Airdrie's unbeaten run this season came to an end in the CIS Cup 3rd round after Rangers made them pay for their bad performance in the first half. Two goals from debutant Shota Arveladze punished a brave Airdrie side who should have at least finished one of many chances in the second half.

It took Shota Arveladze precisely five minutes to mark his debut with a goal, a superbly-struck effort with the outside of his boot.Airdrie's only reply was a shot from Kevin James after a long throw by Paul Armstrong which went flying over the bar..

Arveladze fired over and a Caniggia drive flashed across the face the face of the goal before the new man added the second after 37 minutes. Ricksen's shot was blocked and there was the Georgian to poke home the loose ball. Two minutes later and Arveladze was denied a hat-trick by an upright.

Airdrie almost pulled one back when Ian McFarlane set up Mark Roberts in the box and it needed Numan to head off the line.James then headed the corner off the top of the bar.

Substitute Stuart Taylor turned Lorenzo Amoruso in the box only to be denied by a smart block to Stefan Klos at the expense of a corner.Coyle forced Klos into a spectacular save, tipping over his long-range snapshot.

The veteran striker then headed against the post with more than a quarter of an hour still to play.

With Airdrie pressing more and more in the last ten minutes, Arthur Numan grabbed the third goal from a Micheal Ball lay-off in the closing minutes to clinch the victory. It was overall a great performance from the Division 1 leaders and a scoreline of 3-0 flattered Rangers.

Airdrie: Ferguson, Armstrong, McPherson, Stewart, McManus, James, Gardner, MacFarlane, Coyle, Roberts, Smith

Subs: Taylor, McDonald, Dunn, MacDonald, Bennett