Russell Martin gets Rangers lift-off thanks to inspired 18 y/o and one man's timely return to form

Teenager Findlay Curtis, a glorious throwback to the days of tanner-ba’ wingers, profited from this course of action to score one of the great European goals at Ibrox and set Rangers on the way to establishing a very handy 2-0 lead before the second game of this Champions League second qualifying round tie in Athens next week.

Fellow winger Djeidi Gassama, who was watching from the bench when Curtis opened the scoring in thrilling style, took his lead from the 18-year-old. The 21-year-old scored a goal that was almost as good on what turned out to be a terrific night for the home team and their new manager.

Indeed, there will be frustration from Rangers that they didn't finish the contest off against ten men. They had chances to make it three, perhaps even 4-0, which is remarkable in light of the way they were hanging on at times in the opening half.

Step forward No. 52 Curtis, who not only put Rangers in front six minutes after half time with a wonderful solo goal. He was then shortly afterwards the victim of a crude foul from Giorgos Vagiannidis. It saw the right back – who was booked for simulation in the first half – sent off.

All of a sudden, Curtis seemed unplayable. It was a coming of age performance from an academy graduate who had posted notice of such talent on an emotional night at Old Trafford against Manchester United at the start of this year in the days following Denis Law’s death.

Sir Alex Ferguson was in the crowd that night and he was in the directors’ box here to see a Scot give the Martin era lift off. Gassama, signed from Sheffield Wednesday earlier this summer, struck almost as stylishly minutes after coming on the park as a substitute, lashing a shot past Bartlomiej Dragowski from 20 yards.

Rangers now have a commanding lead going into a tricky second game in Athens. It's one they would certainly have taken if offered before kick-off and they would have bitten your hand off for it at half time.

Mostly, the observation that it is hard to recognise a team is seen as a negative comment. In this new era at Rangers, however, distancing themselves as far as possible from recent sides was the goal. Martin certainly wishes to stamp his own identity on a team and it will take time. Contrary to James Tavernier’s pre-match pledge about seeing a different Rangers, this team were at times all too familiar. Before Curtis’ inspired intervention, they might have been two, possibly three, goals down.

How could it be otherwise? Martin has not even been in the job 50 days yet. Although he is trying to be busy in the transfer market, only three new signings started here in his first competitive game. Rangers had to bear some of their old hallmarks, not all of which are negative. Jack Butland, for example, looked more like his old self. Although Curtis was rightly named man of the match, the Ibrox ‘keeper, who lost both form and his place last season, was immense as he helped keep Rangers in the tie, with one save from Filip Durucic in the second half a particular standout.

Of course, the Rangers fans might still have to be patient. They will have to be forgiving. There was certainly a lot more passing the ball around at the back. This inevitably meant digging holes for themselves. They were fortunate the Greek visitors were unable to exploit them although they ought to have done so by the time the game was turned on its head in the space of seven or so second half minutes.

Already processing going 1-0 down, the Greeks were then left on a damage-limitation exercise after Vagiannidis’s red card. It was ironic that Rangers’ opener stemmed from Butland mishandling a Duricic shot. The 'keeper quickly quelled alarm by retrieving the ball before rolling it out to Nico Raskin. The midfielder took a few strides into the visitors’ half before transferring the ball to Curtis. The winger did the rest, coming inside before unleashing a curling shot into the corner past Dragowski.

It changed everything. It certainly changed the mood in the stadium. At one point in the first half, Max Aarons had put his boot through the ball and then gestured to Martin, who was looking agitated at the touchline, as if to say, what more can I do?

Rangers were on the rack in these early stages. Butland more than justified his return to the side. He was in the right place to beat away a point blank effort from Duricic just nine minutes in and then watched with relief as Pellistri hammered the ball against the post from equally close in, although the angle did provide the winger with some mitigation. Nemanja Maksimoviv headed over shortly afterwards.

The Obstacles Become Our Way – an old Stoic adage to do with overcoming adversity – were the chosen words of wisdom for the pre-match tifo, which depicted an epic scene involving a warrior, a lion and familiar Athens landmarks. While it was geographically relevant and certainly acceptable for the Ibrox censors after controversial recent efforts, another phrase might have been more appropriate: Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Athens in the second leg will still be hazardous, especially given the likely stifling heat. There were signs of what Martin is trying to do and signs those players brought in might be able to deliver his vision. Joe Rothwell was tidy at No. 6 and Aarons was, well, not much different to Ridvan Yilmaz at left back.

Martin surprised by including Curtis in the starting XI at left wing. He could barely have believed how well this seeming gamble paid off. The teenager quickly caught the eye with some heroic tracking back early on.

He saved his side early on when performing a last-ditch but exceptionally well-timed tackle to prevent Pellistri getting a shot away. It looked for a worrying moment as if he had done himself some damage but he picked himself back up and was applauded all the way back into position. He had something even better up his sleeve.