JON Daly today backed the Rangers new boys to raise their games in the weeks ahead - when their match fitness improves.

Daly and his Gers team-mates struggled to overcome Forfar Athletic in their SPFL League One match at Station Park on Sunday.

They needed a shocking defensive blunder by veteran centre-half Darren Dods to score against their part-time rivals up in Angus.

And Ally McCoist's team was highly fortunate not to concede a goal and suffer another embarrassing result against rivals who had beaten them in the League Cup last month.

It was an alarming display for the Rangers manager given that no fewer than seven of the players to arrive at Ibrox in the summer were in the starting line-up.

The bad results suffered to part-time opponents like Annan Athletic, Elgin City, Peterhead and Stirling Albion at home and away last season were put down to the youth and inexperience of the side.

Even the 2-1 defeat the Glasgow club slumped to against Forfar, after extra-time, earlier on this season could be partly attributed to the number of kids in the team.

The SFA signing embargo was still in place and the visitors were unable to field any of their new signings as trialists due to competition rules.

Fraser Aird, Robbie Crawford, Chris Hegarty, Kyle McAusland, Barrie McKay and Andy Mitchell all featured in the humiliating reverse.

But now that experienced players like Daly, Richard Foster, Nicky Law, Bilel Mohsni and Stevie Smith have been drafted into the team there can be no excuses for such below-par displays.

The Third Division champions should beat, and beat comfortably, their rivals in the third tier of Scottish football given their strength in depth.

Yet Daly, who has been excellent up front since joining from top-flight club Dundee United in the close season, feels the new lads need competitive outings to get fully up to speed.

Both he and Law played in three league matches as trialists before the year-long signing ban finally expired on August 31.

But the other free agents to join the Glasgow club, the likes of Cammy Bell, Nicky Clark, Foster, Mohsni, Arnold Peralta and Smith, did not.

The Irishman said: "I think the new players will improve as they get more games under their belts. They have spent a long time out of action.

"Obviously, their fitness levels won't be as high as the boys who have been playing in the side regularly since the start of the new season.

"You can work hard in training through the week, but there is no real substitute for taking part in matches at the weekend. That is what gets your fitness and sharpness up.

"To be honest, I have even noticed a dip in my own fitness levels after missing a couple of weeks. I have felt a little bit off the pace since returning.

"But all of the boys are getting games now. We had three matches in eight days and hopefully that should ensure we are all performing at our very best soon.

"We have a game against Stenhousemuir at Ibrox this weekend and we will be looking to get another win under our belts and produce a far better display in the process."

Daly, playing in a two- man attack alongside Andy Little, struggled to engineer an opening in the televised showdown with Forfar on Sunday.

The duo found it difficult to get past Rangers cult hero Marvin Andrews, who was unbeatable in the air in tough blustery conditions up at Station Park.

Little netted shortly before half-time - but only after Dods had needlessly gifted the ball to David Templeton with a slack clearance.

Daly, though, is confident his side have the ability to score goals in every department of the team - in defence, in midfield and in attack this season.

He said: "We've been scoring goals freely this season and I am sure we will continue to do that as the season progresses.

"The guys at the back, big Lee (McCulloch) and Bilel (Mohsni) have been unbelievable in the last few weeks. We have posed a real threat in the air.

"There is plenty of height in the team and we have also got guys, the likes of Arnold (Peralta) and Nicky (Law), who can deliver good crosses into the penalty area from corners and free-kicks.

"We have been getting on the end of their balls in the last few weeks and hopefully that will continue to be a feature of our play."

Daly added: "I know that it is my job as a striker to score goals and I have got a few so far. I will be working hard to try and get more in the weeks ahead.

"I know that if I allow my standards to drop then there will be somebody there who will come in and take my place. We have an excellent squad here.

"The competition for places that we have should help to ensure that we continue to perform well and score goals in both the league and the cup competitions that we are involved in."