BILEL Mohsni boosted his prospects of winning a permanent deal with Rangers with another impressive display in a pre-season friendly.

Mohsni, the French-Tunisian who is on trial with the Glasgow club at the moment, started at centre-half alongside Emilson Cribari against Elgin City last night.

He did well again defensively and nearly broke the deadlock when his team won a free-kick just outside the home team's penalty box in first half.

He rose well to meet a fine delivery from left back Stevie Smith and angled a glancing header at the bottom left corner.

Only an excellent one-handed save from trialist Ray Jalllema denied him.

The 25-year-old, who has previously spent spells with Ipswich Town and Southend United in England, is a free agent and is keen to win a full-time contract with the Gers.

Ally McCoist, who is also interested in Bosnian internationalist Boris Pandza, is now hopeful the can stay at the club for longer and possibly play against Bristol City on Saturday.

McCoist played with Lee McCulloch up front with new signing Nicky Clark in – unusually for Rangers – a two-man strikeforce in the first half. Clark, who netted 41 goals for Queen of the South in the Second Division last season, had formed a partnership with fellow debutant Jon Daly against Brora Rangers on Sunday.

His new manager is clearly keen to use the matches before the 2013/14 campaign gets underway to scrutinise how all his charges perform together and determine the partnerships that work best together.

Clark was joined in the starting line-up in Elgin by two other players who arrived at Ibrox during the summer, Nicky Law and Stevie Smith.

Elsewhere, youngsters Darren Cole, Lewis Macleod, Kyle McAusland and Andy Mitchell all kicked off the match at a sun-drenched Borough Briggs.

Ross Jack's team responded well to Mohsni's promptings and came close to opening the scoring themselves moments later. Paul Harkins went on a fine solo run and shot just wide of the left post.

McAusland, who made his first-team bow at Dudgeon Park in Sutherland at the weekend, performed the holding midfielder's role in a 4-1-3-2 formation.

Ahead of him, Law and Macleod excelled. The latter, who scored both of his team's goals in the 2-0 win over Brora, went agonisingly close in 34 minutes.

Macleod received possession from Clark in a dangerous position and chipped Jellema only for his attempt to drop narrowly over the crossbar.

Perhaps the best chance of the opening 45 minutes fell to McCulloch when he was sent clean through by a perfectly-weighted through ball from Mitchell.

The Rangers captain controlled the ball on his chest nicely and steadied himself to shoot. But Jellama raced out and blocked his attempt with his legs.

The non-appearance of Cammy Bell in the first half caused some concern for Rangers fans in the 2382-strong crowd up in Moray – the Scotland cap had limped out of training injured the day before. He is one of just two stoppers Rangers have on their books. Scott Gallacher, who started, is the other.

However, the ex-Kilmarnock keeper appeared for the start of the second half as McCoist put out an entirely new starting XI and held a shot from Harkins well early.

Who will lead the line for the Third Divisions champions in the months ahead has been the subject of much conjecture among Rangers fans in recent weeks and Daly and Andy Little formed an all-Irish attack Little, second top scorer at Rangers last season, went close in the 49th minute when he met a Robbie Crawford cross with a powerful header. However, his effort went just over.

McCoist had been keen for his players to increase their tempo during the first half, but, despite his constant promptings from the technical area, they seemed unable to do so.

Rangers fared far better in that respect after the break and Fraser Aird in particular injected some real pace and purpose into their play on the left flank.

The Canadian wing ran half the length of the park in 55 minutes before squaring to Daly in the Elgin area.

Again, though, Jellema was alert to the danger and saved.

Aird finally put the visitors in front in 63 minutes after linking well with Wallace.

He cut inside, beat Cieran McLean and drilled the ball into the net.

Daly should really have built on his side's lead shortly afterwards when Crawford once again teed him. He had time and space to compose himself but failed to convert.

Richard Foster was, along with Bell and Daly, the only new recruit to feature in the second half. While not tested greatly, the right-back produced another solid showing.

On the evidence of the second successive victory on the tour of the north of Scotland, McCoist will face several selection dilemmas choosing his strongest side in the new season.

Yet, having barely been able to field a five-a-side team this time last year, it is a predicament that he welcomes wholeheartedly.