RANGERS will contest the Glasgow Cup final once again as they strengthened their hopes of retaining the famous old trophy with a 2-1 victory over Partick Thistle in the semi-final this evening.
In doing so, the Light Blues set up a third successive Old Firm showdown in the final of the competition after Celtic got the better of Clyde in the corresponding last four clash.
First half goals from Callum Burnside and Chris Eadie proved the difference in Milngavie, with the Light Blues forced to dig deep in the second period, albeit with the threat to further their advantage, after Jamie Taggart halved the deficit for the Jags.
It spoke to the youthfulness of the Rangers side on display that both Zander Hutton and Paul Nsio, 18 and 19 respectively, represented the elder statesmen of the side tonight.
Aiden McCallion, meanwhile, was in from the off after featuring on the substitutes bench for the first-team in their previous two outings against Athletic Club and Aberdeen.
Among Thistle’s ranks were Sean Kelly, brother of goalkeeper Liam, and Steven Lawless, who has made over 200 appearances for the Jags.
Still, the expectation to progress was still firmly on Rangers’ shoulders, and they almost got off to the perfect start on six minutes when a delicious slide rule pass from Burnside released Eadie whose near post finish was thwarted by the legs of David Mitchell in the Thistle goal.
As anticipated, the home side controlled the lion’s share of the ball in the opening exchanges, although they suffered a scare when Terry Ablade’s curling effort appeared goalbound but, much to the relief of the hosts, dipped round the outside of Alfie Halliwell’s far post.
Burnside, who turned 18 only earlier this year, has hit the goal trail in recent weeks in the Under-18s’ league campaign, and he went close moments later with a rasping strike along the ground that Mitchell was down low to deny.
And it was only 60 seconds later that the Northern Irishman made the difference to break the deadlock.
Jack Wyllie was the architect, floating a lovely delivery into a congested penalty area where Burnside controlled the defender’s cross with a crisp first-touch and dispatched confidently under the outstretched Mitchell in one swift motion.
It was the perfect opener for the Light Blues, who doubled their advantage to leave the visitors with a mountain to climb six minutes later.
The Jags couldn’t live with a sweeping one-touch move from Smith’s side on the left-hand side, freeing Adamson in space who quickly moved possession into Eadie. The forward had Hutton in acres of space in an advanced position to his right, but he elected not to use the full-back and, instead, fired an unstoppable driven finish into the bottom corner to leave the goalkeeper with no chance.
Thistle had their goalkeeper to thank just shy of the half-hour mark when McCallion strode onto a Hutton pull-back and guided a left-footed finish goalwards which was palmed round for a corner by the busy Mitchell.
For all of Rangers’ pressure, however, the away side ought to have reduced the arrears down the opposite end when Halliwell could only palm Ablade’s powerful effort into the vicinity of Jamie Taggart who, with the goal gaping, contrived to lift the ball over the crossbar.
McCallion again tested his luck on the stroke of the interval that drew a diving stop from Mitchell, while Ablade continued to worry the Light Blues rearguard and flashed wide of the Gers goal with a finish he ought to have done better with.
The scoreline offered Rangers assurance heading into the second period but not absolute comfort as, right on cue, Thistle halved the deficit four minutes after the restart.
It was, unfortunately for the hosts, entirely of their own making as Connor Campbell sold Halliwell short with a back pass along the byline and Taggart stole in for the Jags to round the Gers goalkeeper and tap into an empty net.
Suddenly, it was game on. Che Campbell lifted a free-kick off target after the Thistle captain was pulled back cynically on the edge of the penalty area, before Taggart’s delivery from the left-hand side almost arced over a red-faced Halliwell on his goalline.
The hour mark ushered in a triple substitution from Smith as young Alex Smith, Oliver Goodbrand and Arran Kerr entered the fray.
The Light Blues went within inches of restoring their two-goal advantage moments later when Smith liberated Adamson beyond the Thistle defence and the midfielder’s subsequent delivery across the face of goal almost landed kindly for Burnside at the far post.
Opportunity knocked for each of Burnside, substitute Lewis Stewart and Smith before the contest’s conclusion and, although the third goal never quite arrived for Rangers, they held Thistle at arm’s length in the dying embers and could celebrate a return to the final on the sound of referee Connor Ashwood’s full-time whistle.
RANGERS: Halliwell, Wyllie, Campbell, Scott (Goodbrand, 60), Hutton (Kerr, 60), McCallion (Smith, 60), Adamson, Wark, Nsio (Stewart, 77), Burnside, Eadie (Christie, 49)
Subs not used: Thackray, Hynd, Fernie
PARTICK THISTLE: Mitchell, Rooney, Low, Monaghan, Kelly (Mann, 45), Dolan, Taggart (Patterson, 74), Lockhart, Ablade (McKay, 74), Campbell, Lawless (Falconer, 45)
Subs not used: Storey, McKenna, Docherty
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