League Cup SF: Rangers’ road to Hampden

Group Stage

Motherwell 0-2 Rangers (Tavernier 48’, Waghorn 90+’)

Rangers opened the 2016/17 with a trip to Fir Park to face Motherwell in the newly revamped League Cup; which featured a group stage for the first time in decades. Manager Mark Warburton, largely, kept faith with the side who served him so well the previous season despite making a number of summer signings. After a goalless first half, James Tavernier scored after some wonderful link-up with Martyn Waghorn just three minutes after the restart before Waghorn wrapped it up in injury time. The scoreline, maybe, flattered Rangers a little as defensive lapses could quite easily have given ‘Well a lifeline.

RANGERS: Foderingham; Tavernier, Wilson, Kiernan, Wallace; Halliday, Holt (Windass, 69), Forrester (Kranjcar, 60); Waghorn, Miller (O’Halloran, 60), McKay.

Subs not used: Gilks, Hodson, Hill, Windass, Thompson.

Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images

Rangers 2-0 Annan (McKay 30, Waghorn 73’)

Rangers saw off League Two side Annan with a comfortable win at Ibrox. Barrie McKay’s opener gave the Light Blues a first half lead before Waghorn doubled the Gers advantage 17 minutes before the end. New signings Josh Windass, Niko Kranjcar, Matt Gilks, Lee Hodson, Clint Hilland Joey Barton all made their Ibrox debuts with Kranjcar and Windass, in particular, putting in impressive performances. Rangers probably could have scored more and their wastefulness in front of goal has been a common sight so far this term.

RANGERS: Gilks, Hodson, Hill, Kiernan, Wallace, Halliday, Windass (Forrester 60’), Kranjcar (Barton 60’), O’Halloran, Waghorn, McKay (Miller 60’)

Subs not used: Foderingham, Tavernier, Wilson, Holt

East Stirlingshire 0-3 Rangers (Halliday 10’ (pen), Windass 35’, Dodoo 90+’)

Rangers maintained their unblemished record in the League Cup with a third win and a third clean sheet at the expense of East Stirlingshire. An early penalty from Andy Halliday put Rangers in the lead before Josh Windass made it 2-0 with his first goal for the club 10 minutes before the break. A 91st minute goal from debutant Joe Dodoo topped off a comfortable win against recently-relegated Shire.

RANGERS: Gilks; Hodson, Hill, Wilson, Wallace; Halliday, Forrester (Thompson, 65), Windass (Kranjcar 45); O’Halloran (Dodoo, 60) Miller, McKay.

Subs not used: Foderingham, Hardie, Waghorn, Kiernan.

Rangers 3-0 Stranraer (Waghorn 5’ (pen), 16’, Kranjcar 53’)

Rangers made it four from four with an easy win over Stranraer at Ibrox. Martyn Waghorn’s early double killed off any chances of an upset before Niko Kranjcar grabbed his first goal in light blue when he scored from distance. The League 1 side struggled from the start as Barrie McKay put them under early pressure and winning the penalty which opened the scoring. England U19 captain Jordan Rossiter, recently signed from Liverpool, made his debut and quickly impressed.

RANGERS: Foderingham; Tavernier, Kiernan, Wilson, Wallace; Barton (Rossiter, 64), Halliday (Dodoo, 64) Kranjcar; Forrester, Waghorn, McKay (Miller, 64).

Subs not used: Gilks, Hill, Hodson, O’Halloran.

Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images

Second Round

Rangers 5-0 Peterhead (Kranjcar 19’, Hill 35’ 56’, Kelleher (og) 47’, Dodoo 65’)

Rangers cruised into the quarter final with a 5-0 thumping of Peterhead at Ibrox. Veteran defender Clint Hill bagged a double as Niko Kranjcar, Joe Dodoo and an own goal to set up a clash with Queen of the South. Kranjcar and Dodoo linked well for the Croat to rifle a shot beyond ex-Ger Graeme Smith in the Blue Toon goal. Clint Hill then found himself in the right place at the right time as the ball fell to him yards from goal to double Rangers’ lead. Hill completed an unlikely double after the break as the defender was first to meet a Kranjcar cross.

RANGERS: Gilks; Tavernier, Hill, Kiernan, Hodson; Rossiter (Halliday 61’), Barton (Holt 62’), Kranjcar (McKay 62’); O’Halloran, Dodoo, Forrester.

Subs not used: Foderingham, Miller, Bates.

Quarter Final

Rangers 5-0 Queen of the South (Holt 33’, Halliday 62’, Waghorn 64’, 70’, 83’)

Rangers faced Queen of the South looking to book their place in a third national semi-final in three years but took longer than they would have liked to kill off QOS. Goals from Jason Holt and Andy Halliday looked to have secured Rangers passage before Martyn Waghorn grabbed a late hat-trick to put some shine on the result. Matt Crooks made his long awaited debut after a long-term injury and the 6’ 5” midfielder added a physical presence that’s been a bit lacking in Rangers’ displays.

RANGERS: Gilks; Tavernier, Hill, Wilson, Hodson; Kranjcar, Halliday, Holt (McKay 45); O’Halloran (Miller 77), Waghorn, Forrester (Crooks 72)

SUBS: Foderingham, Garner, Dodoo, Senderos