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BEALE URGES STRIKE DUO TO PROVE WORTH

By Graham Swann AT SMISA STADIUM

MICHAEL BEALE has challenged Fashion Sakala and Antonio Colak to prove their worth as the Rangers manager prepares to bring in new attacking recruits this summer. The Zambian striker scored twice yesterday as the Ibrox men rounded off their season with a 3-0 win at St Mirren. Croatian forward Colak added a third, having replaced Sakala.

With Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent among the players leaving the club, Beale has promised to boost his striking options. Troyes striker Ike Ugbo is among those linked with Rangers.

Sakala took his goal tally to 12, while the club’s joint-top scorer Colak moved onto 18 with captain James Tavernier.

Addressing his strikers, Beale said: ‘We played Sakala wider today and felt he could come off the centre-backs and come in front. Both Rabbi (Matondo) and Fashion in the first half had chances where the last shot let them down, so it was good to score early in the second half.

‘Colak needs to stay fit. Since I came in, he was injured a couple of times and he’s not been able to move.

‘Away to Hibs was the only time he’s been fully fit and he was fantastic. At other times, we have had to look for alternatives and Fashion has had to play as a striker when he’s more of a wide player.

‘He has been hugely effective in my time here.

‘There will be more forwards coming in. We’re losing Ryan and Alfredo. It’s so important we recruit and Tony is also here. We want him to have a good pre-season. Going into last season as a fan looking on from the outside, he was fantastic but I’ve not seen that for different reasons.’

This encounter was every bit an end-of-season affair. St Mirren, who have been impressive under manager Stephen Robinson, fell flat again in front of a Paisley crowd who have lots to be positive about. They finished the campaign in sixth position.

Morelos and Glen Kamara were absent from the Rangers squad entirely. The Colombian striker bid farewell during the midweek draw against Hearts at Ibrox.

Robby McCrorie returned in goal in place of the departing Allan McGregor, while Ryan Jack was in midfield and Matondo and Ianis Hagi joined Sakala in attack. John Lundstram slotted into defence alongside John Souttar.

Hosting their final league game of a positive season, St Mirren suffered a blow after just eight minutes when right-back Ryan Strain pulled up with a groin injury and was replaced by Marcus Fraser.

Rangers enjoyed most of the ball in the opening period, with Sakala capitalising on a loose pass from the Saints defence to take aim but his effort from the edge of the box flew over. A fairly drab game was brought to some sort of life when the visitors went ahead in 26 minutes.

Having been set up by Ridvan Yilmaz, Sakala’s mazy run in the box eventually led to some space to shoot. The Zambian’s effort squirmed under Saints left-back Scott Tanser, who tried to block on the line, but the ball rolled into the net.

Robinson’s men almost replied within three minutes when Tanser, who had replaced onloan Southampton defender Thierry Small in the starting line-up following his red card in the midweek defeat at Aberdeen, crossed to Mark O’Hara but the header was easily saved by McCrorie.

St Mirren striker Curtis Main was then booked after he tried to reach a cross. McCrorie beat him to it but was then caught by the forward as he stretched for the ball.

Sakala almost made it 2-0 just before half-time when he cut in from the left and shot from 20 yards but his effort hit the side netting.

He didn’t need to wait long, however, to find the net again. Three minutes after the break, in fact. Sakala cut onto his right foot at the edge of the box and fired an effort which flew straight under Saints keeper Peter Urminsky, who should have saved. The Slovakian won’t want to see that mistake again.

Main tried to bring St Mirren back into the contest but as he prepared to head home from a corner, Rangers captain Tavernier cleared the ball behind to safety.

Scott Arfield, another player ready to depart Rangers this summer, was introduced among a host of changes with 20 minutes remaining. Goal-hero Sakala made way for Colak.

The Croatian striker was soon being hugged by Rangers fans when he made it 3-0 with 13 minutes remaining. From Todd Cantwell’s corner, Nicolas Raskin flicked the ball to the back post and Colak converted.

The forward took his tally to 18 for the season and is another player who will want to step up, and avoid injury, under Beale next campaign.

The Rangers boss admits work has been ongoing for a while ahead of the season’s conclusion as he bids to try to challenge Celtic, who finished seven points ahead of their Old Firm rivals.

Having replaced Giovanni van Bronckhorst in November, the Ibrox manager now wants to stamp his mark on the squad.

‘Probably the last five or six weeks have been the busiest I’ve been,’ said Beale.

‘I’m not shocked by anything in the job. I was used to it here before but there’s added responsibility and it’s me managing other areas, doing recruitment, so it’s been busy.

‘I’m glad the end of the season is here. We’re waiting for one or two things to be signed off then we’ll hopefully see a new team come together. We have got over 90 points which we haven’t done too often in the last 15 or 20 years.’

Sarcastically, Beale added: ‘Everything is broken at Rangers, so I’m looking forward to mending it. That’s the perception, I’m not sure if that’s true but our record was a strong one and we’ll be adding to a very good team.

‘When you come second, it’s last in Glasgow. We need to have a look at ourselves, set standards, have a good pre-season then see where it goes one game at a time.’

St Mirren boss Robinson has confirmed Main is likely to leave the club this summer.

Scorer of nine goals this season, the striker is out of contract, with Robinson admitting: ‘Curtis is very unlikely to stay. When you are getting double and triple-yourmoney offers in England’s League One and Two, then you need to just admit that you are not going to get there.

‘Curtis has been excellent for me, he’s been terrific every time he has played and he’s earned the right for one big move.’

Tennis

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2023-05-28T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-05-28T07:00:00.0000000Z

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