Hamilton 3 Rangers 3:HAMILTON ACADEMICAL proved obdurate opponents yesterday as they turned a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead against the Scottish Cup holders before a Kenny Miller penalty kept Rangers in the competition.
Walter Smith’s team had seemed set for a comfortable victory before shambolic defending allowed Hamilton back into the match.
The upshot is an extra fixture Rangers could have done without, with the teams scheduled for a replay at Ibrox tomorrow week.
Of about as much concern to Smith as defensive generosity would have been the first-half injury collected by the prolific striker Kris Boyd, who limped off with a groin problem which the Rangers assistant manager, Ally McCoist, said has been bothering him for a number of weeks.
“We’ll know the full extent of the injury in the next 48 hours,” said McCoist. “The cold probably played a part but hopefully we got him off in time.”
Steven Whittaker’s third-minute volley proved the first of six goals. The midfielder capitalised on a Richard Hastings error to fire home a shot via the hosts’ crossbar.
When Miller curled a fine second beyond Tomas Cerny, the script seemed straightforward.
Hamilton, though, hit back in an amazing six-minute spell. Kirk Broadfoot’s barge on Mark McLaughlin led to a penalty which Simon Mensing scored and Marco Paixao promptly bundled over the line for an equaliser.
Worse was to come as David Weir’s slip allowed Mickael Antoine-Curier to score before the break.
Rangers’ salvation came in controversial fashion after defender Stuart Elliot was adjudged to have handled the ball while laying on the turf. Former Rangers midfielder Neil McCann, in his role as a Sky Sports pundit, said: “How on earth is he meant to get his hands out of the road?”
HAMILTON ACADEMICAL: Cerny, McClenahan, McLaughlin, Canning, Hastings, Elliott (Flavio Paixao 89), McArthur, Neil, Mensing, Marco Paixao, Antoine-Curier. Subs not used: Murdoch, Elebert, Crawford, Sullivan. Booked: Antoine-Curier, Hastings, Canning.
RANGERS: McGregor, Broadfoot, Wilson, Weir, Papac, Whittaker, Davis (Thomson 35), McCulloch, Lafferty, Miller, Boyd (Little 45). Subs not used: Alexander, Edu, Smith. Booked: Broadfoot, Weir.
Referee: Charles Richmond (Scotland).
