Waghorn begs for chance to leave his mark on semi-final
MARTYN WAGHORN is pleading with Rangers manager Mark Warburton to give him a part to play in Sunday’s Old Firm Scottish Cup semi-final after seeing Harry Forrester ruled out with a fractured leg.
Forrester, fresh from signing a new three-year contract, went through a scan on Tuesday afternoon on the injury sustained in the Petrofac Training Cup final win over Peterhead, and received the news that he faces about six weeks on the sidelines.
Waghorn, the Ibrox club’s leading scorer with 28 goals, has been out with a knee injury picked up against Kilmarnock in a fifth-round Scottish Cup replay in mid-February, and had been written off for this weekend by Warburton.
He was left out of training at Murray Park yesterday morning, but, with attacking players Michael O’Halloran and Billy King both cup-tied, the former Wigan Athletic forward believes he can get himself into condition to play at least some match.
“I wouldn’t say I am definitely out,” he said.
“I am going to see how the next few days go, but I am working really hard and trying my best to change his mind.
“I am still holding onto a little [hope]. In terms of match sharpness, I am probably not ready, but I am doing a lot of work with the physios.
“It is a big game and I don’t want to risk anything, but I will see how I progress.
“When you come here, you understand how big Rangers and Celtic really is.
“Celtic are top of the league and you want to test yourself against the best, so it would be nice to get out there if I can.”
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Meanwhile, Lee Wallace, the Rangers captain, has insisted that his side will seek to force the issue against Celtic by maintaining the attackminded style that has been established at the club by Warburton.
“I feel we are ready,” he stated. “We are aware of their threat and they deserve respect for that, but we are going to go into this game to impose our style. I keep stressing that.
“We are never going to deviate from that no matter the opponent.
“That is the strong thing within this group of players.
“We have got belief in our style and belief in what we can do as individuals. We know we have a right good chance if we get it right on match day.”