving Scott

helpless.

Within two minutes Michailichenko had scored again. Stephen Wright

sent in a cross, Steven glanced a header towards the far post, and the

Ukrainian was there to stab the ball over the line.

Rangers seemed comfortable, though there were moments of concern in a

defence which now had only one player left who would be likely to start

the season -- Wright.

Then, a bizarre decision by a linesman helped Esbjerg score a second.

Two Danish players looked offside when the ball was played. While the

Rangers defenders appealled, the linesman waved play on and Scott

brought down Chris Hermensen.

The referee awarded a penalty and Michael Pedersen sent the kick

beyond the keeper.

Then, two minutes from the end, the defence was left in tatters when

Morten Christensen broke down the right and fired a cross into the box.

Hermensen rose to send a header into the net and the Danish fans

celebrated all around the neat little stadium.

Said Smith later: ''These games are about getting players ready for

the important matches which lie ahead early in the season.

''What we have done so far on this tour is to get the players working

together but Gough and McLaren will play in Copenhagen.

''There will be a more settled look about us for that match.''

RANGERS -- Goram, Wright, Mikhailichenko, Cleland, Moore, Reid,

Steven, McCall, Durrant, Durie, Laudrup. Substitutes -- Scott, Ferguson,

Hateley, Dodds.