East Stirling 2 Rangers 6: Ally McCoist pleased with victory as Rangers run riot at Ochilview

Nearly 3,000 fans descended on Ochilview for the visit of Rangers, who brought with them boisterous fans brandishing flares and singing uncomplimentary ditties about Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond.

There was also a seemingly never-ending queue to the pie shop at the ground shared by Second Division Stenhousemuir and the Shire in the tier below.

Shire, lodgers here since 2008-9 after being turfed out of their spiritual home in nearby Falkirk, usually enjoy attendances in the mid-to-low hundreds and those supporting the “home” side were unsurprisingly heavily outnumbered as Ally McCoist’s men romped to only their second away win of the league season.

“We have had our troubles on the road this season so this was obviously a good boost for us at a good time,” said McCoist, whose side remain top of the table, two points clear of Elgin.

The pick of the Gers goals came from Lee Wallace, who danced through the Shire defence before shooting low past keeper Grant Hay.

At one stage the score was 3-2 but the visiting win never really seemed in doubt as a pair of Lee McCulloch penalties, as well as strikes from Andrew Little, Kevin Kyle and Kal Naismith, rendered Shire goals from Kevin Turner and Paul Quinn an irrelevance.

Phillip Zufle saw red for the hosts after just 32 minutes for a studs-up challenge on Kyle to aid McCoist’s team, who seem to be finally getting to grips with life on the road in Scotland’s bottom tier.

Meanwhile, Rangers legend Sandy Jardine announced today that he is being treated for cancer.

The former Ibrox right-back, who has been wished well by the club, said: “I would like to thank everyone for their best wishes and kind support.”