overwhelming 5-0 win over Celtic at Hampden - Steven
Lennon notching a hat-trick as the Light Blues secured
the trophy for the first time in five years.
Celtic for years have enjoyed considerable success at
this level, mainly due to a reliance on physical
strength, but this was a scoreline that by no means
flattered the Ibrox youngsters, who at times totally
outclassed their opponents.
Kick-off was delayed for fully fifteen minutes to
allow the healthy crowd of 11,486 access.
Rangers struck early with Andrew Shinnie opening the
scoring in four minutes when he swept the ball home
from a John Fleck pass.
Sixty seconds later it was almost two when Fleck hit
the post from Steven Lennon's pass.
The Ibrox youngsters were well on top - and Lennon
brought the house down with a superb second goal in
twenty minutes when he turned on a long clearance from
goalkeeper Scott Gallacher to volley home a dipping
left-foot shot from all of thirty yards.
Cup Holders Celtic strove manfully to get back into
the game - but the best they could offer before the
interval was Cillian Sheridan's shot on the turn from
the edge of the box that was held by Gallacher.
The Parkhead youngsters restarted on the offensive in
a vain effort to reduce the deficit - only to be
caught on the counter-attack ten minutes in when Paul
Elmslie released Lennon through on goal, the
youngster forcing his way past goalkeeper Paul Skinner
before turning the ball into the empty net.
3-0 ahead, Rangers were rampant now - and it might
have been four on the hour when John Fleck embarked on
a solo run that sliced open the Celtic defence only
for Skinner to block his effort.
It scarcely mattered however - three minutes later
Lennon completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot
after Jason Marr had scythed down Jordan McMillan.
This was now a rout, with the Ibrox youngsters looking
likely to score every time they crossed the halfway
line as the Celtic fans, outnumbered in the first
place by the loyal 'Gers legions, poured towards the
exits.
The fifth goal arrived in 69 minutes when substitute
Jamie Ness released Lennon through on goal, his clever
chip being parried by Skinner only for Rangers captain
Dean Furman to coolly find the net from the rebound.
Two minutes later as Celtic substituted Andrew Traub
for Sean Anderson the departing Celt gestured at the
Light Blue followers. Sporting and gracious at any
level.
Ness was denied a sixth goal in 74 minutes when his
shot from a Shinnie lay-off was turned wide by
Skinner.
Three minutes later Andrew Little replaced Lennon who
left the field to a standing ovation. A Lennon cheered
to the rafters by the Rangers support - whatever next?
Rangers played out time content with what by any
standard had been a superlative win, and afterwards a
jubilant Coach Billy Kirkwood reflected:
"This was a fantastic result. I was delighted with the
way we played. We defended well, and controlled the
game in the second-half, picking Celtic off."
CELTIC Skinner; Caddis, Lafferty (Monti 68); Marr,
Anderson (Traub 71), Hepburn; Cawley, Millar (Connell
62), Sheridan, Cahillane, Carey
UNUSED SUBS Barron, Kiely
RANGERS Gallacher; McLachlan, Kinniburgh; Perry,
Smith, Emslie (Djeziri 81); Fleck, Shinnie, Lennon
(Little 77), Furman, McMillan (Ness 63)
UNUSED SUBS Sagar, Harvey
REFEREE Stephen Finnie
Attendance 11,486