Attendance 6,045
It was a thoroughly merited win, although the Ibrox
men did have to come back from a one-goal deficit in
the dying seconds of normal time with a wonder goal
from John Fleck to take the match into extra-time.
The Light Blues have now won the trophy five times,
and have clinched the League and Cup Double for a
second successive season.
In 2007 Rangers had defeated their great rivals 5-0 -
and there were no fewer than seven survivors from that
team in tonight's starting line-up, namely Scott
Gallacher, William McLachlan, Steven Kinniburgh, Ross
Perry, Andrew Shinnie, Jamie Ness and John Fleck,
underlining just how much of an achievement it was to
win the Double last year.
The attendance fell well short of last season's 11,000
plus - no doubt primarily due to the proximity of so
many big games, for Rangers fans at least. Sadly the
family atmosphere was polluted by the sectarian
singing of the Celtic fans with shameful songs in
support of terrorist organisations such as the 'Boys
of the Old Brigade'.
Both sides made a cautious start, with little
goalmouth action in the opening twenty minutes, but
Ibrox captain Andrew Shinnie was inches wide with an
eighteen-yard shot in 27 minutes from a Fleck lay-off.
It was now end-to-end action - William McLachlan's
35-yard drive on the half-hour mark was held by Celtic
goalkeeper Paul Skinner, then in the next instant Ross
Harvey made a saving tackle on Cillian Sheridan as he
broke clear.
Paul Cahillane might have given the Parhead men the
lead in 34 minutes, shooting over from a Luca
Santonocito cross, then four minutes later Sheridan
headed wide from a Kevin Cawley corner.
The half ended goalless with Cawley's shot from a
Sheridan knock-down held by Ibrox goalkeeper Scott
Gallacher.
Rangers restarted on the ascendancy - only for Referee
Willie Collum to demonstrate that he is just as
reluctant to take action against Celtic players as
most other referees - merely speaking to Richard
Towell in 51 minutes after he had scythed down Steven
Kinniburgh. However he had no hesitation in
yellow-carding Georgos Efrem four minutes later for
alleged simulation.
Ibrox substitute Andrew Little was clean through on a
long ball in 57 minutes only to be robbed at the last
moment by a Grant Gallagher tackle.
The deadlock was broken on the hour - but against the
run of play it fell to Celtic when Gallacher's poor
clearance fell to Santonocito whose cross was rammed
home at the second attempt by Sheridan.
Six minutes later Rangers substitute Thomas Bendiksen
run down the right ended with a low ball across the
face of goal that was inches away from the inrushing
Little and Efrem.
Rangers piled on the pressure in search of the
equaliser - Little, cutting in from the left, saw his
twenty-yard shot beaten behind by Skinner in 76
minutes.
Ross Perry twice came close as the minutes ticked away
- his 84th minute shot being deflected wide in 84
minutes from a Bendiksen cross, then three minutes
later he headed over from Shinnie's cross.
The seconds were ticking away - and Celtic, on the
attack, attempted to waste time at the corner flag
instead of actually winning a corner, only to lose
possession. John Fleck took possession midway in his
own half and ran fully sixty yards through the heart
of the Parkhead defence before despatching a
fifteen-yard drive into the net for the equaliser.
There were just thirty seconds of normal time left -
and a superb goal, one of the finest seen at the old
ground for many a long day, had turned the tide.
Extra-time it was - but there was only going to be one
winner now…
Rangers were in the ascendancy - and took the lead in
94 minutes when McLachlan's twenty-yard drive was
parried by Skinner, Little seizing on the rebound only
for his first effort to be blocked by the 'keeper, the
Ranger coolly finding the net at the second attempt
with a clever backheel.
There would be no way back for Celtic - in the dying
seconds of extra-time, having won a corner, Parkhead
goalkeeper Paul Skinner raced upfield to the 'Gers
penalty box only to be left stranded when Gallacher
fisted Cawley's kick clear. John Fleck took possession
on the edge of his own penalty area and streaked
upfield, driving through a flagging and dispirited
defence, rounding the last defender and stroking the
ball into an unguarded net from fully thirty yards.
It was another class goal - and Rangers were worthy
winners, their fans (who made up perhaps two-thirds of
the crowd) celebrating yet another trophy success.
CELTIC Skinner; Gallagher (Foley 108), Monti; Marr,
Lafferty, Tidser; Cawley, Towell, Sheridan (Bunting
71), Cahillane, Santonocito (Graham 66)
UNUSED SUBS Marshall, Ross
RANGERS Gallacher; McLachlan, Kinniburgh; Perry,
Harvey, Ness; Stirling (Bendiksen 63), Shinnie, Bagci
(Little 45), Fleck, Efrem (Hutton 75)
UNUSED SUBS Vaiculis, Craig
REFEREE William Collum