RANGERS secured passage to the Last 16 of the Scottish Cup tonight with a professional victory over Stirling Albion at Ibrox.
A debut goal from 18 year-old Alex Lowry and a James Tavernier penalty had the Light Blues two up at the break before Cedric Itten and Fashion Jr added some gloss in the second half.
Manager Gio van Bronckhorst named eight changes to his side this evening - from the team which faced Aberdeen on Tuesday night - Jon McLaughlin, John Lundstram, Itten, Jack Simpson, Brandon Barker, Juninho Bacuna, Leon Balogun and Fashion Jr all came into the side to join Tavernier, Connor Goldson and Ianis Hagi.
That meant it was a back five of McLaughlin in goal with Tavernier, Goldson, Balogun and Simpson in front of him.
Lundstram, Bacuna and Hagi were in the midfield, with Barker and Fashion Jr playing in support of Itten.
Tavernier came close with an early effort from distance that zipped just over goalkeeper Blair Currie’s bar, before Gers were dealt an early blow with Hagi forced off with injury after just 14 minutes.
He was replaced by Lowry for a debut, and just minutes later Gers, though they had a lead, as Itten bundled a Tavernier ball seemingly over the line, but the referee nor the assistant adjudged the ball to have found a way in as ‘keeper Blair Currie pushed it clear.
Fashion Jr dragged a shot from distance just wide, while Lowry got his head to a Tavernier cross which Currie held onto.
Currie then batted away a fierce Lundstram drive from 25-yards, before the breakthrough arrived on 31 minutes through debutant Lowry.
Gers turned the ball over in midfield and Lowry did well initially to bring it forward, before playing an excellent one-two with Bacuna to get in for the shot.
And, from just inside the area, his finish was superbly composed into the bottom corner to add to what was already a night to remember for the youngster.
Adam Cummins made a fine block to deny Itten the second when he was put in by a smart Tavernier chip, before Gers were awarded a penalty on 37 minutes as Jordan McGregor handled inside the area.
Despite Currie going the right way, the pace on Tavernier’s spot-kick took it beyond the goalkeeper and into the net for 2-0.
Amazingly, two minutes later, Gers had another spot-kick when Barker was tripped in the box by Mason Hancock.
Tavernier opted to go right again, but this time Currie was able to get a hand to the ball to prevent number three.
A fine block from McGregor prevented Tavernier again from getting that third at the start of the second half when he was fed by Itten, while Currie punched a half-volley from an Itten knock-down away.
Currie then tipped a Balogun header on a Tavernier corner over, before Itten netted the third on his Ibrox return on 59 minutes.
Lowry slipped Lundstram in, and he played a neat ball into danger for Itten to control well and fire beyond Currie from close range.
Leon King was then handed an Ibrox debut on the hour mark in-place of Balogun, and Lowry came close to another with an effort which stung the palms of Currie from 25-yards.
Jon McLaughlin made a decent late save from Dylan Mackin to prevent the visitors from registering on the scoresheet, before Fashion Jr got himself on the scoresheet on 86 minutes.
Bacuna played a super ball to play the Zambian striker in on goal before he finished well beyond Currie as the goalkeeper came out to close the angle.
RANGERS: McLaughlin, Tavernier, Lundstram, Goldson, Hagi (Lowry, 14), Itten, Simpson, Barker, Bacuna, Balogun (King, 60), Fashion Jr.
SUBS NOT USED: McCrorie, Bassey, Sands, Wright, Roofe, McCann.
STIRLING ALBION: Currie, McGeachie, Hancock (Creaney, 86), Cummins, McGregor, Grant, Moore (Banner, 70), Roberts, Francis (Mackin, 75), Leitch, Flanagan.
SUBS NOT USED: Law, Heaver, Carrick, McNiff.
ATTENDANCE: 37, 916
A subscription to RangersTV starts from just £6 per month, and provides not only exclusive access to the club’s teams, but also original feature videos and documentaries, our incredibly popular Inside Ibrox and Away Days shows and our extensive archive of match action from through the years.
Now Showing on RangersTV