NACHO NOVO handed Rangers fans a welcome reminder that Kris Boyd isn't the only Ibrox front man capable of hitting the back of the net.

The little Spaniard's strike this week sealed a 2-0 victory over St Johnstone and progression to the fifth round of the Scottish Cup at a time when speculation surrounds the SPL's top scorer.

Birmingham City have already had a £3.8million bid accepted for Boyd and could return to the negotiating table after failing to agree terms with the player.

That move has alerted other English clubs over the marksman's availability.

It could leave Rangers with a gaping hole to try and fill, but the man capable of matching the goalscoring exploits of Boyd might be right under the nose of the Ibrox boss.

With little or no funds to bring in a new attacker - even if he does offload a player - Smith would have to work with what he's already got at his disposal which means Novo, Andrius Velicka and Kyle Lafferty would all come into contention for a slot in attack next to Kenny Miller.

The one man from that trio with a proven track record as a goalscorer at Ibrox is Novo, who hit 25 goals to help his side win the 2004/2005 title when he spent most of the campaign deployed as an out-and-out attacker.

Jim Duffy, who was his manager at Dundee, has no doubt the little striker could gain if Boyd does indeed head for the Ibrox exit.

"Nacho has proven in the past that he can score goals," explained Duffy, the new Brechin boss. "He netted over 20 for Dundee in the SPL and he scored 25 goals for Rangers a few years back when they won the league on the final day of the season under Alex McLeish.

"So he will score goals just like he proved the other night against St Johnstone.

"I don't think he is as natural a goalscorer at Boyd - in saying that, I don't even think Celtic's Scott McDonald, for all he is a very good player and scores goals, is as natural a finisher as Boyd - but if Boyd goes then Rangers will need someone else to come in.

"I'm sure Nacho will be looking at the situation and thinking to himself that this could be his chance to play more regularly and try to make his mark under Walter Smith."

With Kenny Miller already a recognised striker at Rangers and unlikely to move from the starting line-up, any possible new strike partner would have to complement the Scotland international's style.

In that respect, Lafferty, a £3.5m summer signing from Burnley, might have an edge over the fans' favourite because of the physical attributes the Northern Ireland striker would bring to the Gers' strikeforce.

Duffy agrees Smith could struggle to find a partnership that combines as well as Boyd and Miller, but he insists that doesn't necessarily mean it won't provide the Ibrox club with goals.

He said: "Football is all about partnerships. There is no doubt Boyd and Kenny Miller are a good partnership and I'm not quite sure if Nacho and Kenny would be as effective because of their styles.

"But you never know. The one thing you know for sure is the pair of them wouldn't give defenders a second's peace. They work their socks off and would share the workload but Rangers would perhaps miss having an out-and-out striker inside the penalty box."

He went on: "Nacho used to be one of four strikers trying to get a game but if Kris Boyd leaves then he'll be one of three. So, naturally, he'll have a better chance of being involved.

"I think Lafferty was brought to Rangers with one eye on the future, but he'll also feel this might give him a better chance of playing. I don't think he was a natural goalscorer at Burnley either, but he is good in the air and is a big, strong lad."

Duffy reckons Novo's style of play grinds defenders down and forces them to make errors and that's why he has managed to score so many goals in the past.

He explained: "I wouldn't refer to Nacho as a pest, as that sounds a big disrespectful, but he really doesn't give defenders a minute.

"If you are playing at the back, the last thing you want is someone in your face and shutting you down constantly. That's what Nacho does well.

"Eventually, a defender will take an extra touch and he'll nick in, steal possession and score.

"It's a totally contrasting style to Boyd. While defenders can't switch off against Nacho and probably get tired in the end, they probably think they've got Boyd in their pockets and then he pops up out of the blue and scores.

"But right now Kris remains at Rangers and he might not move on. If he does, however, then it might mean Nacho gets more of a chance to show what he can do."