Ferguson prevents red faces

A goal from their captain Barry Ferguson sent Rangers into the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup after Ross County had threatened…

A goal from their captain Barry Ferguson sent Rangers into the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup after Ross County had threatened to wreck their season altogether.

Two goals from Alex Bone cancelled out a Tore Andre Flo opening double before Ferguson struck to spare Dick Advocaat's side's blushes.

Flo struck twice in the first 17 minutes to give Rangers what appeared to be a comfortable lead. But things are rarely simple as far as the fallen champions are concerned this season and only three minutes later Bone struck to put the Highlanders back in contention.

Rangers' first goal was the result of a neat turn by Kenny Miller that left Brian Irvine floundering and his pass set up Flo for a cool finish into the bottom corner. Flo scored again after Neil McCann had supplied him with the ball. This time it was Flo who turned Mark Perry before finding the same area of the goal.

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But County's response was immediate with their top scorer Bone latching on to a headed flick-on and burying the ball past Stefan Klos.

In the 53rd minute, Flo fired an inviting chance wide and a minute later County stunned Rangers with an equaliser. The home fans were baying for a penalty when Irvine went down in the box with Bert Konterman at his back. Play continued but the ball was cleared only as far as the lurking Bone, who fired past Klos. The German 'keeper then produced a spectacular tipover to deny Boukkra.

But three minutes later Rangers restored their lead in the simplest manner when a pass through the centre of County's defence from Claudio Reyna picked out Ferguson's run and he slotted past Walker.

The Scottish FA has left Celtic and Dunfermline to arrange another suitable date for their Tennent's Scottish Cup fourth-round replay. The rematch at Parkhead was scheduled to go ahead on February 28 after the clubs drew 2?2 at East End Park yesterday.

However, that date would have clashed with international week and Celtic could have been without more than nine first-team players and Andrius Skerla might have been missing from the Dunfermline side.

ROSS COUNTY: Walker, Perry, Maxwell, Irvine, Robertson, McCormick (Fraser 76), Steven Ferguson, Boukkra (Holmes 72), Henderson (David Mackay 64), Coyle, Bone. Subs Not Used: Hamilton, Cunnington. Booked: Steven Ferguson. Goals: Bone 19, 53.

RANGERS: Klos, Wilson, Konterman, Malcolm, Reyna, Tugay, Ferguson, Ricksen, McCann, Miller (Johnston 90), Flo. Subs Not Used: Moore, Carson, Christiansen, McHale. Goals: Flo 3, 16, Ferguson 62.

Referee: M McCurry (Scotland).