By Graeme Macpherson at Fir Park

AFTER a three-year absence, Hampden finally beckons once more for Rangers and Walter Smith.

Alex McLeish was still the Rangers manager the last time the Ibrox side graced the national stadium back in March 2005 when Motherwell were the vanquished foes in a rather one-sided CIS Insurance Cup Final.

Now, after two seasons of premature ejection from both cup competitions, Smith will lead his men back to Hampden to participate in the semi-finals of that same competition.

It took a battling performance against a gutsy Motherwell side to book Rangers' passage through to a last four encounter against opponents to be decided at tomorrow's draw at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.

Goals from the resurgent Nacho Novo - who also netted in that 5-1 Hampden demolition of Motherwell 31 months ago - and Kris Boyd proved to be the difference between the two teams although both sides created numerous other chances in an entertaining game let down only by some poor officiating.

Paul Quinn's late, late goal gave Motherwell hope and added some unneeded extra anxiety to those on the Rangers bench but it was too little too late for Mark McGhee's side who had contributed greatly to a gripping cup tie.

Smith had made two changes from the side that started Sunday's 2-1 SPL defeat against Dundee United, Daniel Cousin and Amdy Faye dropping to the bench to create space for Boyd and Novo to lead the Rangers attack, Smith's line-up strongly indicating that another Hampden visit was long overdue.

Motherwell have been deservedly gaining the plaudits for their attacking brand of football under McGhee and that, combined with Rangers deploying two in attack instead of the usual lone striker, made for a crackling cup encounter.

Rangers, in fact, could have been in front within three minutes. Kevin Thomson was dumped to the ground at the edge of the penalty box and Barry Ferguson was unfortunate to see his free kick strike the post.

The rebound fell to Sasa Papac but Novo got in the way of the Bosnian's goalbound shot.

The Spaniard almost made amends seven minutes later with a shot of his own but Smith reacted well to tip it round the post. Novo would make amends however, before the half was out.

Motherwell, in front of a cantankerous home crowd who wailed at every decision, had a decent chance of their own to go in front.

Jim Paterson's teasing cross from the left was guided towards goal by Keith Lasley but, with Allan McGregor scrambling across his line, the header drifted just wide.

Rangers went in front after 22 minutes. The goal stemmed from a Barry Ferguson throw-in that Boyd knocked down to the waiting Novo who blasted a shot past Smith from around 10 yards.

Both teams were trying to play decent football although their cause wasn't helped by some erratic officiating from Iain Brines, the referee.

An early booking for Motherwell's Steven McGarry set the tone for the night and a stream of yellow cards duly followed.

Controversy seemed to follow Brines the way a stray dog tails a drunk around town. Motherwell bawled for a penalty when a McCormack free kick appeared to strike the arm of Ferguson in the box.

The referee deemed it was an act of wrong-doing by the Rangers skipper but curiously awarded Motherwell a free kick several yards outside of the penalty area rather than the expected spot kick.

To show his even-handedness, Brines then denied the visitors a penalty at the other end. Novo looked set to fire into an open net after fastening on to Alan Hutton's pass when Smith wrestled him to the ground. Again the referee chose not to aware the penalty kick but Rangers would find a legitimate way to goal early in the second half.

Novo was this time the provider, slipping in Boyd after 53 minutes and the striker finished with aplomb for his seventh goal of the season.

The celebrations had scarcely died down when Boyd thought he had netted his second - and Rangers' third - goal of the night but this time the assistant referee's prematurely curtailed the celebrations.

Boyd should have belatedly netted his second after latching on to Ferguson's pass only to miss the target from six yards but his error would not prove costly, even despite Quinn's late effort for Motherwell.

Hampden now beckons. For the Rangers supporters it has been a long time in coming.

RANGERS: McGregor; Hutton, Cuellar, Weir, Papac; McCulloch, Thomson, Ferguson, Beasley; Novo, Boyd (Cousin 81)

Subs not used: Carroll, Ehiogu, Faye, Whittaker

MOTHERWELL: Smith; Quinn, Reynolds, Craigan, Paterson; McGarry, O'Donnell, Lasley (Porter 55), M Fitzpatrick; Clarkson, McCormack

Subs not used: Meldrum, Kinniburgh, Mensing, Grabban