Falkirk 0-4 Rangers: Jermain Defoe sparks Betfred Cup rout

Jermain Defoe, Calvin Bassey, Borna Barisic, James Tavernier on target; Rangers face St Mirren in quarter-finals

By PA Media

Sunday 29 November 2020 19:49, UK

Rangers cruised into the Betfred Cup quarter-finals with a 4-0 win over Falkirk.

Jermain Defoe sparked the scoring with just six minutes on the clock, before Calvin Bassey's first goal for the club on the half-hour mark was followed by goals from Borna Barisic (41) and captain James Tavernier (51).

Steven Gerrard's side will face St Mirren in the last eight and while tough challenges remain, Celtic's exit to Ross County will raise hopes at Ibrox of a first major trophy since 2011.

Rangers - who have now clocked up 18 clean sheets this season - made seven changes to the team who threw away a two-goal lead to draw with Benfica on Thursday night as only Barisic, Tavernier, Connor Goldson and Scott Arfield kept their places.

Bassey was given his chance in the centre of defence after Filip Helander was ruled out following a positive coronavirus test, while Bongani Zungu came in for his first start.

The Bairns are in League One these days but had plenty of top-flight experience with the likes of Blair Alston - who was part of the Hamilton side who became the last Scottish team to defeat Rangers in March - Paul Dixon, Sean Kelly, Morgaro Gomis and Connor Sammon in their line-up.

Mark Durnan is another who has Premiership experience but the former Dundee United centre-back allowed Goldson's 40-yard pass to sail over his head and find Defoe six minutes in.

The angle looked to be against the 38-year-old as he allowed the ball to run across his chest but he still managed to find a route past Falkirk keeper Peter Morrison, arrowing the ball in off the far post.

It was a stunning finish but his next attempt sailed wide as the former England poacher volleyed wide from Cedric Itten's knockdown.

Gers lost Brandon Barker to injury midway through the first half but the introduction of Glen Kamara only made them stronger and they doubled their lead after 30 minutes.

Tavernier had forced Morrison into conceding a corner as he took aim from the right-hand side of the box. The goalkeeper got hands on the ball again as Itten met Barisic's delivery but pushed it straight to Bassey, who rammed home from three yards out.

Falkirk almost pulled a goal back when Durnan climbed above Bassey to meet Alston's corner but the contest was done on 42 minutes. Gomis' trip on Itten handed Barisic a set-piece opportunity which the Croatian executed to perfection as he whipped the ball over the wall and past Morrison's fingertips for Rangers' third goal.

Bassey got lucky 30 seconds into the second half when Sammon read his backpass, only just failing to rob McLaughlin to leave an empty net.

But it was the visitors who were celebrating again four minutes later as Barisic picked out Tavernier, racing in at the back post, for the skipper to lash home his 14th goal of the season with a fierce first-time hit.

With progress secured, Gerrard was able to hand a debut to 18-year-old Ciaran Dickson and give Glenn Middleton his first Gers appearance since April 2019.

There was also a run-out for an even younger academy prospect, 16-year-old Leon King, as Tavernier was given a rest in the final 20 minutes.