Rangers take prizes, Livi can find positives

Rangers took the three points, but both Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Livingston counterpart David Martindale can take positives from the visitors' 2-1 win in the opening day of the Scottish Premiership season.

For much of the game at Tony Macaroni Arena, Martindale looked to be winning the battle of strategies.

The Livi manager had made a big call, handing Shamal George a quickfire debut - and the midweek signing from Colchester United, who was preferred to Max Stryjek and Ivan Konovalov, looked assured for most of the game.

It was also Martindale's decision to start Joel Nouble ahead of Bruce Anderson, with last season's top scorer still lacking match fitness after injury, that paid dividends not only with his early finish but by strength and skill that forced three yellow cards from the frustrated opposition.

Martindale was also decisive in hauling off centre-half signing Phillip Cancar after only 33 minutes to avoid a second yellow card.

However, Van Bronckhorst's second-half substitutions turned the game, with former Livi man Arfield and Malik Tillman, on loan from Bayern Munich, providing a much-needed extra goal threat from midfield.

It was the type of game that the Dutchman's side failed to turn into victories last season as they relinquished the title. Martindale, meanwhile, will be pleased with the way his own reshaped side competed with last season's runners-up.