v Rangers, Scottish Cup Semi-Final 2002

Tore Andre Flo shuttled the ball on to Nerlinger, who was arriving in textbook fashion along what used to be known as the inside-left channel, and the midfielder struck his left-foot drive low and firmly beyond goalkeeper Kenny Arthur.As generations of mothers have told their children in the flickering light of the peat-fire flame, those who play against the Old Firm must score first to have a chance of winning a cup tie. If the opening goal is conceded, the scale of ambition duly declines to the level of striving for an equaliser and, thereafter, to playing in hope of a token goal to give the fans something to cheer about on the day.None of these consolations were to come Thistle's way, although they kept the issue in doubt until within 20 minutes of the end.They were effectively finished when Nerlinger repeated his earlier trick, this time from a move which developed along the left with Peter Lovenkrands performing the familiar Kanchelskis role with a cutback which was smartly whipped into the net.Berti Vogts, watching his fellow countryman from the stand, no doubt wished he might have Nerlinger available for Scotland's friendly meeting with France on Wednesday, and his thoughts must have travelled further in the direction of the Stade de France as Rangers added another shortly afterwards.Barry Ferguson, the Rangers captain who had been grimacing in pain because of his persistent rib injury, saw Tore Andre Flo hold play up just inside the Thistle box and moved into position to accept a short pass from the Norwegian and trim his drive low into the net.Cynics in the press box had predicted that Ferguson would depart the scene with only 10 minutes left to play and when he did exactly that, to be replaced by Stephen Hughes, the substitution appeared to add weight to predictions that he would not be boarding the Scotland team plane this morning.Thistle, meanwhile, did not deserve to suffer more torment and they merited the ovation accorded them by their fans at full time. But they have been given much food for thought about their prospects in the Scottish Premier League if, as expected, they convert their six-point lead over Airdrie into promotion from the First Division."I thought, to be honest, that we played very well, especially in the first half, and we missed a couple of good chances. You have to come into these games hopeful. First you hope you'll make the chances and then you hope you'll put them away. We made them all right but the finishing was beyond us," said Lambie."We were missing three important players for a game where we really needed their composure. If we had been able to field them, I am sure we would have scored."I'm not saying we would have won – don't get me wrong – but I'm sure we would have scored and if you do that at the right time in this sort of game then you can have quite a different situation."As for Alex McLeish, the Rangers manager, he also praised Thistle for their efforts. "They played well – very well at times – but a game lasts 90 minutes and over the whole piece I thought we were worth our win."Partick Thistle were good and I thought that Deas, Britton, Paterson and Craigen were strong performers. I was not so pleased with us this afternoon, but I can also understand that there were one or two difficulties."Now I look forward to us coming back here and playing the final on a perfect surface."To the victor, then, a place in the 117th Scottish Cup final, which will be an Old Firm collision on May 4.For Partick Thistle, there will probably be time to party as the First Division champions. Whitburn may yet have its day.