MINNOWS PAY THE PENALTY

Spot-on Windass hits treble as Rangers sail through stormy seas

FOR generations, many of the good people of Fraserburgh have earned their crust by landing some big catches from the deep waters of the North Sea.

Truthfully, there was never much danger of Rangers floundering along the road at little Bellslea Park last night.

On a pitch as narrow as a landing strip and in utterly horrific conditions, Graeme Murty’s men were far from great yet were still good enough to ease towards a fifth-round meeting with Ayr United at Somerset Park.

Josh Windass, with a hat-trick, was the man who crushed the Highland League side’s hopes of recording a win which would, unquestionably, have been the biggest upset since the competition began back in 1873.

Make no mistake. For all the result was comprehensive, a rescheduled midweek tie against the side presently sitting second in their own division represented choppy waters for the Ibrox men. In that regard, Murty will have breathed a mighty sigh of relief simply to have progressed.

Fraserburgh were bold and forceful for as long as their part-time legs held out. They will forever rue the fact they handed their illustrious visitors a cheap opening goal via an early penalty kick.

Murty’s frustration at failing to kill off the Broch before they did will be tempered with an appreciation that these assignments are rarely as straightforward as they appear to be.

Mindful of the dangers of even a semblance of complacency being present in the visiting dressing room on such occasions, the Rangers manager subjected his squad to a re-run of Newport County’s heroic weekend draw with Tottenham. In the end, it had the desired effect.

Much work is to be done before anyone’s mind can contemplate standing on the winner’s podium at Hampden on May 19.

There is, though, for the first time in long enough, a sense of optimism and belief about the Ibrox club. For the watching figure of Dave King last night, a first major trophy since 2011 now seems like a realistic proposition as opposed to a pipe dream.

Murty’s hopes of doing just that, and surely landing the job in the process, will be helped in no small part by having Alfredo Morelos on board until then.

For all the Chinese transfer window remains open until February 28, Rangers have made clear that the Colombian will not be sold. Beijing Renhe, the club who are prepared to pay up to £8million for the 21-year-old, have been told bluntly there will be no transaction at this juncture.

Morelos remained stationed on the bench last night but there is nothing to suggest he would rather have been elsewhere on a wet and windy night on the Aberdeenshire coast.

Murty made six changes from the side which defeated Ross County. In came Jak Alnwick, Lee Hodson, Niko Kranjcar, Andy Halliday, Fabio Cardoso and Jason Cummings.

Broch manager Mark Cowie’s selection included his two brothers Ryan and Dean. Fifty-nine years to the day since they eliminated a Dundee side which were then top of the First Division from the Cup, Fraserburgh could only hope the omens were favourable.

There was much to admire about the way the minnows went about their business. Far from feeling their way into the tie, they went at the Glasgow giants from the off.

A promising early free-kick opening saw Ryan Cowie smash the ball into the defensive wall. Brian Hay’s block on Windass typified their steely approach.

They were the better side in the opening ten minutes but crucially did not strike when the iron was hot.

Rangers gradually found their feet. When Kranjcar floated a precision pass over the Broch defence, only keeper Peter Tait’s alertness kept the scoreline deadlocked. Fraserburgh’s resistance didn’t last much longer, though.

Kranjcar was again the instigator. His deft chip to Jason Holt seemed certain to end with the midfielder hitting the target from six yards. Ryan Cowie’s challenge ensured it didn’t happen — but at the cost of a penalty.

Favouring power over placement, Windass blasted the spot-kick to Tait’s right to settle the visitors’ jitters.

If Fraserburgh were going down, it was clear they were going down having let Rangers know they had been in a game.

Testing their defence with a string of long balls, they forced Hodson into an awkward exchange with William West. Alas, referee Greg Aitken didn’t buy claims of a shove in the back. A theatrical fall to the turf would not have helped.

Kranjcar struck the bar before David Bates flashed a header wide and, as long as the deficit remained at one, the Broch kept believing.

Another gilt-edged chance came and went after Cardoso up-ended West on the edge of his own box. Skipper Ryan Christie took charge of the set-piece but again the effort made it no further than the wall.

It allowed Rangers to maintain their lead at the break.

Any lingering doubts as to the outcome lasted just ten second-half minutes. Hodson’s cross from the right allowed Kranjcar to skilfully flick the ball on. Cummings took a wild swipe at it and inadvertently pushed the ball into the path of Windass. The finish was crisp and left Tait without a hope. Tie over.

With Fraserburgh’s legs weakening and their spirit sapping, it was now a question of how many. Windass recorded his hat-trick on 67 minutes with a dart in from the left and an arrow of a right-foot finish into the bottom corner of Tait’s near post.

The Broch keeper then denied Daniel Candeias after the winger took aim from distance.

Murty was able to afford welcome run-outs from the bench for Joe Dodoo, Jamie Murphy and Eduardo Herrera.

Gary Harris joined skipper Christie and Holt in the book.

Despite Broch sub Graham Johnston seeing red for a silly lunge on Dodoo shortly after entering the field, the minnows went out with their heads held high and their bank balance much the better for the experience.

Rangers can reflect on a difficult task professionally ticked off.