BERWICK cruised to their first win in 2010 when they recorded a 5-1 away victory at Elgin on Saturday, a result which put them within two points of leaders Livingston (although they were due to play on Tuesday).
Rangers, following a disappointing
defeat at Queen's Park the previous weekend, needed to bounce back against the struggling City if they were to keep their title hopes alive.
And they did precisely that with striker Steven Radzynski scoring twice in the continued absence of first choice front men Alan Brazil and Damon Gray.
Radzynski had failed to cover himself in glory at Hampden, and manager Jimmy Crease admitted afterwards that he almost left him out of the starting line-up. But two goals at Borough Briggs - one in each half - showed that he still knows how to find the net.
He set up Ian Little for the opening goal when he shot home through the keeper's legs from 18 yards after 14 minutes and then found the target himself ten minutes later when he latched onto a Paul Currie pass and smashed it low and hard into the bottom corner for his first competitive goal for the club.
The hosts, who are still looking for their first home win of the season, forced goalkeeper Mark Peat into making two good saves early on.
They pulled one back through Mark Nicolson just two minutes later after he was set up by Kyle MacAulay, but the attacking midfielder was sent off early in the second half (after 57 minutes) and that proved to be the real turning point in the game.
Nicolson was shown a straight red car by referee Colin Brown after he made a lunge at Berwick's David Greenhill.
With their numerical advantage Berwick extended their lead to 3-1 after 65 minutes and again Radzynski was involved in the build-up when he took the pace off the ball from a left wing cross and rolled it to the back post where Currie slammed it into the net from an acute angle.
Just five minutes later Greenhill added the fourth when a deflection from an Elgin player inside the six yard box presented him with the easiest of tap-ins past the helpless John Gibson and from that point on it was effectively game over.
Radzynski then saved the best 'til last when he bagged a peach of a second goal after 82 minutes as Rangers went nap. His first touch set him up nicely and he was able to chip the ball with his left foot into the top corner of the net from the edge of the 18 yard box.
Just a few minutes prior to that Gray had been introduced as a substitute in place of Little, marking his return to action after more than six weeks out through injury.
Rangers, with Stuart Callaghan and Elliot Smith both still suspended and Brazil still sidelined after more than five weeks with a leg injury, fielded what many would consider to be their first choice side under the circumstances.
Despite the fact this was Elgin's first match since December 12, Berwick knew that they needed to turn in a much improved performance from their game against Queen's Park if they were to take anything from the fixture.
But they responded well and manager Crease was naturally pleased with the result.
"After the disappointment of the defeat at Hampden it was important that we bounced back immediately," he said.
"This was a good result and it closes the gap on the leaders. It's now very tight at the top and there is still all to play for."
This weekend Rangers play their first home game since December 12 when bottom club Montrose are the visitors.
Smith and Callaghan will both be available again following suspension, and with Gray having already returned to action, the only major injury doubt is over Brazil and flu victim Graham Guy.
Berwick Rangers: Peat, Notman, Ewart, McLean, McMullan, McLaren (McGregor 83), Currie, Russell, Greenhill (Cropley 83), Radzynski, Little (Gray 76). Subs not used: McCaldon, Horn.
