KEVIN Kyle believes Rangers can show Scottish football they belong at a higher level than the Third Division – despite their latest disappointment on the road.

The striker and his Gers team-mates failed to beat part-time rivals Berwick Rangers at Shielfield Park on Sunday – and were even fortunate not to lose the match.

It was the latest unconvincing display from the Glasgow giants away from home since they were consigned to the bottom tier of senior football in the summer.

Ally McCoist's men needed extra -time to win at Brechin in the Ramsdens Cup in their first competitive outing of the campaign.

The Light Blues required a last-gasp goal from Andrew Little to earn a point against Peterhead at Balmoor Stadium in their opening league match at the start of the month.

In fact, the only game Rangers have won in regulation time was their cup meeting with Falkirk at Westfield last Tuesday evening –and even that was by a narrow 1-0 scoreline.

But Kyle is adamant his side can put those slip-ups behind them in their Scottish Communities Cup second round meeting with the Bairns at Ibrox tomorrow night.

"The nucleus of this team is still very good," he said. "I think if we were in the SPL we would still be a good team.

"We are all looking forward to the cup games this season and the chance to play clubs in the leagues above us. It is an opportunity for us to highlight we are better than where we are.

"We are in the Third Division because of certain circumstances which were outwith our control. We don't complain about it, we just get on with our work and try to do well.

"Of course, we are under no illusions that the Falkirk game will be tough. As we are finding out this season, every game is tough. But we want to win every game that we play in and are capable of doing that if we play to our capabilities."

The latest below-par display away from home at the weekend was greeted with understandable howls of derision by a large travelling support down in Northumberland.

But Kyle, who replaced Francisco Sandaza with just over half an hour remaining, is refusing to get downbeat about the teething problems his new-look side is currently experiencing.

"We have only played a handful of games," he said. "I don't think the boys had too many games during the close season with everything that was going on behind the scenes. It is going to take time to gel together.

"The boys need to get to know each other, learn about each other's attributes on the park. But that is happening every day in training and every time we play. Hopefully, we will soon be firing on all cylinders.

"The manager wants to win, and win comfortably, every game that we play. But the teams we are playing are treating matches against us like a cup final and we have to be professional and deal with that."

Kyle, who spent 19 months out of the game injured before putting pen to paper with Rangers in the summer, is still waiting to start his first game and score his first goal for the Ibrox club.

The 31-year-old, who has made four appearances as a substitute, is comfortable with the role he has been handed so far given the goalscoring form of Little.

The Northern Ireland international took his tally for the season to seven – despite playing in just six matches – with the opening strike just before half-time at Shielfield.

But the former Sunderland, Kilmarnock, Hearts and Scotland forward has stressed his aim is to hold down a regular first-team place at Rangers.

He reflected: "I just have to do well whenever I get on the park. So does everybody else at the club. I understand that.

"The manager has told me that, having been injured for so long, I have to concentrate on getting myself fit just now. Once I do that, then I will hopefully begin to start more games.

"I will, of course, get chances to play in time. I have been getting off the bench in games. When my turn comes to start games then I want to make sure that I am ready to take it.

"But I am not a very patient person. I want to be starting in the first team week in, week out. I know that Rangers is a massive club and there is fierce competition for places. But that is how I am."