Attendance 29,352
Rangers are through to the Scottish Cup Final – but only after suffering an almighty scare against Motherwell, the Cup Holders having to come from behind in a seven-goal thriller at Hampden Park this afternoon.
The Rangers’ fans were out in force for a gloriously sunny lunchtime kick-off, unlike the ‘Well fans whose area of Hampden was sparsely filled – to say the least.
There were four changes in an Ibrox line-up decimated by injury and illness from Tannadice last weekend with Bob Malcolm, Mikel Arteta, Ronald De Boer and Peter Lovenkrands all missing – Lorenzo Amoruso, Barry Ferguson, Neil McCann and Michael Mols coming in.
Rangers made the perfect start inside two minutes – Bert Konterman rifling home a low 23-yard drive from a Ferguson pass.
Such an early blow can have different effects on both the team that scores and the one that concedes. Motherwell might well have crumpled, but instead came fighting back against opponents who may – subconsciously – have taken their foot off the gas.
The equaliser – when it arrived in fourteen minutes – was not undeserved. Martyn Corrigan’s slide-rule pass inside the full-back dissected the left side of the Cup Holders’ defence, and when David Clarkson’s low cross came over Steven Craig was in the right spot to slot the ball home.
There was an incredible – and bizarre - 21st minute incident when no fewer than four players were yellow-carded, two on either side. It all started when Tony Vaughan fouled Mols, who took exception to the tackle. While Referee Mike McCurry was sorting those two out, Craig Moore and Derek Adams became involved in a shoving match behind his back. Exactly how much the official saw was unclear – but he dispensed justice in an equitable fashion nevertheless.
Six minutes later – quite unbelievably given the start to the game – Motherwell had the lead with a quite magnificent goal with Corrigan again the instigator – his pass to Stephen Pearson being laid off into the path of Jamie McFadden who curled a fifteen-yard effort into the top corner of the net.
The Fir Park men were making all the running at this stage – Tony Vaughan volleying a half-cleared corner Into the side-net in 34 minutes.
Rangers were denied a stonewall penalty three minutes later when Shota Arveladze moved on to a Mols pass only to be hauled down by Vaughan. Referee McCurry however saw nothing amiss – perhaps aware of the fact that a spot-kick would also have meant a certain red card for the Motherwell player.
The underdogs spurned a glorious chance to go 3-1 up in 41 minutes when an Amoruso slip released Craig whose cross found the unmarked Clarkson who sliced his shot wide.
Sixty seconds later it should have been two apiece when Mols was clean through on a Ferguson pass only to scoop his shot wide after rounding ‘Well goalkeeper Francois Dubordeau.
Rangers have not lost a Scottish Cup semi-final for 31 years, but Manager Alex McLeish would have been aware that he needed to change things in the second-half – hence his substitution of Steven Thompson for the ineffective Arveladze.
Within ten minutes of the restart – to great relief from the vast majority of the crowd – it was 2-2 when Mols buried a Thompson pass from a Fernando Ricksen through-ball.
Suddenly it was a different game – and Rangers were back in the lead in 59 minutes with a bullet header from Amoruso from Ricksen’s inswinging free-kick.
Seconds later it might have been 4-2 – an overhead pass by Mols finding McCann whose first-time volley from the edge of the box was just wide. ‘Well were far from finished however – Clarkson heading over in 67 minutes when Pearson outjumped Konterman at the far post following a corner.
Five minutes later however it was 4-2 when the overlapping Kevin Muscat took a Ricksen pass in his stride before firing over a cross that was deflected into the net by David Partridge.
Both Bob Malcolm and Stephen Hughes were introduced as replacements for Craig Moore and Fernando Ricksen.
The final ten minutes saw a spate of bookings for Motherwell, three in all – McFadden for dissent following a blatant dive by the player, Pearson for a late tackle on Amoruso that might have merited a card of a different hue, and substitute Richard Offoing also for dissent.
With virtually the last kick of the game Derek Adams made it 4-3 with a close-range volley after Offoing’s effort from a McFadden pass was blocked.
The final whistle immediately afterwards sent Rangers into the Scottish Cup Final – but the defensive frailties exhibited today will certainly not do next weekend.
Manager Alex McLeish afterwards paid tribute to Motherwell:
"I never thought it would be a cakewalk. Full credit to Motherwell – they showed character. Many a team would have crumbled at the loss of an early goal. They have a young team, full of energy. We needed an injection at half-time. There have been so many disruptions in recent weeks. We showed hunger in the second-half that perhaps was missing in the first."
Motherwell Manager – and Ibrox Legend – Terry Butcher offered:
"It’s been a great day for the club. Rangers were very strong in the second-half – Steven Thompson made the difference. We can hold our heads high."
MOTHERWELL Dubordeau; Corrigan, Vaughan, Partridge, Hammell (Cowan 74); Adams, Leitch (Lehmann 84), McFadden, Pearson; Craig (Offiong 67), Clarkson
UNUSED SUBS Woods, Lasley
RANGERS Klos; Muscat, Moore (Malcolm 75), Amoruso, Numan; Ricksen (Hughes 77), Ferguson, Konterman, McCann; Mols, Arveladze (Thompson 45)
UNUSED SUBS McGregor, McLean
REFEREE Mike McCurry