Hampden hoodoo
In terms of the outcome, that was that for Rangers and the semi-final berth was secured. An upset that never appeared to be on the cards was now off the table.
Rangers picked up where they left off after the break and Morelos got his goal just before being replaced. Another Kent corner wasn’t dealt with and the forward bundled the ball home from close range as the Gers added a shine to the scoreline.
It was Morelos’s last action before Eros Grezda was given his second outing for Gerrard’s side. He was quickly followed by Jordan Rossiter as he made his latest comeback from injury and was given a warm reception by the Ibrox crowd.
With the game won, it was going to be difficult for anyone to make an impact off the bench but both Grezda and Rossiter showed up well as Rangers continued to press and probe at the Ayr defence. At the other end, they were virtually untroubled.
It allowed Gerrard to introduce another rarely-seen face to the side as youngster Stephen Kelly took over from Ross McCrorie but it was his Auchenhowie peer that was continuing to lead the way.
Halliday and Middleton combined once again, this time in a more central area, and the former Norwich City kid showed his composure to finish well after spinning on the edge of the box. When the chance for the hat-trick arrived minutes later, Middleton couldn’t capitalise as he hit the side netting.
The job was done as Rangers took their tally to 13 in their last three Ibrox outings.
Now Gerrard will hope his side prove to be as clinical when they run out across Glasgow in a couple of weeks’ time.