Rangers eliminated from Europa League qualifiers in fresh blow to Derek McInnes

Derek McInnes’s fledgling tenure as Rangers boss is in disarray after the Light Blues exited the Europa League qualifiers with a 3-2 aggregate defeat to Jagiellonia Bialystok at Ibrox.

The Light Blues had lost 2-1 in the first leg in Poland last week but there was optimism when captain Lawrence Shankland levelled the tie on aggregate with a penalty on 19 minutes.

However, in the 65th minute, the visitors deservedly equalised on the night through attacker Nik Prelec, and the disjointed home side could not get a foothold in the game again despite changes in formation and personnel, with the boos ringing out around the ground at full-time from fans frustrated at the calamitous start to the season.

The new Gers boss has failed to register a win in four competitive matches since moving from Hearts in the summer and the dispiriting performance means Rangers will take on Jablonec, from the Czech Republic, in the Conference League play-off round.

Rangers went into the game in a fragile state, despite nine new summer signings.

The Light Blues confirmed on Tuesday that striker Youssef Chermiti – reportedly subject to a failed bid from Galatasaray for a club record fee of £22million – would be out of action for a lengthy period of time after picking up an ACL injury while left-back Tuur Rommens, in the worst case scenario, could be out for two months with a groin strain.

With no natural left-back cover, McInnes made five changes from the Hibernian defeat at the weekend and went with a 3-5-2 formation which added to an open game.

In the 14th minute, Jesus Imaz escaped the Light Blues’ defence and crashed a shot off the base of the post, and then seconds later poked a headed pass from Rodrigo Conceicao straight at the Gers keeper Ivor Pandur.

Then, Greek referee Vassilis Fotias awarded the Light Blues a penalty for a handball against former Celtic centre-half Yuki Kobayashi from Daisuke Yokota’s delivery across the goal after checking his pitchside monitor, and Shankland fired down the middle past keeper Slawomir Abramowicz for his first Rangers goal since moving from Hearts.

The visitors were a constant threat. Pandur made a fine save from Imaz’s drive from the edge of the box and fellow attacker Prelec slid in to knock a pass from Rodrigo Conceicao past the post from 12 yards.

Ross McCrorie took over from midfielder Thelo Aasgaard for the start of the second half as Rangers returned to a back four but it was Jagiellonia who took control, looking more assured and purposeful.

And with midfielders Cammy Devlin and Vanja Dragojevic waiting to come on, a cross from Anders Klynge found Prelec at the back post and he powered a header past Pandur.

Devlin and Dragojevic replaced Dan Neil and Nico Raskin but still the increasingly confident Polish side looked the more likely.

Rangers ploughed on without style and seemingly without strategy, failing to give keeper Abramowicz too much trouble, with substitute Bojan Miovski heading wide from six yards with two minutes remaining.

Some of the Gers fans who remained barracked their side but the games come thick and fast with a Premier Sports last-16 tie with St Mirren at Ibrox on Sunday, which the men from Paisley will surely relish.