RANGERS BOOK A DERBY DATE AFTER ROUT
Roofe at the double in stroll to victory as Highland upstarts fall short in Govan
THE road to Hampden has not been an easy one for Rangers to travel along under Steven Gerrard’s guidance. It is a journey they have embarked on once again and an Old Firm hurdle has been placed in their way already.
Given how dominant the champions have been this season, it is a challenge that is unlikely to faze them, though. Cove Rangers certainly didn’t, and the League One side were dispatched with minimum of fuss as a fourth-round fixture with Celtic was pencilled into the schedule.
The Scottish Cup final has been circled in diaries for some time by supporters but there is no chance of Gerrard and his players looking that far into the future. That certainly won’t be the case now that Celtic stand in their way next.
The defeat to St Mirren in the Betfred Cup in December saw Rangers miss out on arguably their best chance of silverware since Gerrard’s arrival and left him nought from seven in terms of trophies at Ibrox.
That statistic has, of course, been changed and the fact the league flag will fly at Ibrox once again means this season will forever be a historic one. It has the potential to be even better, however, and that is the task now for Rangers.
An unbeaten Premiership campaign would be a notable achievement and a reason to be proud for Gerrard and his players. But it is medals that they are judged on and that is why the Scottish Cup is the main ambition between now and the end of May.
Rangers would discover their potential opponents for the fourth and fifth rounds before they played their third round tie and St Johnstone or Clyde will await if Celtic can be overcome in a fortnight. Like throughout this term, the focus will be one game at a time.
That was the case here as Cove were beaten with the ease that was expected and the margin of victory could have been even greater come the end of a comfortable and pleasing evening for Rangers.
There was a statement of intent from Gerrard as he selected a much-changed but strong starting line-up. Some players had a chance to impress, while stalwarts of the title-winning campaign ensured the bid for cup glory got off to an impressive start.
The game was won as soon as Jermain Defoe opened the scoring and Rangers would be four ahead by the interval as Cove unsurprisingly found the leap from the top of League One to the summit of the Premiership too wide to bridge.
The strike from Defoe was the pick of the first-half goals as he spun Fraser Fyvie and finished emphatically from 20 yards. A couple of half chances would come and go either side of it, but this was evidence that the veteran still knows where the back of the net is.
There was no way back for Paul Hartley’s side from that point and Kemar Roofe would score twice in quick succession. The striker had hit the post early on and he would find himself in the right place at the right time to convert after Scott Arfield’s shot was saved and then score from close range after being picked out by the lively Scott Wright.
The difference in class was clear but Cove did not help their cause as they needlessly played themselves into problems. Such errors were always going to be punished by a Rangers attack that were very much in the mood and in the groove.
That was the case just before the break. Daniel Higgins’ pass to Adam Livingstone was intercepted by Nathan Patterson and the full-back would finish well from the edge of the area as he made the most of his chance to play following Rangers’ decision to appeal the Scottish FA ban for his Covid breach.
The drop in intensity after the break was understandable and expected. Defoe could have added another couple to his tally and Connor Goldson fired over before a stoppage in play that saw Jamie Masson receive treatment and then stretchered off in some discomfort.
Hartley admitted during the week that this fixture, whilst it was the biggest in Cove’s history, was not their most significant as he looks ahead to the trip to face Clyde tomorrow evening.
This was an occasion for
Cove to savour, but Hartley will hope that the unfortunate and serious loss off Masson is the only cost for his side as attentions return to their title bid.
Gerrard had introduced Ianis Hagi at the interval and then Cedric Itten and Greg Stewart and Rangers would continue to attack at will. As the clock ticked over, the scoreboard was not troubled and the closing stages were something of a non-event.
There were positives for Gerrard to take in the shape, though. Patterson was excellent at right-back as he continues to grow into a first-team player, while Wright deserved a goal for a performance that offered fans a real insight into what he can bring to the team.
It was a case of a job well done for Rangers as they took the first small step towards Hampden. An Old Firm win would be a stride in the right direction.