SKIPPER Barry Ferguson dug Rangers out of a massive hole last night when he finally killed off the considerable menace of Ross County to clinch a place in the Cup quarter-finals.
Rangers were in danger of becoming lost in the Highlands after they blew a two-goal lead and let courageous County back into a pulsating cup tie.
Indeed, had it not been for the skills of Stefan Klos Dick Advocaat and Rangers could have been staring at an horrendous defeat.
However, Ferguson came up trumps with a well-worked goal to ease the stress and keep the Ibrox men on course for a third successive triumph.
Having endured one of the most disappointing and damaging periods in his Rangers career Dick Advocaat knew he had to get the right response from his team in the Highlands.
The back to back defeats by Celtic hurt the manager and the team badly and Advocaat knew that many would be looking for Rangers to suffer the horror of following thay with a Cup exit in Dingwall.
Sky TV opted to screen the game live for that very reason and there was a spell in the game which totally vindicated their decision as County were allowed to come back from two goals down.
Rangers seemed to be coasting after two Tore Andre Flo strikes inside 17 minutes put them well in command, but the gritty Highlanders gave Rangers a real run for their money.
It was Neil McCann who created the opening goal in four minutes with a smart ball into Kenny Miller, whose quick feet were too much for Mark Perry as he spun away from the former Aberdeen and Dundee United defender.
Miller looked up and laid the ball into the path of Flo who took one touch and buried a right foot shot into the right corner of Nicky Walker?s net.
It was not much of a night for Perry, who was booked in six minutes for a very heavy challenge on Claudio Reyna, as he was caught short again in 17 minutes as Flo fired in his second goal in similar style.
Again McCann was at the heart of it clipping a cute pass into the towering Norwegian, who eased away from Perry before beating Walker again with the same type of shot.
Flo celebrated in style and little wonder. He had not scored since notching two at Love Street on January 2 and goals are so important to strikers – especially if you are priced at #12millon.
Having taken control so early, Rangers were entitled to feel comfortable but they put themselves under pressure when they lost a bad goal after 20 minutes to give their First Division opponents real heart.
Bert Konterman was caught out by Owen Coyle’s headflick which released Alex Bone in the box and he got away from Reyna before driving a low right foot shot into the net.
It was County’s first attack of any substance and they made Rangers pay. It gave them belief that Rangers were vulnerable and so it proved early in the second half.
In fairness to Flo, he was unlucky not to complete his hat-trick after half an hour. Tugay played the ball into skipper Barry Ferguson inside the box and he laid it off for Flo, who made a sweet strike with the outside of his right boot but Walker was equal to it, pushing the ball wide for a corner.
That might have killed it, but Rangers had some rough moments lying in wait. There was an urgency missing in their play and County’s tenacity caused real problems in the early moments of the second half.
The Highlanders sensed they could get something and they duly found an equaliser in 54 minutes to really rattle Rangers.
The Ibrox defence could not get the ball clear as Brian Irvine lay on the ground trying to win the ball and it broke to Bone who glefully hammered in his second goal of the night.
Now it was game on and Rangers had to dig deep to recover from the psychological blow of squandering a two-goal cushion to lower league opposition.
The Highlanders were rampant and Frenchman Karim Boukraa almost caught out Klos with a long-range shot in 59 minutes which the German keeper pushed over the bar.
It was left to the captain Barry Ferguson to calm the nerves and restore order when he fired Rangers back in front in 63 minutes and it really was an excellent goal.
Reyna picked out Ferguson in the box with a perfectly threaded pass and the skipper clipped a right foot shot past Walker, much to the relief of the Rangers fans behind the goal.
The drama was not over, however, as Klos had to make another superb save when he brilliantly blocked Hugh Robertson’s powerful left foot drive in 75 minutes.
Then in the final minute Scott Wilson had to hook the ball clear from under his own crossbar after Brian Irvine’s header seemed destined for the net.
It was a fraught night in the north and Kenny Miller should have scored at the other end seconds later. However, Rangers hung on book a place in the last eight.
ROSS COUNTY: Walker; Perry, Maxwell, Irvine, Robertson; McCormick (Fraser 76), Boukran (Holmes 74), Ferguson, Henderson (Mackay 65); Bone, Coyle. Subs not used – Hamilton, Cunnington.
Bookings: Perry (6) Bone (81)
RANGERS: Klos; Wilson, Konterman, Malcolm; Ricksen, Reyna, Ferguson, Tugay, McCann; Flo, Miller (Johnston 90). Subs not used – Moore, Carson, Cristiansen, McHale.
Bookings: none
Ref: Mike McCurry.
Att: 5,972
Man of the match: Stefan Klos
Moment of the match: The keeper?s save from Robertson which prevented a replay.