Everything Rangers

The Light Blues were 4-0 ahead at the break thanks to goals from John Lundstram, Scott Wright, Ianis Hagi and Kemar Roofe before Roofe added to the scoring from the penalty spot in the second-half. Steven Gerrard named eight changes to his side from Tuesday night’s match with Jon McLaughlin, Nathan Patterson, Jack Simpson, Calvin Bassey, John Lundstram, Glen Kamara, Ianis Hagi and Kemar Roofe coming into the starting XI. Rangers lined-up with McLaughlin in goal and a back four of Nathan Patterson, Connor Goldson, Jack Simpson and Calvin Bassey. Glen Kamara, John Lundstram and Joe Aribo were in midfield with Ianis Hagi and Scott Wright supporting striker Kemar Roofe who returned to the starting line-up. It was the perfect start for Rangers in this cup tie as they broke the deadlock with just two minutes on the clock. Calvin Bassey was quick to react to a loose pass from Dunfermline inside their own box and he picked out John Lundstram.

The midfielder drilled a powerful shot towards goal which bounced off the crossbar and into the back of the net for his first Rangers goal. Kemar Roofe had a header saved by Deniz Mehmet as Rangers looked to capitalize on their strong start. It was two with 17 minutes on the clock as Rangers’ early pressure paid off. Ianis Hagi played a perfectly weighted pass in behind the Dunfermline defence finding the run of Scott Wright. The winger took a touch making space for himself just inside the box before curling a right-footed effort beyond Deniz Mehmet. It was a fantastic start from the Gers as they made it 3-0 less than two minutes later, Calvin Bassey drove down the left and delivered an inviting cross into the box which was headed home by Ianis Hagi at the back post. Nathan Patterson almost made it four shortly after as Steven Gerrard’s men looked hungry to add to their tally. Bassey again delivered a good ball in from the left which John Lundstram touched into the path of Patterson but Mehmet managed to get a hand to the shot to tip it over the bar for a Rangers corner. It was four after 32 minutes as Kermar Roofe added to the scoring, it was fantastic build-up play from Rangers as Joe Aribo flicked a Glen Kamara pass into the path of the striker, and he struck a right-footed effort into the back of the net. Into the second-half Rangers continued that same relentless attitude we saw in the first-half as they continued to pile the pressure on the Championship side.

Willie Collum pointed to the spot on the 57th minute as good build-up play around the box saw the ball fall to Kemar Roofe, who was bundled over in the area as he was about to get his shot away. The striker stepped up to the spot and made no mistake in firing a low effort into the bottom corner of the net to give Rangers a five-goal advantage. Alfredo Morelos, Scott Arfield and Stephen Kelly all made an appearance from the bench as the Light Blues searched for their sixth goal of the evening. Stephen Kelly’s corner was headed just over the bar by Jack Simpson, before Alfredo Morelos saw a shot from just inside the box go over the bar. Kemar Roofe saw an effort from the edge of the box saved by Mehmet in the dying stages of the game as the striker searched for his hat-trick.

Rangers: McLaughlin, Patterson, Goldson, Simpson, Bassey, Lundstram, Kamara (Kelly, 78), Aribo, Hagi (Arfield, 71), Roofe, Wright (Morelos 64). Subs: McCrorie, Tavernier, Helander, Itten, Kent, Barisic.

Dunfermline: Mehmet, Comrie, Edwards, Graham, MacDonald (Thomas, 46), O’Hara (Dow, 46) Wighton (Cole, 56), Todorov, Pybus, Dorrans, Watson. Subs: Fon Williams, Breen, Gaspuitis, Allan, Jones, Todd. Referee: William Collum. Attendance: 41, 467

Match report originally posted here.