Jonatan Johansson scored twice for the second successive week as Rangers
strolled into the quarter finals of the Tennent's Scottish Cup today.
The Finnish striker made the breakthrough in the fourth minute but it wasn't
until the second half that the Premier League side stamped their authority on
the game.
This emphatic victory means Rangers are still in sight of a domestic treble in
Dick Advocaat's first season in charge.
The League Cup is already in the trophy cabinet and they are currently top of
the Premier League.
Hamilton, lying 18 places below Rangers, second bottom of the First Division,
were always going to be up against it.
The contrast in status between the two clubs could hardly have been more
marked.
Hamilton, without a home and currently playing at Firhill, consist mainly of
free transfers.
Rangers, meanwhile, are flying high after spending close on £33million since
the summer on new players.
Johansson hardly got a game last season but has progressed under Advocaat in
the last few months.
He made Hamilton pay after Giovanni van Bronckhurst had swung in a corner from
the right and Albertz fired the ball towards goal.
But Johansson struck at the second attempt after Steve Renwick had blocked the
original shot.
It looked as though the floodgates would open but Hamilton defended stubbornly
until shortly before the break.
Keeper John Hillcoat did well to turn away a shot from Johansson with his foot
in the 34th minute but Rangers added a second three minutes before the break.
Neil McCann got away down the left and Rod Wallace and Andrei Kanchelskis were
both clear in the middle and begging for the ball.
The former Hearts player decided to take the ball on and Hillcoat raced out of
his goal and needlessly bundled him over.
Jorg Albertz stepped up and rattled the ball into the corner from the penalty
spot for his 15th goal of the season.
Wallace should have added a third before the break only to blast the ball over
the top after Johansson had played it into his path.
Rangers kept up the pressure in the second half and Tony Vidmar scored his
first goal of the season, heading home following another dangerous corner from
van Bronckhurst.
Hamilton were beginning to wilt under the pressure and conceded three more
goals in the space of just 10 minutes.
Kanchelskis made it 4-0 after linking up with substitute Charlie Miller in the
65th minute and seven minutes later Johansson added his second goal, after
substitute Stephane Guivarc'h had flicked on a long clearance from Kanchelskis.
Johansson should have completed his hat-trick a minute later only to fire wide
after Kanchelskis had carved out the opening.
McCann completed the scoring in the 75th minute when his mis-hit shot went
through keeper Hillcoat's legs and into the corner.
For Hamilton there was the consolation of a much-needed £150,000 return from
the match - mainly thanks to the television rights.
Teams:
Hamilton: J. Hillcoat, Renicks, Cunnington, C. Hillcoat, Berry,
Thomson, McAulay (McKenzie 68), N. Henderson (Moore 62),
McCormick, Wales, D. Henderson (Clark 68).
Rangers: Klos, Porrini, Amoruso, Vidmar (Wilson 81), Ferguson,
Van Bronckhorst, Kanchelskis, McCann, Albertz (Miller 62),
Wallace (Guivarc'h 45), Johansson.
Goals: Johansson 4, Albertz 42 pen, Vidmar 56, Kanchelskis 65,
Johansson 72, McCann 75.
Att: 7,339
Ref: M McCurry (Glasgow).
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