Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist hailed Nacho Novo's 35-yard volley as one of the all-time great cup final goals after the Spaniard sunk Falkirk at Hampden.

The half-time substitute lobbed Dani Mallo less than 30 seconds after the restart as Rangers secured the double with a 1-0 Homecoming Scottish Cup final triumph.

Novo, who scored the winner when Rangers beat Hibernian to clinch the 2005 league title, has struggled to earn a starting place but he continues to pop up with crucial goals.

"Nacho is an incredible wee guy," said McCoist, who led Rangers throughout their cup campaign.

"He's got a wonderful rapport with the fans and his team-mates. He deserves his success because he works so hard every day in training.

"The place lights up when the wee man walks in, whether it's a football park or a room.

"I know where he's coming from; it's not easy when you're coming off the bench. But I'm doubly delighted for him because he deserves it.

"Looking at the context of the game and the quality of the goal, it will take some beating.

"It's certainly one of the great goals to win any cup final in any country."

Novo replaced Kris Boyd as Rangers matched Falkirk's 4-5-1 formation after being outplayed in the first half.

And McCoist admitted he could not have envisaged a pragmatic substitution having such a dramatic effect.

"We made a change because we felt we were losing out in midfield," McCoist said.

"To be fair to Barry (Ferguson) and Lee (McCulloch), they were outnumbered.

"We felt making the change we could put more pressure on their back four with Kenny (Miller) wide on the right and Nacho on the left.

"But it was beyond anybody's wildest dreams for a change like that to so quickly be beneficial. Because it was a goal worthy of winning any game of football."

McCoist has enjoyed one of the greatest weeks in his career after Rangers stopped Celtic winning their fourth successive title.

"It just feels magic," the former Ibrox striker said.

"I thought last week was one of the best days of my football life but watching the players with the cup was fantastic.

"Falkirk deserve an awful amount of praise because they were terrific. It didn't surprise me; I said beforehand they can pass the ball as well as anyone in the league and they did that today. In the first half, they made it very, very difficult."

Meanwhile, McCoist offered hope to Ferguson that he may be at the club next season.

After Pedro Mendes and Maurice Edu failed fitness tests, the 31-year-old made his first start for two months, since being suspended by the club following his part in the 'Boozegate' affair.

"He's got another year of his contract to go," McCoist said. "I'm hopeful that Barry will be here next year lifting the cup."

Falkirk boss John Hughes claimed they would have no regrets after dominating possession for much of the game.

"I thought they were all heroes," Hughes said. "I'm so proud of them, even when they went a goal behind they kept going and digging in.

"We played football the way it should be played. Sometimes you can take defeat a little bit easier when you see it done like that. And it was a wonder goal.

"I saw wee Nacho coming on at half-time and I thought 'aw, no, here we go' because he has punished us at times and he did it again.

"To lose a goal in the first minute of the second half was really disappointing, but all credit to Rangers. They are so resolute, that's why they are out there celebrating a double."

Falkirk rallied after strike trio Michael Higdon, Carl Finnigan and Mark Stewart came on in the 74th minute, and although Hughes had been trying to get them on for almost five minutes, he did not feel the change was too late.

"I think if I had started with them the performance in the first half wouldn't have been like that," he said.

"In the last 15 minutes it was more back-to-front, if we had got anything it would have been a bit fortunate. But it certainly rattled them."

Hughes led out his team with John Gowans, the father of late youth player Craig, who was electrocuted aged 17 in a training-ground accident in 2005.

"He was down in the dressing room and he came back at half-time to listen in," an emotional Hughes said.

"It was for the right reasons - for Craig's memory.

"He would have been out there with us. John's got his medal and we'll never forget him."

The Bairns boss has been linked with the vacant managerial positions at Hibernian and Aberdeen but he is already looking ahead to next season at Falkirk.

"I'll be at my work on Monday morning planning for next season," he said.

"All credit to the boys, about seven of them on the pitch don't know their futures.

"Hopefully I can sit down with the board and get the boys tied up to take the club to the next level."