Dons Show Their Character In Cup Win Against The Rangers

Aberdeen booked their Scottish Cup Semi-Final place at Hampden in April thanks to a magnificent win against The Rangers in their cup Quarter-Final replay at Ibrox.

It will be the Dons third time in the last four of the national trophies in three consecutive campaigns.

Kevin Clancy was on a mission this evening, with eight Dons players receiving yellow cards, the most damaging being for Graeme Shinnie who will miss the Scottish Cup semi-final.

Derek McInnes, gave Dean Campbell his first starting place following his impressive display against Celtic at the weekend.  Stevie May played in place of Sam Cosgrove was was suspended and Niall McGinn was back in the starting line-up after recovering from a hip injury.

Greg Stewart and James Wilson were dropped to the bench.

The game had barely started when the Dons were in front.  A header from Dom Ball on the right was taken down by Glen Kamara, his pass to James Tavernier was overhit, McGinn picked it up and put the ball past Allan McGregor.

The Rangers never really had anything in reply, with the Dons happy to let them have the ball and hit on the break and offered very little threat in the final third.I

The inevitable booking for Morelos diving in the box only took just over 30 minutes in the game, the Colombian going into Kevin Clancy’s book.  And not long after the another tussle between him and Scott McKenna, saw the Dons player also seeing yellow.

37 minutes in, and Ryan Jack hit a low shot off the near post following a Barisic corner, close, but not close enough.

The second half, continued where the first half left off – full of tempo from both sides, but again The Rangers not offering any real threat.

Aberdeen extended their lead in the 62nd minute, when Lewis Ferguson played the ball to Stevie May down the right, he the hit the ball inside to Connor McLennan, who hit a low shot cross-goal and past McGregor into the far corner of the net.  The Rangers 0 v Aberdeen 2.

Graeme Shinnie was booked in the 66th minute for taking down Ryan Kent outside the Dons box, which unfortunately, rules him out of the semi-final.

Mikey Devlin and Stephen Gleeson came on in the 72nd and 80th minute respectively to see out the game, Stevie May was also replaced by Wilson.

In the end, a fantastic display and character from the Aberdeen players – Derek McInnes has seen us knock The Rangers out of the Scottish League Cup, beat them in the league at Ibrox and knock them out of the Scottish Cup – not bad for one season!