RANGERS booked their place in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup in convincing fashion with a 24-1 away win over Westdyke this afternoon.
The Light Blues returned from the final international break of 2024 emphatically as nine first half goals put them in a convincing position at the interval before a further 15 strikes saw them run out commanding winners, which included five for both Kirsty Howat and Jane Ross, a Mia McAulay hat-trick as well as a double for Sarah Ewens in her first minutes of the campaign and a competitive debut for Lily Boyce.
Jo Potter’s side looked to get back into good habbits as they prepared for their final four fixtures of the calendar year. They came out of the blocks quickly and took just four minutes to open the scoring as Howat squared the ball across the goal on her left side for Brogan Hay to tap home the opener at the far post.
The lead was soon doubled as Howat combined with Jodi McLeary with a clever one-two before she found Camille Lafaix inside the area, as the midfielder fired the ball into the back of the net to make it two.
There was a special moment for the hosts however as they found the back of the net to halve the advantage on the day. Forward Bethany Cochrane won the ball high and cut inside on her left foot before smashing it beyond Victoria Esson in the Rangers goal as the SWF Championship got themselves on the scoresheet in style.
Rangers took control of proceedings from there on in however. Lizzie Arnot made it three with a well-taken finish on her right side, before Jane Ross grabbed her first of the day 22 minutes into the match to make it 4-1. A Lexi Milne own goal made it five before two further Kirsty Howat strikes, another Hay goal and a fine left footed finish from Chelsea Cornet from outside the area put the away side 9-1 ahead at the break.
A special moment for youngster Lily Boyce was to arrive as she made her competitive debut for the club for the second half as the goals then started to flow after the restart. The two strikers combined as Howat grabbed a 10th before a fantastic Megan Bell free kick and second Arnot goal of the day saw the Gers pull further clear.
Charlie Devlin then got herself on the scoresheet off the bench before Ross added the 14th of the day. Mia McAulay smashed the ball home from outside the area before Howat was able to round off her day with another before being replaced by Sarah Ewens for her first minutes of the campaign following an injury back in the summer.
The striker was then to mark her return with an assist for another Ross goal before Eilidh Austin then found the target after being introduced as a half time substitute. Ewens then got herself on the scoresheet before another Ross and McAulay goal made it 20 for the Gers on the day.
Ross claimed another two sandwiched in between a McAulay hat-trick strike before Ewens rounded off the scoring on a dominant afternoon for the Light Blues as they now turn their attention back to league action in a midweek fixture against Motherwell to come on Wednesday night.
WESTDKYE: Maclean, Whittingham, Reid, Milne, Binnie, Cochrane, Park, Traynor, Willox, Maclean, Macdonald
SUBS: Dunn, Bathgate, Kidd, Wilkie, Summers, Buchan, Dalgetty, Main
RANGERS: Esson, Hill (Boyce 45) Middag, Hay, Howat (Ewens 62), Bell, Ross, Arnot, Cornet (Devlin 45), Lafaix (McAulay 45), McLeary (Austin 45)
SUBS: N/A