Rangers 3-2 Partick Thistle: Holders triumph in tumultuous Scottish Cup tie

Scott Tiffoney was fixed the accidental to level for Partick Thistle aft a arguable extremity enactment Rangers successful front

Holders Rangers yet overcame Partick Thistle successful a controversy-laden Scottish Cup last-16 encounter.

Thistle had led done Kevin Holt's punishment aft a VAR cheque but Antonio Colak headed Rangers level.

James Tavernier had a disputed punishment saved astatine 1-1 and James Sands' header yet settled the necktie connected 86 minutes.

However, Connor McAvoy whitethorn yet beryllium credited with an ain extremity aft helium appeared to get a interaction connected it.

Rangers participate Monday's quarter-final gully with Ayr United, Celtic, Hearts, Kilmarnock, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Raith Rovers and Darvel oregon Falkirk.

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The hosts had a tense infinitesimal aboriginal connected erstwhile Tillman tussled with Holt connected the precise borderline of the Rangers punishment country but referee David Munro offered the 2,500-strong travelling Thistle enactment nary encouragement.

Thistle held their ain with a disciplined antiaircraft attack and a determination not to let their hosts clip and space. Kyle Turner won and took a free-kick that tested Allan McGregor - and the goalkeeper was forced into an adjacent amended halt to contradict Tiffoney moments later.

But, successful the aftermath, the visitors were awarded their spot-kick. Munro was asked to reappraisal whether Holt's header had been handled by Colak and the referee signalled penalty. Holt converted confidently.

Rangers' play had been excessively constrictive and their abbreviated passing crippled nutrient and portion for the Jags. Ibrox manager Michael Beale took enactment astatine half-time with Ryan Kent and Kemar Roofe sent connected successful spot of Ianis Hagi and Todd Cantwell. And determination was astir instant reward. Kent sent Roofe done and the striker fired narrowly wide.

The leveller duly arrived erstwhile Nicolas Raskin chipped from the wrong close transmission for Colak to motion successful astatine Jamie Sneddon's adjacent post. The Croatian had gone 9 games without a extremity since his past connected 29 October.

The keeper whitethorn person done amended with that 1 but stood up good to artifact Colak's adjacent effort and made his people again with Rangers' penalty.

Tillman was dragged down by Stuart Bannigan, who was adamant the foul had taken spot extracurricular the box. The grant stood but truthful did Sneddon arsenic helium stayed successful a cardinal presumption to get successful the mode of Tavernier's spot-kick.

But then, different jaw-dropping twist. Rangers enactment the shot retired aft Tillman pulled up with a sound and, aft the restart, Tillman robbed Holt and evaded chasing defenders and Sneddon to score. Thistle were furious, feeling the Rangers attacker had stolen the shot conscionable arsenic they were astir to footwear it to the location defence.

A melee ensued connected the transportation and Beale was progressive successful his method area, with the acquisition fixed earlier Tiffoney went done unopposed to circular McGregor and score.

It was from a Borna Barisic country that the decisive extremity came, but again disorder reigned. Sands threw himself astatine the shot and celebrated erstwhile the nett bulged but replays suggested McAvoy whitethorn person carried it implicit the line.

Tillman danced distant from a clutch of challenges lone to beryllium denied by Sneddon successful added time, the past large incidental of an enthralling Scottish Cup tie.

Player of the lucifer - Nicolas Raskin

Rangers' January signing marked his archetypal commencement with an assistance and his usage of the shot was integral to overmuch of Rangers' play successful the 2nd half

More to follow.