WALKING ON AYR AND INTO THE SEMIS
Middleton shines for Ibrox men
MUCH has already changed at Rangers under Steven Gerrard’s command. Now he will have the chance to alter their rather miserable recent record at Hampden, assuming that remains the semi-final venue.
The Ibrox club have lost on their past five appearances at the national stadium — including four successive semi-finals — during a bleak sequence that stretches back to April 2016.
A last-four assignment against Aberdeen in the Betfred Cup late next month will, however, be the first visit to Mount Florida of Gerrard’s tenure unless the tie is shifted to Murrayfield. And his side continue to offer evidence of past frailties being removed.
This solid progression past Championship leaders Ayr United was a third successive four-goal victory over domestic opposition, maintaining the swell of confidence about their future prospects. Perhaps more significantly, it also underlined the emergence of Glenn Middleton as a player who could be influential throughout this season and many beyond.
The 18-year-old winger marked his first competitive start with an ebullient two-goal display that thrilled a 35,042 crowd inside Ibrox. Fast, direct and seemingly fearless, Middleton has seized with both hands the opportunity given to him by Gerrard.
He is now a valuable option within the manager’s armoury and was thoroughly deserving of his man-of-the-match award.
Nikola Katic and Alfredo Morelos were also on the scoresheet but the latter also provided the significant down-point for Rangers.
Having been booked in the previous round against Kilmarnock, a first-half booking for dissent here means Morelos will be suspended for the semi. With Kyle Lafferty cup-tied following his move from Hearts, that leaves Gerrard with a significant headache as to who will lead his attacking line against the Dons.
That was no issue here. Ayr had their moments early in this match, but the outcome was never really in any doubt. Rangers will now seek to maintain their momentum when they head to Livingston on Sunday for a potentially testing Premiership fixture.
As expected, Gerrard shuffled his pack for a 17th competitive fixture of their season. Six changes were made from Sunday’s 5-1 win over St Johnstone, including a first start since May for fit-again midfielder Graham Dorrans.
Wes Foderingham appeared in goal for only the second time this term, which helped provide a slender thread of continuity to the Scottish Cup meeting between these clubs back in February. Morelos was the only other Rangers player starting here who had also done so in that 6-1 success.
It took a little time for the pieces to click together in his latest rejigged team.
Ayr manager Ian McCall had pledged to ‘have a go’ at Rangers and was as good as his word in the initial exchanges. With Alan Forrest operating just off the ultra-prolific Lawrence Shankland, there was enough attacking menace to cause concern to the home backline.
The first flicker of threat arrived on ten minutes. Rangers could not quite clear a corner, allowing Mark Kerr to set up Robbie Crawford, who pinged in a 20-yard drive that required a touch from Foderingham to send it over.
Ayr were fancying this. Forrest was next to send a little tremor around Ibrox with a terrific, weaving run down the left flank, twisting away from Katic on two occasions. His cross was nicely measured to the near post but Andy Halliday lunged in to block before the ball was scrambled clear.
Gerrard’s side needed some similarly direct action to undermine the visitors’ confidence. It was a call answered by the youngest member of their line-up.
Signed by Graeme Murty back in January after being told he was surplus to requirements at Norwich City, Middleton had swiftly won the admiration of both his manager and the Ibrox crowd with a series of swashbuckling substitute appearances. He didn’t waste the chance to shine again.
The Scotland Under-21 winger hared down the left before fizzing in a low cross that Daniel Harvie turned behind. Ryan Kent delivered the resulting corner with aplomb and Katic soared to thud a header beyond Ayr goalkeeper Ross Doohan.
Middleton switched from creator to executioner when Rangers doubled their advantage after 31 minutes. The elevation Halliday produced on a pitching-wedge of a pass would delight the participants at Le Golf National over the next three days. It took out the Ayr back four and dropped perfectly into Middleton’s path. One touch to control was followed by a firm, angled finish off his left foot.
The teenager’s excellence should have set the seal on a positive first half for his side. But there was still a sting to come as Morelos collected his costly booking.
The Colombian had been floored by a challenge from Jamie Adams. Getting back to his feet, Morelos reacted angrily towards referee Bobby Madden — with Halliday having to lead him over to receive another yellow card for dissent. For all the quality in his play this season, and there has been plenty of it, these lapses are needlessly undermining.
As if on cue, Morelos accentuated his positives four minutes after the restart. When Ross McCrorie’s half-scuffed shot fell his way, there was only likely to be one outcome. Rolling away from his marker, Morelos swept in his eighth goal of the season to effectively end the contest.
It was also the end of his involvement. Kick-off was not even taken before Morelos made way to give £2million winger Eros Grezda some minutes in his legs.
Middleton secured his second in splendid style after 70 minutes. Latching on to another Halliday through-ball, he held off Mike Rose before lashing into the net.
He could have completed his hat-trick late on, but dragged a shot narrowly wide. By then, however, he had done more than enough.
RANGERS (4-3-3): Foderingham; Flanagan, Worrall, Katic, Halliday; Ross McCrorie (Kelly 69), Dorrans (Rossiter 56), Ejaria; Kent, Morelos (Grezda 50), Middleton.
Subs not used: Robby McCrorie, Wallace, Goldson, Arfield. AYR UNITED (4-4-1-1): Doohan; Smith, Adams, Rose, Harvie; Geggan (Moffat 59), Kerr, Murdoch (McDaid 65), Crawford; Forrest; Shankland (Moore 76). Subs not used: Hare-Reid, Ferguson, Bell, Docherty. Man of the match: Glenn Middleton. Referee: Bobby Madden. Attendance: 35,042.