NICKY Clark is hoping his match-winning goal against Brechin City has boosted his chances of getting a place in the Rangers starting line-up.

But the young striker is also keen to see his team-mate David Templeton force his way back into Ally McCoist's plans soon too.

Templeton has only started three times for the Light Blues in the 13 matches they have played so far in the 2013/14 campaign.

Given that only two of the new arrivals were able to feature as trialists in the games that were played before September, it is a paltry tally.

It is a far cry from last season when the £400,000 signing featured regularly for the Glasgow club as they romped to the Third Division title.

But the winger came off the bench at Glebe Park and set up his team-mate for his strike with a deadly delivery into the opposition penalty box.

And Clark believes his manager will find it difficult to leave the former Hearts man -who had a spell on the sidelines injured - out if he continues to make such an impressive impact.

"I am sure David has given the manager food for thought with his contribution to the result against Brechin at the weekend," he said.

"Temps is a great player. Everyone saw that at the weekend. He made my goal for me. All the pace was on the ball when I got my head on it. I just had to flick it on.

"There is a great squad of players here and not everyone is guaranteed a place in the starting line-up. So when you get a chance in the team you have to take it.

"I am hoping that I have done my own cause some good with my goal at the weekend. I will just keep working away as hard as I can in training and see what happens.

"I am sure Temps will do the same. He made my goal for me at the weekend with his cross and he definitely has that in his locker."

McCoist set his team out in a 4-4-2 formation - a change from his favoured 4-2-3-1 line-up - on the tight pitch at Brechin at the weekend.

Clark played up front alongside Jon Daly when he replaced Robbie Crawford at half-time and appeared to enjoy being part of a two-man strikeforce.

Many supporters would like to see the duo - who possess different attributes - paired together regularly in attack. But the 22-year-old, who joined Rangers from Queen of the South in the summer, is unconcerned about where he should operate and in what system.

He appreciates that, despite his success in the Second Division last season when he scored over 40 goals, he will have to serve an apprenticeship at Ibrox.

And he admitted he will be delighted to play wherever the manager tells him to - even if it is out on the wing - as long as he is involved in the first team.

"I am just happy to play," he stressed. "I will play anywhere. Just after I scored the goal at the weekend I found myself playing wide on the right.

"I was screaming at Fosy (right-back Ricky Foster) to tell me what to do and where to go and when to go there. But I am happy to play wherever I am asked to."

Clark enjoyed a dream start to his Rangers career when he scored in the first minute of his competitive debut against East Fife at Ibrox last month.

Since then, though, he has been used sparingly by McCoist who has preferred to select the more experienced Daly as a lone frontman.

So the superb glancing header that rounded off a spirited fightback against Brechin was a sweet moment for the promising player.

Indeed, he was unable to contain his joy and went running into the away supporters - a celebration that earned him a booking from referee Craig Charleston.

His attitude - Clark has continued to apply himself dilligently in training despite his non-appearance in the team -has drawn praise from his manager. He maintains he is happy to be a part of the squad at the SPFL League One leaders and is sure he will be rewarded for his hard toil in the future.

"It was obviously a great feeling to come on and score the winning goal,"Clark recalled. "I have not featured much in recent weeks so to get a game and to score the winner was amazing.

"Having said that, I haven't been too upset about not playing because Rangers is a massive club and I can't expect to come in and be given an automatic place.

"I always knew it would be a big step up from Queen of the South when I came here and that is how it has proved. There are a lot of quality players at the club.

"The manager has been very encouraging. I'm sure if I keep working hard then my chances in the team will come."