Dundee United 3 Rangers 0: Players let me down in Cup loss fumes Ally McCoist
Rangers manager hits out at team after Cup exit to rampant Terrors
Sunday 03 February 2013
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EmailScottish football: Ally McCoist admitted his players should have performed much better after Rangers crashed out of the Scottish Cup to Dundee United on Saturday.
With his side now plying their trade in the Third Division, the Light Blues boss always said United were favourites to come through the fifth round tie.
But the home side needed just 16 seconds to open the scoring at Tannadice through Johnny Russell, who completed a double in the second half, after Jon Daly (pictured) doubled the advantage, for a 3-0 win.
Rangers were without key players, such as influential skipper Lee McCulloch and youngster Lewis Macleod, for the trip to Tayside.
But they did have a starting line-up boasting players with recent experience of playing in the SPL — in the shape of Ian Black, David Templeton, Francisco Sandaza and Dean Shiels — and McCoist knows they failed to deliver on
the day.
He said: “It was certainly poor. Probably our bigger SPL players should have done better today.”
He added: “When criticism is due and warranted, believe me, they get it. Some of the players got it today after the game.”
A small band of 365 away supporters did attend the game in spite of an official club boycott, but McCoist denied the boycott had an impact on the result.
He said: “I would never say it was a factor in the defeat. Not at all. Far from it.”
Jackie McNamara said he was “delighted” after winning in his first match as new Tannadice boss.
“We can only get better,” McNamara said. “Second half, they were a wee bit nervy, possible because they’ve not won at home since August and it was eight games since a clean sheet. So, I’m delighted for the defence as well as
the attackers.”
Elsewhere Hamilton prevailed 2-0 at Dunfermline, thanks to goals from Steven and Jonathon Routledge.
Falkirk hammered Forfar 4-1. Lyle Taylor scored a brace for the home side, who were briefly pegged back by the visitors in the 21st minute when Iain Campbell levelled from the spot. Stewart Murdoch and David Weatherston
also scored in the rout.
Substitute Paul Heffernan scored two second-half goals as Kilmarnock defeated Inverness 2-0.
St Mirren saw off St Johnstone, thanks to a brace from Esmael Goncalves.
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