evening, going down to St. Mirren by the odd goal in
seven at Love Street - a lack of discipline costing
the Ibrox youngsters dear with two players ordered
off.
There was a healthy crowd in Paisley, with the home
side making the brighter start - only for Rangers to
snatch the opening goal in sixteen minutes when Ross
McCormack slotted home a Derek Carcary opening.
The lead lasted just three minutes - Iain Milne
rifling home the equaliser after visiting goalkeeper
Lee Robinson had blocked David McKenna's effort.
John Johnston was yellow-carded in 25 minutes for
persistent fouling - a caution that would subsequently
prove costly.
Sixty seconds later Rangers regained the lead when
Brian Gilmour netted with a 25-yard shot.
The Ibrox youngsters were now in control, McCormack
striking a post from a Johnston pass on the half-hour,
but eight minutes later it was 3-1 when Carcary's shot
from a Gilmour cutback squirmed out of the hands of
Saints goalkeeper Chris Smith and over the line.
Smith redeemed himself in 42 minutes with a superb
one-handed save from McCormack's 25-yard free-kick,
but the tie started to turn against the Light Blues
right on the stroke of half-time when Johnston
received a second yellow and subsequent red for a late
tackle on Ryan McCay.
St. Mirren reduced the deficit in 62 minutes when poor
marking at a corner-kick enabled
Bryan Gordon to head home.
Sixty seconds later Jordan McMillan was yellow-carded
for a bad foul on Scott McFarlane, as the visitors'
discipline began to unravel.
The roof fell in on Rangers in 66 minutes when Ryan
McCay made it 3-3 with a stunning 25-yard free-kick.
If that were not bad enough, before play could restart
McMillan received his second yellow card and
consequent red for dissent - his diatribe at the
Referee continuing even as he left the field.
The nine men were right up against it - and with
extra-time looming the winning goal arrived with just
four minutes left on the clock when Craig Molloy went
through the middle looking suspiciously offside before
slotting the ball past Robinson.
Rangers were out - and had no one to blame but
themselves.
ST, MIRREN Smith; McCay, Gordon; Muir, Martin,
McWilliam; McFarlane, Milne, McKenna, Molloy, Gemmill
UNUSED SUBS Marini, Harkness, Anderson, McMenamin,
Wardrop
RANGERS Robinson; Lowing, McMillan; McColl, Campbell,
Emslie; Johnston, Lennon (Jacmot 74), McCormack,
Gilmour (Frizzel 81), Carcary
UNUSED SUBS Crooks, Redford, Agnew
REFEREE P. McDowall