Wednesday February 3, 2010 Semifinal Finished Hampden Park

Rangers 2 - 0 St. Johnstone

  • Davis 26’
  • McCulloch 38’

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  1. Rangers beat Saints to make final

    Rangers beat Saints to make final

    Runaway SPL leaders Rangers booked their place in the CIS Cup final with a comfortable 2-0 victory over St Johnstone at Hampden Park. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Rangers
    • St. Johnstone
    • 90+2 And that's it - a third successive CIS Cup Final appearance for Rangers.
    • 90' This one looks to be well and truly over.
    • 88' Rangers take the sting out of the last five minutes with a bit of keep ball.
    • 86' Morris pumps the ball forward. Rangers clear but St Johnstone come again - Moon beats two men before laying off to Milne but his dug out cross is well defended.
    • 84' A goal now would make a very interesting last five minutes or so.
    • 82' Moon drops his shoulder before firing over the bar from just outside the box.
    • 80' Another great intervention from Irvine. Naismith moves forward at pace before squaring for Fleck to almost certainly tap into an open goal but Irvine gets his boot to it and gets it way for a corner.
    • 78' John Fleck meanders goalwards but his firmly struck effort is diverted for a corner by a desperate Saints defender.
    • 75' Moon for Criag.
    • 73' Fleck in acres down the left, his touch is heavy but he still manages to round Smith. His cross - with Smith still in no-mans-land - is headed clear. Rangers will be conscious of the fact that they have yet to kill this game off.
    • 70' Naismith from twelve yards but Smith pushes his effort away from goal.
    • 69 Rangers break with Whittaker and Naismith looks certain to head his back stick cross past Smith but Grainger intervenes with a shove in the back and it is a penalty.
    • 68' Davidson rises highest at the back post but his header lacks any power. Good cross from Craig.
    • 66' Davidson wins a knockdown but with no one gambling the chance passes.
    • 65' With fresh legs up front, Rangers look a lot more comfortable. And Naismith flashes a header over the bar.
    • 63' Craig sees a firmly struck effort well saved by Alexander - this time the Perth side take a more direct route.
    • 60' St Johnstone are definitely having the better of this one and Walter Smith responds with a couple of substitutions - Lafferty is replaced by Little while Naismith comes on for Novo.
    • 58' Rangers relieve pressure well with long balls over that high defensive line.
    • 56' This has been a great response from St Johnstone - Lafferty this time there to deny the Saints. They are getting a lot of joy down Rangers' right.
    • 54' Rangers look incredibly dangerous on the break.
    • 52' Rangers break with Novo but his cross just isn't accurate enough for Lafferty and St Johnstone remain in the tie by the skin of their teeth.
    • 50' The snow appears to have subsided and the Saints have started the half the brighter.
    • 48' Sheridan has an early sight of goal but his left footed strike is easily claimed.
    • 46' We're back underway at Hampden.
    • - Milne replaces Morais for the Saints.
    • 45+1 Douglas McDonald brings the half to the end.
    • 44' St Johnstone have failed to score in only three of 25 games thus far this season, so there is second half hope for their fans.
    • 42' Rangers finish the half in the ascendancy and St Johnstone look a side in need of a half time team talk.
    • 40' Rangers continue to exploit space behind the Saints' defence. If the Perth side are to get anything from this tie, they will have to tighten things up at the back.
    • 38' Lee McCulloch doubles Rangers' lead - again a poor one to concede from a Saints' point of view. Whittaker tees up the former Wigan man and although his effort is well struck, Smith should have saved it but somehow let it squirm through his body.
    • 37' The Saints work the corner well to Morris but his effort skews off to the left of Alexander's goal. The former Millwall looks suitably unimpressed with that effort.
    • 35' But wait. David Weir almost puts a Craig cross into his own net. Corner, just.
    • 33' Lafferty continues to run the channels well. St Johnstone had been offering Rangers some problems early on, but, having taken the lead, the Gers are now looking very comfortable.
    • 30' Sheridan shows great feet again but he is offered little support from his colleagues.
    • 27' Chris Millar was culpable there for not tracking Davis but, to be fair, it was a well timed run.
    • 26' GOAL for Rangers. And it is a disappointing one to concede from St Johnstone's point of view. Novo breaks down the right before crossing for Davis, his original effort is well saved but from an incredibly tight angle the Northern Irish international volleys the rebound home to put Rangers into the lead.
    • 24' The Saints' goal continues to lead a charmed life. Irvine denies Rangers with another goal line clearance - this time from Davis.
    • 23' Rangers move forward with menace and claim a penalty for handball that Douglas McDonald dismisses. Looking at the replay, it's probably the correct decision.
    • 22' The Perth side continue to stretch the league leaders but yet again the final ball is missing. Derek McInnes cuts a frustrated figure on the touch line.
    • 20' Sheridan and Craig combine well again but the final ball just hasn't been there from Craig, thus far.
    • 18' Wonderful take from Sheridan, poor attempt at a chip. He looks bright, though.
    • 17' Davidson puts a gilt edged header the wrong side of the post having ghosted in between the Rangers' centre-backs. Great cross from Irvine. Best chance of the night so far.
    • 15' Lovely feet from Sheridan to release Craig, but his cross is too close to Alexander.
    • 13' Novo's tantalising centre is well defended by Gary Irvine at the back post.
    • 12' Lafferty springs the Saints' offside trap again but the move breaks down. St Johnstone continue to play a dangerous high line.
    • 10' St Johnstone continue to retain the ball well but the Gers look the more dangerous.
    • 8' Having regrouped, the Saints move forward and win consecutive corners but Rangers defend them well.
    • 5' What a last line clearance from Dave Mackay!!! Novo springs the offside trap, latches onto a Davis through ball before skipping past an onrushing Smith. With the goal at his mercy, the Spaniard looked certain to tap into an empty net, but Mackay was on hand to keep the sides on level terms.
    • 3' Morris returns fire for the Perth outfit but his effort from distance is always sailing over the bar.
    • 2' Novo tests Smith early on but, despite the slippery conditions, the Saints' keeper easily claims his tame effort.
    • 1' Douglas McDonald gets the seventh major semi-final between these sides underway.
    • - Both sides are in their away kits, as the law stipulates if there is a kit clash at a neutral ground - nice piece of useless information for you there.
    • - Unfortunately, it looks to be far from a sell out as the players make their way out to a very snowy Hampden Park.
    • - St Johnstone: Smith, Irvine, MacKay, Gartland, Grainger, Millar, Morris, Davidson, Morais, Sheridan, Craig. Subs: Main, Anderson, Moon, MacDonald, Milne.
    • - Rangers: Alexander, Whittaker, Weir, Wilson, Smith, Davis, McCulloch, Thomson, Fleck, Novo, Lafferty. Subs: McGregor, Naismith, Broadfoot, Little, Wylde.
    • - Rangers are likely to be without Kenny Miller, DeMarcus Beasley and Maurice Edu; while St Johnstone's new signing, Mark Connolly, should start alongside vice captain Jody Morris. Full team news to follow.
    • - The winner of tonight's tie will face St Mirren in the CIS Cup Final again at Hampden after the Paisley side prevailed 1-0 against Hearts. Billy Mehmet's stunning strike was enough to secure victory for the Saints.
    • - Hello and welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Co-operative Insurance Cup semi-final between runaway SPL leaders Rangers and St Johnstone from Hampden Park.

  • Summary

    • 80' Another great intervention from Irvine. Naismith moves forward at pace before squaring for Fleck to almost certainly tap into an open goal but Irvine gets his boot to it and gets it way for a corner.
    • 73' Fleck in acres down the left, his touch is heavy but he still manages to round Smith. His cross - with Smith still in no-mans-land - is headed clear. Rangers will be conscious of the fact that they have yet to kill this game off.
    • 69 Rangers break with Whittaker and Naismith looks certain to head his back stick cross past Smith but Grainger intervenes with a shove in the back and it is a penalty.
    • 38' Lee McCulloch doubles Rangers' lead - again a poor one to concede from a Saints' point of view. Whittaker tees up the former Wigan man and although his effort is well struck, Smith should have saved it but somehow let it squirm through his body.
    • 26' GOAL for Rangers. And it is a disappointing one to concede from St Johnstone's point of view. Novo breaks down the right before crossing for Davis, his original effort is well saved but from an incredibly tight angle the Northern Irish international volleys the rebound home to put Rangers into the lead.
    • 23' Rangers move forward with menace and claim a penalty for handball that Douglas McDonald dismisses. Looking at the replay, it's probably the correct decision.
    • 17' Davidson puts a gilt edged header the wrong side of the post having ghosted in between the Rangers' centre-backs. Great cross from Irvine. Best chance of the night so far.
    • 5' What a last line clearance from Dave Mackay!!! Novo springs the offside trap, latches onto a Davis through ball before skipping past an onrushing Smith. With the goal at his mercy, the Spaniard looked certain to tap into an empty net, but Mackay was on hand to keep the sides on level terms.
    • - St Johnstone: Smith, Irvine, MacKay, Gartland, Grainger, Millar, Morris, Davidson, Morais, Sheridan, Craig. Subs: Main, Anderson, Moon, MacDonald, Milne.
    • - Rangers: Alexander, Whittaker, Weir, Wilson, Smith, Davis, McCulloch, Thomson, Fleck, Novo, Lafferty. Subs: McGregor, Naismith, Broadfoot, Little, Wylde.
    • - Hello and welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Co-operative Insurance Cup semi-final between runaway SPL leaders Rangers and St Johnstone from Hampden Park.

Team Line-up & Ratings

  • Line-up

    Live Team Line-Up

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