Buckie Thistle 0-3 Rangers: Cowie on McCoist radar

Rangers' Lewis Macleod (left) and Kris Boyd watch on as Kenny Miller (centre) prepares to make his 3rd debut for the club. Picture: SNS

After the manager watched his side brush aside Highland League outfit Buckie Thistle to kick off their pre-season he confirmed that the ten-times capped Scotland international is a target.

McCoist said: “Don’s certainly a player we’ve been interested in. We obviously need to check budgets and things like that but we’ve been very happy with what we’ve taken in so far.

“If we can continue to add to that and bring another couple in then obviously we’ll be very, very pleased, but it’s our job to continue to look for the best players possible and he certainly comes into that category.”

Discussing his captures for the forthcoming Championship campaign already, McCoist added: “It was a great finish from Kenny Miller, a really really composed finish.

“Kris Boyd trained and there’s every chance he’ll get a run-out on Sunday against Brora Rangers.”

The match against Buckie Thistle was played along the typical narrative of pre-season friendlies; the teams more intent on stretching their rested legs than adding the bite that comes with competitive action.

That said, the players deserve credit where credit is due – Callum Gallagher scored the first goal when he bundled in a header from a Stephen Smith cross, before dding to his tally when placing his second into the bottom corner of the home side’s net from a Barrie McKay assist just a minute later.

Thistle, hosting this match as part of the club’s 125th anniversary, did give a solid account of themselves against their full-time visitors.

Liam Baxter went close twice with a misplaced header, and then with a shot that was blocked.

Former Hibernian and Scotland striker Kenny Miller made his third Rangers debut as McCoist opted to make the customary pre-season plethora of substitutions.

He was also joined by Ian Black and Scott Gallacher, but there was no sign of former Kilmarnock goalscoring talisman Kris Boyd.

Miller marked the comeback by rounding off proceedings. Latching on to a ball from another former player at Easter Road player, Dean Shiels, he got the better of Buckie Thistle’s substitute goalkeeper Daniel Bell, before slotting into the empty net and recording his first goal in the colours of Rangers since 2010.

Buckie Thistle: Main, S Wood, D Wood, G Stewart, Mackinnon, MacRae, J Cheyne, Davidson, Baxter, McDonald, Alexander. Subs: Angus, B Stewart, Duncan, K Gauld, Munro, Carrol, MacMillan, Hodge, Noble, L Cheyne, S Gauld, Bell.

Rangers: Bell, Faure, Smith, Hutton, Gasparotto, McCulloch, Gallagher, Murdoch, Clark, McKay, Law. Subs: Foster, McGregor, Wallace, Gallacher, Halkett, Crawford, Black, Aird, Shiels, Miller.