Scottish Cup with a 2-0 win over Partick Thistle at
Firhill this afternoon courtesy of first-half goals
from Nacho Novo and Chris Burke.
A packed Firhill brought back memories of the 'good
old days' for the Maryhill club on a bright and sunny
afternoon - but alas the family atmosphere was
polluted with the rancid stench of the abusive racial
chants and songs from the Thistle fans who are rightly
regarded throughout the country as the most
foul-mouthed and vile in Scotland.
Manager Walter Smith made seven changes from Lisbon
with Steven Whittaker, David Weir, Steven Smith
(making his first-team comeback after a sixteen-month
absence through injury), Chris Burke, Steven Naismith,
Kris Boyd and Nacho Novo replacing Kirk Broadfoot,
Sasa Papac, Steve Davis, Brahim Hemdani, Barry
Ferguson, Lee McCulloch and Jean-Claude Darcheville
against a home side that showed just the one change
from the first game at Ibrox with Willie Kinniburgh
replacing Alan Archibald.
Much had been written about the state of the Firhill
pitch, and few would dispute that it was, in the words
of Jags Manager Iain McCall, "awful" - in fact it was
even worse that that.
Weir captained the visitors in the absence of
Ferguson, but it was the 'Jags' who first threatened
in five minutes with David Rowson through on a Mark
Roberts pass only to be blocked by Allan McGregor -
the ball breaking to Marc Twaddle who shot wide of the
target.
Two minutes later at the other end Kevin Thomson's
twenty-yard free-kick was touched wide by home
goalkeeper Jonathon Tuffey, then from the resultant
Burke corner Christian Dailly's header was held by the
'keeper.
Another dead-ball situation in thirteen minutes saw a
Burke free-kick headed just over by Carlos Cuellar.
Six minutes later Boyd's shot on the turn from a
Whittaker throw-in was held by Tuffey.
It was one-way traffic - Tuffey again kept his side on
level terms in 23 minutes when he held a Naismith
header after Boyd had knocked on a Whittaker cross.
The opener finally arrived three minutes later when
Burke created space on the right, his low cross being
stabbed home by Novo.
Thistle were far from out of it however - and McGregor
had to produce an unorthodox save in 38 minutes when
he blocked Simon Donnelly's effort from a Simon Storey
cross with his backside.
That proved to be a crucial moment in the tie, for
within two minutes Rangers were 2-0 ahead when Novo's
cross to the far post was headed back across goal by
Boyd for Burke to nod home.
Boyd almost made it three before the interval when his
header from a Burke cross produced a superb one-handed
save from Tuffey.
Partick were offered a golden opportunity to reduce
the deficit two minutes after the restart when Referee
Iain Brines awarded a penalty after Weir had tripped
Roberts - but former Celt Donnelly shot wide from the
spot.
Burke shot over from a Thomson cross in 56 minutes,
then immediately thereafter Boyd's drive from a
Naismith cross was blocked by Kinniburgh - but the
referee ignored the loud penalty claims.
Rangers appeared content with their two-goal lead,
although Donnelly struck the top of the crossbar with
a close-range shot on the hour.
Five minutes later Boyd's shot on the turn from a
Burke cross was held by Tuffey, but the home side were
carrying a threat, underlined in 68 minutes when Kevin
McKinlay's cross found Scott Chaplain who shot wide.
The Light Blues were coasting - and could even afford
to miss a penalty of their own in 85 minutes when
substitute Daniel Cousin saw his spot-kick saved by
Tuffey after Kinniburgh had fouled Burke.
Another Ibrox substitute - Lee McCulloch - was also
denied by the Jags goalkeeper when his shot on the
turn from a Smith throw-in was turned wide.
The closing stages found the Maryhill air polluted to
an absolutely sickening extent as the Thistle fans
poured out their abusive and foul-mouthed hymns of
hate. One can only ponder when there will be an SFA
enquiry over these sickening chants?
Rangers were home and dry in the last four - where
they will face St. Johnstone at Hampden next Sunday.
PARTICK THISTLE Tuffey; Storey, Twaddle; Donnelly
(McKinlay 64), Robertson, Kinniburgh; Chaplain,
Rowson, Gray, Roberts (Keegan 87), Harkins (Murray 83)
UNUSED SUBS Hinchcliffe, McStay
RANGERS McGregor; Whittaker, Weir, Cuellar, S. Smith;
Burke, Dailly, Thomson, Naismith; Boyd (Cousin 83),
Novo (McCulloch 75)
UNUSED SUBS Alexander, Ferguson, Furman
REFEREE Iain Brines
Attendance 9,909