Golden Gascoigne

Motherwell 1 Coyle pen 68 Rangers 3 Albertz 20, Laudrup 60, Gascoi gne 87 Attendance: 13,166

PAUL GASCOIGNE rounded off a virtuoso display with the 88th-minute goal, though looking suspiciously offside, that sealed victory for Rangers. Thus an old Rangers import outshone the newest - the pounds 3m Chilean Sebastian Rozental, who was not thrown into the action until 13 minutes from time after flying into Glasgow from South America only 48 hours earlier.

Gascoigne began the afternoon by curling in a third-minute free-kick which Craig Moore headed wide - but Motherwell hit the back of the net first, only for Owen Coyle's effort to be ruled out by an offside flag.

Gascoigne again gave Motherwell cause for concern when he twisted and turned on the edge of the box before floating a teasing chip just wide. Moments later he went close again and in the 18th minute the England midfielder flighted in a corner from the left which Richard Gough wasted.

Rangers made the breakthrough in the 20th minute as the German midfielder Jorg Albertz claimed his sixth goal in seven games. Inevitably it was Gascoigne who was the instigator, pinching possession from Fraser Wishart before threading a pass for Albertz to slot beyond goalkeeper Scott Howie.

Gascoigne continued to orchestrate proceedings and just before the break he bent a free-kick beyond the Motherwell wall only to see the ball strike an upright before going wide.

Shaun McSkimming thought he had equalised in the 59th minute but for the second time a linesman's flag, this time more controversially, intervened. Within 30 seconds, Rangers burst to the other end of the park and Brian Laudrup extended their lead after a pass from Gascoigne.

Alex McLeish's side earned a foothold in the match seven minutes later as Tommy Coyne broke down at the left and was nudged by McLaren inside the box. Coyle stepped up to beat Goram from the spot for his first goal for the club, but Gascoigne ended any hopes of a comeback.