Why Rangers must turn late semi-final heroics into platform for success as Hampden return vindicates transfer

Following the statement victory over Celtic in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final, there was an expectation that Rangers would carry that momentum into their last-four meeting with Aberdeen. They duly delivered, although the nature of their narrow 1-0 triumph in Mount Florida was perhaps more indicative of the qualities required to win trophies than any display of attacking flair.

It was not an evening for extravagance. Instead, Rangers had to show patience, determination and the mental strength to keep searching for a breakthrough. That moment eventually arrived in the 83rd minute through Ryan Naderi and the man who provided the assist, James Penrice, believes such attributes are becoming increasingly evident within the squad and are helping to foster a winning mentality.

“When you're on the pitch and you play for Rangers, you should go until the end of the game,” he said. “You've seen that a couple of times. The resilience to keep going to the end, keep pushing. They made it very hard for us, but I think we got our reward. Ryan gets his strikers goal and it's a massive positive.”

Having already swept Celtic aside, Rangers knew the importance of backing up that emphatic 3-0 victory. Defeat in the semi-final against a struggling Dons side would have undermined much of the positivity generated by their quarter-final success, making the assignment another significant test of their character and credentials.

Penrice acknowledged that reaching Hampden was particularly important for those members of the squad experiencing such an occasion for the first time. He believes the occasion will provide added motivation ahead of their return to the national stadium in six weeks’ time, when they will be expected to justify their favourites' billing against Hibs.

“That was big. For a lot of the boys, it's their first time being at Hampden,” stated the 27-year-old. “It's massive that they experience that and it will help them want it more. It's special seeing boys that haven't seen those kind of scenes before, haven't seen Rangers at Hampden. It can only help us, and I think it will be ten times that if you were to come back here and win it. So that's the motivation for the boys is to relive that again.”

That appetite for success could prove a major factor in the weeks ahead. Rangers now have another outing at Hampden to anticipate in mid-December, but former Hearts man Penrice is under no illusion that reaching the final guarantees anyone a place in the starting XI. Quite the opposite, in fact.

With several players edging closer to a return from injury, competition for places is expected to intensify, ensuring nobody can afford to become complacent. It is a scenario Penrice welcomes.

“When you come back here in six weeks, everyone should be pushing. Pushing to try and get in the starting 11, pushing to get on the bench,” he explained. “You need two or three players in each position fighting for a jersey. And good enough to fight for a jersey. All wanting to win, all wanting to play and I think that's the main thing.”

Penrice has also shown a willingness to embrace a different challenge, having been deployed in midfield on a couple of occasions despite being more accustomed to operating in defence. His readiness to adapt to an unfamiliar role underlines his determination to contribute wherever required.

“It was obviously not what I've been used to in a two. But when the gaffer says play there, there's no question I'll play wherever,” he declared. “Whatever I can do to help the team is what I'll do. Obviously, it's not a position I've played in before in the past for Livingston and Partick. But if he asks me to play in there, I'm going to say yes. I could play anywhere.”

That mentality will be essential. While being favourites to lift the trophy inevitably brings expectation, it also carries responsibility, and having negotiated the semi-final hurdle, they must now prove they can deliver when silverware is at stake.

Reaching a cup final so early in his Ibrox career offered Penrice further confirmation that his decision to move to Ibrox from AEK Athens in the summer was the right one.

“It was never in doubt. Never,” he exclaimed. “It was the only place I wanted to go in the summer. And I pushed hell of a lot. This is why I wanted to come here and play for a massive club and play in games like a final. It only backs up my decision.”