Attendance 17,971
Rangers coasted through to the League Cup Final at Hampden this evening with a 2-0 win over St. Johnstone courtesy of goals from Steve Davis and Lee McCulloch.
Ibrox Manager Walter Smith made two changes from Saturday with Neil Alexander and Steven Smith replacing Allan McGregor and Sasa Papac.
Dreadful weather conditions of driving snow and bitter cold - combined with live terrestrial television coverage - reduced the attendance to less than half of the old ground's capacity.
The Ibrox men - wearing all-white - almost made an early breakthrough in the fourth minute when Nacho Novo was through on a Steven Whittaker pass, rounded goalkeeper Graeme Smith and stroked the ball towards the empty net only to see Saints defender David Mackay sweep the ball off the line.
The Perth men should perhaps have taken an unexpected lead twelve minutes later when Murray Davidson rose unchallenged to meet a Filipe Morais cross only to head wide of the target.
Underfoot conditions were difficult - to say the least - and played a part in 24 minutes when Davis played a one-two with John Fleck before rounding former Ibrox 'keeper Smith only to slip at the crucial moment.
It scarcely mattered however - sixty seconds later clever work by Nacho Novo on the left created space on the goal-line, his cutback to Davis being hooked home at the second attempt.
St. Johnstone were far from out of it however - Morais tested Alexander with a 25-yard snap-shot in 33 minutes that the goalkeeper held at the second attempt.
Three minutes later McCulloch effectively ended the game as a contest when his twenty-yard drive from a Whittaker pass appeared to deceive Smith as it skidded through his legs into the net.
At the other end Davidson again threatened when his header from a Liam Craig corner was held by Alexander - but the half ended with Rangers two goals to the good.
Saints controlled the early stages of the second-half without really threatening Alexander's goal - and on the hour Andrew Little replaced Kyle Lafferty.
Two minutes later Steven Naismith substituted for Novo - and almost made an immediate impact when he volleyed over from a Whittaker cross.
Danny Grainger tested Alexander with a shot from the edge of the box in 64 minutes that the 'keeper held - but five minutes later it was Naismith who spurned a golden opportunity to seal the outcome of the semi-final when he saw his penalty saved by Smith after being barged in the back by Gary Irvine as he homed in on a Whittaker cross.
There should have been a second spot-kick for the Ibrox men in eighty minutes when Naismith again raced clear on a Little pass only to be bundled down from behind by Graham Gartland. It was a stonewall penalty - and a straight red card - but incredibly Referee Dougie McDonald waved play on as Fleck was squeezed out at the far post.
Rangers played out time comfortably to go through to the final where they will face St. Mirren on 21st March - and afterwards Walter Smith reflected:
"The first goal was important. St. Johnstone had played very tight in midfield, but changed things at the interval and were the better side in the opening fifteen minutes of the second-half. It took us time to get going after the break - but I was disappointed not to add to our score. We have a good group of players who deserve credit for their attitude - but are vulnerable to suspension and injury problems."
RANGERS Alexander; Whittaker, Weir, Wilson, Smith; Davis, McCulloch, Thomson, Fleck; Novo (Naismith 62), Lafferty (Little 60)
UNUSED SUBS Broadfoot, Wylde, McGregor
ST. JOHNSTONE Smith; Irvine, Grainger; Morris, Mackay, Gartland; Millar, Davidson, Sheridan (MacDonald 66), Craig (Moon 75), Morais (Milne 45)
UNUSED SUBS Anderson, Main
REFEREE Dougie McDonald