Attendance 24,752
Rangers booked their place in the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup with a comfortable 3-0 win over Dunfermline Athletic at Ibrox this evening.
In front of a disappointing crowd of just 24,752 spectators, Manager Alex McLeish made three changes from the side that had defeated Partick Thistle last Saturday with Arthur Numan, Lorenzo Amoruso and Barry Ferguson returning in place of Maurice Ross, Stephen Hughes and the suspended Craig Moore. A Dunfermline side containing two ex-Rangers’ players in the shape of Gus MacPherson and Barry Nicholson had two changes from the first game with Andrius Skerla and Steven Hampshire replacing Scott Wilson and Mark McGarty.
The ‘Pars’ almost made a sensational start inside two minutes when Hampshire was clear from a Craig Brewster only to shoot into the side-net. That miss was to prove costly, for within sixty seconds the Cup Holders had the lead when an appalling mix-up in the visitors’ defence presented Peter Lovenkrands with the opening goal. There appeared no danger whatsoever when goalkeeper Derek Stillie gathered the ball, only to throw it to his team-mate Andrius Skerla who had his back to the field of play, unaware of the presence of the lurking Dane, who seized the opportunity to break clear with his lightning pace before burying the ball behind Stillie for the opening goal.
Three minutes later another suicidal act by the Dunfermline rearguard almost doubled Rangers’ advantage. Ged Brannan was short with a passback to his goalkeeper, who partially redeemed the situation by scooping the ball away from the incoming Ronald De Boer. Ferguson was first to the loose ball only to steer it wide of the unguarded net.
The second goal was merely delayed however – and when it came it was indeed the Ibrox Captain who provided the finish with a diving header from an Arthur Numan cross in eighteen minutes.
Rangers had a strong penalty claim waved aside eight minutes later when Michael Mols was bundled to the ground as he raced onto a Mikel Arteta pass, then De Boer almost brought the house down when, almost on the touchline, he swivelled on a Fernando Ricksen pass to send a cross-cum-shot with unerring accuracy towards Stillie’s charge. The ‘Pars’ goalkeeper proved equal to the task however – only just catching the ball directly under the crossbar.
Secure with a two-goal advantage, Rangers coasted through the closing stages of the half – and typically were almost caught out in the dying moments when Stefan Klos produced a superb save to touch wide Nicholson’s effort from a Brewster opening. Both Nicholson and Klos had good reason to complain to Referee John Underhill – very much the villain of the piece in the first game – when he awarded a goal-kick.
Rangers restarted on the look-out for the early strike that they had secured in the first-half, with Michael Mols almost producing the goods in 48 minutes when he was inches wide from a De Boer pass, then seconds later Stillie had to be alert to hold a Lovenkrands drive from the edge of the box.
Dunfermline were not yet out of it however – Brannan was inches away with a header from a Nicholson corner in 53 minutes, yet within sixty seconds it was 3-0 when De Boer and Arteta combined to score a quite exquisite goal. The Dutchman exhibited superb vision and skill as he delivered a weighted ball into the path of the Spaniard who chipped the ball over the advancing Stillie into the net.
Rangers continued to press – a De Boer header from a Lovenkrands cross only just missing the target in 58 minutes.
The infamous Noel Hunt was introduced to the fray in 61 minutes, replacing Craig Brewster. His appearance on the touchline produced a crescendo of booing before his name had even been announced.
Four minutes later Hampshire might have reduced the deficit when he played a one-two with Stevie Crawford that left him free on goal only to shoot high and wide.
Alex McLeish made three changes himself in quick succession with Numan, De Boer and Ferguson exiting in favour of Neil McCann, Claudio Caniggia and Shota Arveladze. De Boer – in quite magnificent form – retired to a resounding ovation.
The game was secure – although both Lovenkrands and Arveladze almost added a fourth goal in the dying minutes with solo runs that came close. Peter’s effort was deflected into the side-netting, whilst Shota’s struck the top of the crossbar.
It was a contented Alex McLeish who spoke of the game: "This was a different Rangers tonight. I got the right response after Saturday. I had a good feeling about tonight with three players back.
McLeish also had some telling quotes on Barry Ferguson, revealing that his Captain may well require surgery before the end of the season.
Dunfermline Manager Jimmy Calderwood was resigned in his summing-up:
"I’m fed up sitting here telling the same old story. Not enough of my players believed enough they could win tonight. You don’t get many chances at Ibrox – we shot ourselves in the foot."
So now it’s on to Hampden against Motherwell on April 19th.
RANGERS Klos; Ricksen, Malcolm, Amoruso, Numan (McCann 64); Arteta, Konterman, Ferguson (Arveladze 72), Lovenkrands; Mols, De Boer (Caniggia 66)
UNUSED SUBS McGregor, Hughes
DUNFERMLINE ATHLETIC Stillie; Bullen, MacPherson (Kilgannon 45), Skerla, McGroarty; Nicholson, Mason, Hampshire, Brannan (Grondin 72); Brewster (Hunt 61), Crawford
UNUSED SUBS Ruitenbeek, McGarty
REFEREE John Underhill