Cantwell sends Clement a message after defensive disaster

Tony Docherty's side scored twice in quick succession to stun Ibrox as Jordan McGhee and Antonio Portales netted. Ross McCausland pulled one back just before the break. The second half was an improvement for Philippe Clement's side. Cyriel Dessers headed home, Todd Cantwell scored a spectacular third and Scott Wright rounded off the win with a late double.

Cup preparations off to an unconvincing start

This match was meaningless in Premiership terms. It did delay the inevitable, but Celtic’s crowning moment will either arrive on Wednesday evening or Saturday afternoon as a third successive title is secured. Rangers only have themselves to blame for that.

The focus now for Clement is on Hampden. He has to find a way of cajoling this misfiring side back into form for an Old Firm fixture that will be defining in so many regards. This was not exactly an encouraging start and it raised more questions than it answered about where Rangers are.

The final Premiership fixture of the campaign against Hearts will bring the curtain down on another failed title bid. For many of these players, it will be their penultimate outing. Many will have already kicked their last ball for Rangers.

Those that stayed until the end thanked Clement’s side for their efforts over the course of the campaign. Ultimately, those endeavours have not been enough. Even a cup final victory cannot mask that.

Quality and character come through in the end

The moment that gave Clement’s side hope arrived in the final seconds of the first half. Leon King played an incisive pass through the lines and McCausland did the rest. The Northern Irishman spurned a clear chance earlier in the evening as he fired straight at Jon McCracken after being gifted possession but he was more clinical this time, a low finish on the angle reducing the arrears.

Within six minutes of the restart, Rangers were level. Cantwell provided the cross from the left and Dessers glanced the header beyond McCracken. It was one of the few times the striker had been involved to that point. He was later denied by a terrific McCracken save low to his right before he fired over from yards out with the goal gaping.

Rangers didn’t have to wait long to complete the recovery. Only Cantwell will know if he was trying to find the top corner or pick out a blue jersey. Whatever his intention, the ball found the top corner of McCracken’s goal.

When Scott Wright converted from close range, that was that. He followed it up with a low finish into the corner. Rangers had shown some quality and some character to come back and win. 

Defensive disasters benefit Dundee

Losing one goal to a cross from the left could be described as careless. To do it again two minutes later was calamitous. Once again, Rangers made a mistake and then compounded it as Dundee scored in quickfire succession and exposed a backline that had looked porous from the off.

Owen Dodgson provided the crosses on both occasions. Neither were stopped at source down the Rangers right. The first was converted at the back post by McGhee as he got ahead of King. The second was a lovely flick from Portales that saw him outsmart whatever marking system was in operation.

King was out of sorts all evening. Luke McCowan almost capitalised when he latched onto a long ball that Jack Butland had to deal with. With 15 minutes remaining, King was forced off through injury. Cole McKinnon was introduced at right-back and James Tavernier switched to centre-back.

Fitness and form concerns for the final

The list of absentees was so extensive that Clement had to write them all down ahead of his pre-match press conference to ensure that he didn’t forget anyone. John Lundstram was suspended and ten players were injured as Rangers were decimated once again.

It was no excuse, though. This was a much-changed side but it was still one that had enough quality, and that cost enough money, to be expected to overcome Dundee. Leon King apart, there was arguably little between this line-up and the one that took to the field at Parkhead. The performance did not live up to the expectations.

Clement has his fingers crossed that Abdallah Sima and Rabbi Matondo will be fit for the Scottish Cup final. He needs Ridvan Yilmaz, who got 60 minutes here before being replaced by Robbie Fraser, to come through the next week as well. Clement has fitness issues to deal with. Just as pressingly, he has plenty of form concerns right now.

End of season feel at Ibrox

Had McCausland not scored on the stroke of half-time, the reaction from the stands would have been even more vociferous than it was from a crowd of more than 45,000. Clement and his players were fortunate that there were not more here to witness the unfolding shambles and to make their feelings clear.

Ibrox lurched between anger and apathy before finally celebrating at the end of the evening. The crowd were more than entitled to make their feelings known at points. Some voted with their feet and didn’t turn up for the final home outing of the season, while other sat on their hands for most of it.

It had all the hallmarks of an end of term game. The next time the support take their seats here, they will expect to see a plethora of new faces on the park. They are entitled to demand better.

The final lap of honour received a round of applause from the stands. Clement took to the pitch briefly before waiting on the sidelines with his staff. A chorus that encouraged Rangers to lift the Scottish Cup was the send off.