David Bates wants Rangers’ first friendly goal given to Dalcio

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David Bates has been credited with Glasgow Rangers’ first goal in the Ibrox side’s friendly with Berwick Rangers.

David Bates has told Rangers’ official website that he thought that he missed the ball for the Gers’ first goal in their friendly with Berwick Rangers on Wednesday and wants the goal to be credited to Dalcio rather than himself to give the winger a confidence boost.

The Gers took on Berwick in a testimonial for Steven Notman, and the Scottish Premiership side ran out 4-0 winners, with the deadlock being broken by a goal that has been credited to Bates by many.

The game saw Dalcio get a rare chance following his summer loan switch which has not exactly gone to plan thus far, and it was his shot that led to the opener. And after the game, Bates suggested that he would be pleased to see the attacker given the goal rather than himself.

“I think I completely missed it to be fair, that’s what my finishing is like in training all the time anyway,” he told the club’s official website.

“I think it goes through my legs, I try to flick it and then it comes off a defender and beyond Robby.

“I’m an honest guy and I think we should give it to Dalcio to give him a confidence boost.”

Although it was not a competitive game, it is arguably an incredibly encouraging sign that Bates is determined to hand Dalcio a confidence boost as it arguably says a lot about the harmony within the squad.

Dalcio has undoubtedly struggled to impress since arriving, and his already-slim chances of bouncing back seemed to take a hit following Pedro Caixinha’s departure as boss last month. But, while a debatable goal in a friendly will not change the winger’s fortunes altogether, the belief he may have gained may just give him the slightest chance to prove further down the line that he may have been written off just a little too soon.