RANGERS wonderkid Lewis Macleod has been tipped for stardom after his glowing performance against Livingston.

The midfielder lit up the match at Almondvale with a mesmeric overhead-kick which got Ally McCoist's troops back to winning ways off the back of a 3-1 home defeat to Hibernian last week.

A virus picked up in January worryingly caused damage to the muscles around 20-year-old Macleod's heart, leading him to miss out on the rest of the campaign.

But since returning to the Gers side this term he has been one of the brightest performers in the SPFL Championship so far.

And former Rangers youth team-mate Dylan McGeouch, who went on to play for Celtic and now Hibs, is not surprised by his old pal's rise to prominence.

He said: "I played with him in the youth team, although I think Lewis is a year younger. I've known him for a few years, I always thought her was a great player.

"I haven't seen his goal but I heard a lot about it that it was a really good goal.

"He's doing really well just now so it's good to see young boys getting a chance."

It was a sentiment that was echoed by Rangers defender Richard Foster, who said: "Lewis's goal was incredible. The thought to jump 10 feet in the air never goes through my head but that just shows you the quality of the player.

"He's still young and I think he's going to develop into a top player. It's not just his ability to score goals like that, but it's his whole game - he's an impressive boy."

Former Aberdeen ace Foster was simply happy to get Rangers' league campaign back on an even keel.

The defeat a week ago to Hibs had caused disgruntlement among the Light Blues' fans with title rivals Hearts remaining six points ahead of McCoist's men after eight games.

But Foster told rangers.co.uk: "I thought Livingston were probably the better side in the second half but we broke away a couple of times and could have scored more goals.

"Over the piece I thought it was a pretty decent game.

"When it's still 1-0 it always gets a bit tense towards the end of a game and that's what happened.

"They just started firing balls forward and if one drops kindly for them they've got themselves back in the game.

"That would have been disappointing but overall I thought we were unlucky to not get the second goal.

"A lot was made of the defeat to Hibs but it is one game in a 36 game season. There's a long way to go and it was great to get the three points on Saturday."

Meanwhile, Rangers will travel to Dumbarton's Bet Butler Stadium in the third round of the Scottish Cup.

Full third round draw:

East Fife v Berwick Rangers, Forfar v Cowdenbeath, Edinburgh City v Brora Rangers, Stenhousemuir v Brechin City, Hurlford United v Stirling Albion, Arbroath or Montrose v Nairn County, Elgin City or Forres Mechanics v Boness United, Ayr United v Alloa Athletic, Spartans or East Kilbride v Clyde, Peterhead v Stranraer, Dumbarton v Rangers, Queen's Park v Albion Rovers, Morton v Airdrieonians, Annan Athletic v Livingston, East Stirlingshire v Dunfermline, Linlithgow Rose v Raith Rovers.

Ties to be played on the weekend of November 1/2.