NafisaThere was a growing sense that Rangers needed one of their senior figures to step forward at Falkirk and deliver when the pressure was at its highest.
The Light Blues had endured a difficult start to the campaign, with results and performances leaving little room for another setback as Derek McInnes looked to steady the ship.
For Lawrence Shankland, the pressure has been even greater.
The Scotland striker returned to his boyhood club from Hearts during the summer with enormous expectations on his shoulders, but his opening weeks in a Rangers shirt have been far from straightforward.
Yet there were signs at Pittodrie on Sunday that the striker could be starting to find his rhythm.
After converting from the penalty spot in Rangers’ 1-0 victory over Aberdeen, Shankland was given another opportunity to make an impact against Falkirk — and this time he produced the sort of display his manager and supporters have been waiting for.
The 30-year-old struck twice as Rangers secured a 2-1 victory, scoring a superb opener before producing a trademark finish late in the contest to settle the game.
His second goal came in the 79th minute, shortly after he had missed an opportunity he would have expected himself to take.
That ability to respond immediately became one of the biggest positives for McInnes.
The Rangers boss admitted he had been particularly impressed by the quality and composure shown by his striker when the opportunity to make amends arrived.
McInnes said: “I’m very pleased for Lawrence Shankland. I thought his second goal was particularly good, considering he missed the chance that he would be kicking himself with.
“But, like all good strikers, the experience of Lawrence, the calmness of Lawrence, the quality comes up with a big moment.
“His first goal was a fantastic strike. I was screaming to leave it for Gass (Djeidi Gassama), but he sticks it in the back of the net.
“I’m delighted for him because it’s not been, like for all of us, the easiest of starts.
“Obviously Lawrence would feel the weight of that a lot more than some others, I think, just because of his background and how eager he is. A proper captain’s performance out there tonight.
“I’m pleased that we’ve won the game, and I was pleased with certain aspects of our attacking play, but disappointed that we’ve not been able to enjoy the game a bit more in terms of giving Falkirk a lot of encouragement at times.”
Shankland’s contribution was therefore about more than simply the two goals.
Rangers had to withstand periods of pressure from Falkirk, with the hosts refusing to disappear from the contest after Kosta Nedeljkovic inadvertently turned an Ethan Ross cross into his own net shortly before half-time.
That made Shankland’s second goal even more important, as Rangers needed someone to produce another decisive moment rather than allow the game to drift towards an uncomfortable conclusion.
The striker did exactly that.
His opening goal arrived in the seventh minute, when he found the back of the net with a fine strike to give Rangers an early advantage.
McInnes admitted he had actually wanted Djeidi Gassama to take responsibility for the opportunity, but Shankland trusted his instincts and finished it himself.
The result means Rangers have now followed up their victory over Aberdeen with another important league win, giving McInnes some much-needed breathing space.
For Shankland personally, however, the significance could be even greater.
Joining the club he supported as a boy inevitably brought enormous scrutiny, and the striker has openly carried the burden of expectations since arriving at Ibrox.
A difficult beginning only increased that pressure.
But his back-to-back scoring contributions against Aberdeen and Falkirk suggest the forward may finally be beginning to turn that narrative around.
McInnes clearly believes Shankland’s experience can prove valuable to the team, particularly during matches when Rangers need calmness and leadership.
And after watching his striker respond to a missed chance by producing the winning goal, the manager will hope this is the beginning of a sustained run of form.
The two-goal display at Falkirk certainly gave Shankland something to build on — and, perhaps more importantly, provided another reminder of why Rangers were so keen to bring him to Ibrox in the first place.
Nafisa
