RANGERS continued their winning momentum going into Wednesday’s Europa League final as they closed out the Scottish Premiership season with a 3-1 victory at Hearts.
A much-changed side that became younger and younger as the game progressed were really comfortable against a strong Jambos’ XI with all the attention now turning to Sevilla in midweek.
It was 10 changes in total for Gers this afternoon - only Alex Lowry retained his place from the Wednesday win over Ross County, with Gers in full-preparation mode for the big night in the South of Spain.
That meant it was Jon McLaughlin in goal, Leon King at right-back, Leon Balogun and James Sands in the centre of defence and Adam Devine at left-back.
Steven Davis, Aaron Ramsey and Scott Arfield were in the middle of the park, with Lowry and Amad supporting Cedric Itten.
It was Gers who had the first big opportunity when Lowry and Amad burst clear – Lowry fed Amad for the shot but his touch just let him down inside the area and Hearts were able to clear the danger.
Arfield then shot straight at Gordon from 20-yards when hard work for Ramsey set him up for the shot, while Itten put Davis in for a shot on the angle that went just over.
At the other end, James Sands made a fine, sliding block to deny Josh Ginnelly inside the box, before on 24 minutes, Hearts took the lead.
Gers were only able to partially clear a ball into the area, and Peter Haring was able to curl an effort into the low left corner of the net from the edge of the box.
Craig Gordon made a fine save with his legs to deny Itten at the end of a sweeping move from Gers, but from the resulting corner, the big Swiss got his reward.
Lowry’s delivery into the area was superb, and there to bullet past Gordon was that man Itten for his second of the season.
Ramsey curled a decent effort just wide as the visitors threatened again, while Diallo shot just over from a closing angle as Gers again broke forward at pace.
But right on the stroke of half-time, they went ahead thanks to Alex Lowry’s first league goal.
From the left, he danced a super path into the area to get clear of the Hearts defence before deftly curling the ball beyond Gordon and into the back of the net.
It was a brilliant moment from Lowry, and handed Rangers what was a deserved lead at the interval.
In a pre-planned move at the break, Arfield was replaced by Charlie McCann, and Gers again began the new half on top.
That said, Barrie McKay had two opportunities for the home side from outside the box, one which went over and one that went wide.
The hour mark saw van Bronckhorst hand debuts to Cole McKinnon and Ross McCausland, while McKay had a third opportunity.
McCann had a great chance for 3-1 on the end of an Itten cross, but he shot over, before Tony Weston became the third debutant of the afternoon on 70 minutes, coming on in place of Davis.
That meant the XI finishing the game for Rangers was McLaughlin in goal, King, Simpson, Sands and Devine across the backline from right to left, McCann, Lowry and McKinnon in midfield, with McCausland and Weston playing in support of Itten – that being seven Academy players on the field for the Light Blues.
And one of those youngsters – Cole McKinnon – made it even more of a day to remember with the third goal on 81 minutes.
McCausland found him in the area with a fine ball from the right, and McKinnon steadied himself to finish brilliantly past Gordon from 15-yards out.
Tony Weston ought to have got himself on the scoresheet soon after as he headed a McCausland cross wide when unmarked at the back post.
3-1 is how it finished though, and now, the full focus goes onto Sevilla on Wednesday night. Bring it on!
HEARTS: Gordon, Smith (Halliday, 68), Kingsley, Haring (Souttar, 68), Boyce (Ginnelly, 12), Mackay-Steven, Devlin (Atkinson, 46), Cochrane, McKay, Simms (Halkett, 75), Sibbick.
SUBS NOT USED: Stewart, McEneff, Woodburn, Moore.
RANGERS: McLaughlin, King, Balogun, Balogun (Simpson, 60), Devine, Ramsey (McKinnon, 60), Arfield (McCann, 46), Davis (Weston, 70), Amad (McCausland, 60), Itten, Lowry.
SUBS NOT USED: McCrorie, Ritchie-Hosler, Miller, Fraser.
REFEREE: Kevin Clancy
ATTENDANCE: 16, 969