Dundee Utd 0
Rangers 1
Scottish Cup (Quarter Final Replay)

Match Report

The infamous Rangers Cup hoodoo remarkably remains in tact as we still await the first taste of Cup success against the Ibrox club. If the first meeting was a superb advert for the game, then the replay as a spectacle wasn't in the same class and it took one flash of genius and luck to bring Rangers the all important goal which always looked likely to decide this game one way or the other.

Rangers got off to a flying start in terms of possession, but achieved little in front of goal in those early stages. In fact one of the best chances of the game fell to us when Paul Sturrock ran on to a head flick from Kevin Gallacher, but Woods blocked his shot and Kevin Gallacher intelligently headed the rebound first time towards goal, but the ball cruelly went the wrong side of the post.

Play was interrupted when not once but on two occasions, the ball had to be replaced and another fine Woods save foiled us in the 23rd minute. Paul Sturrock's cross from the left was met by Mixu Paatelainen, whose dipping header was netbound until Woods, at full stretch, tipped the ball over the bar. By contrast Billy Thomson's only action of note in the first half was to easily collect a 20 yard grounder from Gary Stevens.

Rangers, as they did at the beginning of the match, opened with a flurry and a looping header from Butcher was touched over by Billy Thomson. Four minutes after the interval came the decisive blow. Mark Walters cut in from the right and his superbly struck shot was tipped onto the bar by Billy Thomson and Ally McCoist was close on hand to hammer home the rebound.

We almost got back on level terms in the 52nd minute when a snap shot on the turn by Paul Sturrock went narrowly past. Paul Hegarty's path to goal was blocked by a last gasp tackle in the 66th minute and a fine chip from Jim Mclnally went fractionally wide with 18 minutes to go and with it went our cup hopes for another year.