Aird and Gasparotto goals win reserve title for Rangers

Published on 20/02/2013 00:00

Rangers last night lifted their first SFL title since they re-joined the Hampden body last summer after a 14-year spell in the SPL when they captured the 
Reserve League title by beating rivals Queen’s Park 2-0 in front of 2,700 fans at Ibrox.

The win that takes Rangers’ youngsters out of sight of second-placed Morton as well as the Spiders came courtesy of goals from over the North Atlantic Ocean with Fraser Aird, 
who is Canadian born to Scottish parents, and Maple Leaf youth internationalist Luca Gasparotto both netting.

Aird, who scored the winner when the Glasgow clubs met on Third Division duty at the end of 2012, had a glimpse of goal 
on 17 minutes with a low shot that was parried away by Blair Lochead.

Kal Naismith, who has made 11 appearances for the first team this season and was sent off late on in the Scottish Cup defeat by Dundee United, carved out the next chance for the home side when he released Charlie Telfer, however his parting shot curled wide of the post.

The Ibrox second string eventually got their noses in front two minutes from the break when Naismith released Aird and he poked the ball home.

It was 2-0 12 minutes into the second half when Gasparotto headed a corner goalward with the assistant referee awarding the goal much to the delight of the fans within Ibrox.

The victory meant Rangers had wrapped up the title in their final game of the season and Lord MacFarlane, an honorary life member of the Scottish Football League, was on hand to present the SFL Reserve League trophy to the triumphant Ibrox captain Andrew Mitchell.