Dundee’s dreams of Scottish Cup glory are over for another season after they were unceremoniously dumped out of the competition by Rangers at Ibrox.
More than a few pundits had tipped Paul Hartley’s Premiership side to overcome the Championship table-toppers in this quarter-final.
However, it was Mark Warburton’s side who simply blew the Dark Blues away with a performance of pace, power and precision.
Dundee got off to the worst possible start with Rangers opening the scoring with just 13 seconds on the clock as Harry Forrester sent a ferocious angled drive past the helpless Dark Blues keeper Scott Bain.
Paul Hartley’s side were stunned and they came close to conceding a second in the eighth minute when James Tavernier produced a crisp shot but this time Bain saved at his near post. The woodwork then came to the rescue when a defensive Kevin Holt header clipped his own post.
Rangers’ Public Enemy No.1 Gary Harkins then had a chance of his own but he dragged his shot wide of Wes Foderingham’s goal.
Bain had to come to the rescue once again in the 26th minute, pulling off a stunning acrobatic stop from a long-range Tavernier free-kick.
As the teams ran down the tunnel at half-time, the Dundee players were no doubt relieved that they were just one goal in arrears considering Rangers’ overall dominance.
However, just two minutes after the restart, the Dark Blues conceded again with the impressive Kenny Miller teeing up Jason Holt for the simplest of headers to net from close range.
Rangers then made it three in the 55th minute, when Andy Halliday curled a free-kick from 20 yards around the wall and past Bain to send Ibrox rocking.
Dundee huffed and puffed in search of consolation goal but instead they conceded a fourth in the 84th minute.
Rangers skipper Lee Wallace jinked past a couple of Dark Blues’ defenders before calmly slotting the ball past Bain to well and truly put the icing on the cake for the home side.
For full report, reaction and analysis, see Monday’s Courier.