Rangers got the better of a pulsating League Cup encounter at Fir Park to get their season off to a winning start.

James Tavernier got the opening goal just after the interval, and Martyn Waghorn wrapped up the points in injury time with an emphatic strike.

It had been an entertaining encounter with chances galore at both ends, and it was remarkable that only the two goals were scored as both sides showed signs of rustiness in attack.

Motherwell almost had a dream start as Chris Cadden released Marvin Johnson in behind on the left-hand side.

The winger advanced towards the area and his cut-back made it all the way through to Lionel Ainsworth at the back post, whose shot from a tight angle beat Wes Foderingham but was hacked off the line by Andy Halliday.

James Tavernier then sold his keeper short with a pass-back that Scott McDonald read, but Foderingham did well to spread himself and block behind.

Lee Wallace then had Rangers’ first shot of the afternoon after some nice build up play, but his effort ended up well over the bar.

Rangers were all over the place at the other end in the early stages, and a cute McDonald lay off to Ainsworth allowed the winger to set up Chris Cadden in the area, but he couldn’t catch his shot properly off-balance and the ball squirmed wide.

The game hit a brief lull before Motherwell got in all too easily again as Johnson latched onto another cute flick by McDonald before bringing out a fine diving save from Foderingham low to his left.

Halliday had a blast from a half-volley by way of reply for the visitors, but his effort was again too high to trouble Craig Samson.

Rangers were starting to get their passing game going though, and a nice move saw Harry Forrester switch the ball to Martyn Waghorn on the right wing, who cut inside and forced Samson to tip his powerful effort over.

Rangers then enjoyed a sustained period of possession, but Rob Kiernan was sucked in by a clever McDonald turn wide on the Motherwell left, allowing Ainsworth the chance to swing one in.

His ball found McDonald sliding in at the front post, but the Aussie striker couldn’t connect properly and the ball found the grateful arms of Foderingham.

The home side were almost made to pay for their profligacy on the stroke of half-time as a poor header by Stephen McManus saw the ball land at the feet of Waghorn, and his first-time effort skimmed the top of the net as it flashed narrowly over.

They failed to heed the warning though, and three minutes after the restart Rangers took the lead.

The ball was fed wide on the right to Waghorn, who faced up Stevie Hammell before laying the ball off for Tavernier to curl a well-placed effort into Samson’s top right-hand corner.

The goal gave the visitors new impetus, and Tavernier burst in behind Hammell again before cutting back to Forrester who crashed a right-foot shot off the top of the bar.

‘Well tried to hit back, and Joe Chalmers floated a ball towards the back post that McDonald failed to control when a touch would have seen him with a clear sight of goal.

Niko Krancjar entered the fray for his debut just after the hour, and Wallace teed him up with a glorious opportunity almost immediately inside the area, but the former Tottenham man fluffed his lines and was eventually crowded out.

The game settled into a pattern of Motherwell sitting deep and trying to hit on the counter and Rangers enjoying the vast majority of possession as they tried to pick a way through the massed ranks of the home defence.

A direct run from sub Josh Windass saw Michael O’Halloran bring a diving right-hand save from Samson. McKay picked up the loose ball but blasted high over the bar with the goal at his mercy.

Motherwell then passed up their own golden opportunity, as a Johnson cross picked out Louis Moult in the area only for the normally-deadly striker to glance his free header just past the post.

There was a controversial call late on as Krancjar played in Waghorn and Samson appeared to save with his right arm well outside the area, but referee Steven McLean judged that the ball had struck the keeper’s body.

There was still time left for Waghorn to put a sheen on the scoreline for the visitors though, picking the ball up 20 yards from goal and slamming the ball in emphatically past Samson via the far post.

MOTHERWELL: Samson; Tait, Heneghan, McManus, Hammell; Ainsworth (Thomas, 67’), McHugh, Chalmers (Moult, 59’), Cadden (Blyth, 79’), Johnson; McDonald.

Booked: McDonald (61’), McHugh (76’) RANGERS: Foderingham; Tavernier, Kiernan, Wilson, Wallace; Halliday, Holt (Windass, 69’); McKay, Forrester (Krancjar, 61’), Waghorn; Miller (O’Halloran, 61’).

Scorers: Tavernier (48’), Waghorn (91’) Booked: Forrester (52’), Windass (81’) Referee: Steven McLean Attendance: 6941