THE result won’t be forgotten and the performance won’t be forgiven. The glint of silverware in the Ibrox trophy cabinet could ease the pain, though.

Rangers have taken several steps on the road to recovery since that nightmare evening in Luxembourg last month. Now, they will set off in the Betfred Cup with Hampden in their sights.

The wins over Watford and Sheffield Wednesday gave supporters a reason to be optimistic ahead of the new Premiership campaign, while there were several positives for Pedro Caixinha to take from the victory against Motherwell at the weekend.

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Tonight, the Light Blues will kick-off in their third competition of the season when Dunfermline make the trip to Ibrox aiming to upset the odds and pile the pressure back on Caixinha’s shoulders.

But midfielder Ryan Jack is determined to keep the momentum building as the Gers begin their bid to land the League Cup and bring silverware back to Ibrox this term.

He said: “The first game of the season is on your mind from day one of pre-season and there was that excitement so it was excellent to get off to a winning start.

“It gives us something to build on. There was a lot of pressure after the European result but we got together at the Marseille game and said we needed to build momentum.

“We were hurting as much as anyone else after the European defeat. It’s not a great scenario to go out so early in a tie we shouldn’t have lost.

“But we had to take the criticism and the only way to win everyone back over is to produce performances and do well domestically.

“Whenever you win a trophy it’s special and there’s no doubt in our minds we’re all thinking about lifting silverware this season.

“A club the size of Rangers should be aiming to do that. It will take a while to forget about that European result and only results can get people back on side.”

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It was a case of so near yet so far for Rangers last season as they reached two Hampden semi-finals but were beaten by Old Firm rivals Celtic in October and April.

Jack got even closer to a winners medal as he led Aberdeen to two showpiece finals. On both occasions, it was Brendan Rodgers’ side that emerged victorious.

There was no fairy tale ending to Jack’s Pittodrie career. He hopes there is a dream start to his time at Ibrox, though.

He said: “Of course, I’m sure all the boys would say we want to show something for the hard work we’ve put in so far and will continue to do so.

“Obviously the first cup final is in November, so hopefully we can get something in November or at the end of the season when the Scottish Cup final is or the last league game. A medal in our pocket to show we’ve put in the hard work and got our rewards.

“Since I’ve been at Rangers it was straight into the European stuff and the expectation on that was obviously massive to get through, the club being back in Europe for the first time in so many years and to go out so quickly was really disappointing.

“There were three or four nights after that when you were up at night thinking what happened there and you’re worrying.

“But even at Aberdeen there is expectation from the fans and the club. I saw on the news and in the papers that Aberdeen said they expected to get to the [Europa League] group stages.

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“So there is ambition at both clubs but at Rangers there is going to be expectation to win every competition you are in.”

Having got their Premiership campaign off to a winning start at Fir Park, Rangers must now avoid a League Cup exit when they host the Pars.

The first handful of league encounters are crucial for Caixinha as he looks to recover from the ignominy and embarrassment of the defeat to Progres Niederkorn.

And Jack knows a few results in knock-out action would be beneficial for the Gers as the new-look Light Blues squad attempt to make an immediate impression at Ibrox.

He said: “A cup run is always good as it gets you away from the pressures of the league, week to week.

“It’s a different scenario, you could be playing against lower leagues teams, going away from home to them and it’s different experiences.

“It takes your mind off league business. It’s always good for confidence as well to look forward to a semi-final or a final, knowing you’ve done your work, you’ve got that in the bag and it’s back to league business.

“Definitely, I think it’s a good idea we have the cup final in November and if you have a good cup run you could have a winners medal in your pocket before Christmas and the second half of the season.

“It gives you that wee incentive to get that and kick on for the rest of the season. That’s what we look to do.”

*Family Section season tickets are on sale now priced just £55 for kids and £310 for adults and are available from www.rangers.co.uk, telephone: 0871 702 1972 (calls cost 13p per minute plus network extras) or by visiting the Rangers Ticket Centre. Season tickets in the Family Section do not include Celtic games.