Kilmarnock 1 (Campbell 33) Rangers 0
Attendance 3,281
Having thrown away the SPL Youth League Championship
due to fielding a weakened side in the crucial closing
stages against Motherwell and Hearts, Tommy McLean
fielded the strongest available team for this game -
alas to no avail as a team suffering from mental and
physical exhaustion due to having fulfilled both
Under-19 and Under-21 fixtures for several months
ended up trophy-less despite the undeniable fact that
the Ibrox Youth team has been the best in the country
this season.
Rangers also had the distinct disadvantage of having
to play the Cup Final on their opponents ground -
although this did attract a healthy attendance of
3,281, the vast majority of whom were home supporters.
Indeed at kick-off there were still a huge number of
spectators outside the ground, the crowd filtering in
fully fifteen minutes after the start.
Rangers almost made a lightning start when Bob
Davidson went through on a Warren Jacmot pass only to
see his eighteen-yard shot narrowly miss the target in
four minutes.
The home side were clearly lifted by the backing from
the crowd, and Steven Masterton almost opened the
scoring in thirteen minutes when he took advantage of
a slip by Jordan McMillan only to see his shot
deflected wide.
It was end-to-end stuff, with Ross McCormack coming
close in 25 minutes when his 25-yard shot from a
Bajram Fetai pass flashed inches wide.
Kilmarnock it was who snatched the lead in 33 minutes
when Robert Campbell netted from a Steven Naismith
pass.
The opening goal was always going to be vital,
particularly considering that Rangers were suffering
from burnout, and the half ended with the home side in
the driving seat.
Rangers restarted on the ascendancy, but in a
lightning 50th minute break John Boyle’s solo run
carried him through the heart of the visitors’ defence
only to see his shot turned wide by Lee Robinson.
Ibrox goalkeeper Lee Robinson almost gifted Killie a
second in 68 minutes when his kick-out fell to Tommy
Coyne only for the substitute to be crowded out.
Two minutes later Brian Gilmour saw his 25-yard drive
held by Killie goalkeeper Cameron Bell.
The closing stages were all Rangers, but despite
intensive pressure the closest they came to an
equaliser was when Charlie Adam’s twenty-yard drive
flew just over in 83 minutes.
Despite their relative inexperience Kilmarnock had
enough savvy to waste time like veterans in the
closing stages, their players dropping like ninepins
every time the ball went out of play in the last
half-hour. The referee added on an extra four minutes,
but in reality it should have been at least twice
that.
Eventually time ran out on Rangers.
KILMARNOCK Bell; Sangster, Hamill; Cochrane, McGregor,
Johnstone; Masterton (Butcher 90), Naismith, Sloan
(Coyne 63), Boyle, Campbell
UNUSED SUBS Wild, Noble, Murray
RANGERS Robinson; Jacmot (Dick 45), McMillan; Watson,
MacKenzie, Kalenga; Gilmour, McCormack, Davidson,
Adam, Fetai (Johnston 68)
UNUSED SUBS Agnew, Gallacher, Lennon
REFEREE Eddie Smith