Lindsay Herron reports from Hampden

RANGERS needed penalties at Hampden for the second time this season as they limped into their 50^th Scottish Cup Final.

A goal-less and rather poor 90 minutes led to extra time where St Johnstone took the lead through Daniel McBreen and then Nacho Novo grabbed an equaliser from the penalty spot.

Then it was spotkicks and Neil Alexander saved the efforts of Stevie Milne and Jody Morris and although Brahim Hemdani also missed Daniel Cousin's kick clinched it.

The celebrations were subdued and little wonder. Apart from it being a poor performance the victory came at a cost with both Chris Burke and Stevie Naismith carried off.

Rangers have hardly had their injury problems to seek of late and they suffered two major problems within the first 15 minutes of the match.

St Johnstone skipper Kevin Rutkiewicz caught Chris Burke just above his ankle with his studs after clearing the ball and the winger's game was over after just seven minutes.

Burke had to be carried off by stretcher and that meant the introduction of Thomas Buffel for the first time since appearing as a substitute in the 6-0 win over East Stirling in round four on January 23.

Incredibly, Stevie Naismith was next to go, again the victim of a follow-through challenge on 15 minutes.

Martin Hardie won the ball from Naismith but then stood on the young striker's knee as he followed through,

Naismith looked to be in trouble. He tried to continue after treatment but collapsed to the turf three minutes later as he tried to control the ball.

It was game over for him too as the stretcher was called for again and Steve Davis was sent on as Rangers had to re-organise for a second time.

The Rangers bench, already reeling from injuries to Allan McGregor, Lee McCulloch and Charlie Adam, could hardly believe what was happening.

Rangers had barely got going in the game in any case but the disruption made matters worse.

Kevin Thomson made a decent burst into the box in 23 minutes but his chip shot was wide of the target.

Then Buffel had the ball in the net in 26 minutes when he collected Stevie Smith's cross and stabbed it home but he had come from an offside position.

Rangers seemed flat but they were gifted a chance to get going in 33 minutes.

Goran Stanic made a mess of a pass back and suddenly Nacho Novo was clean through and it looked a goal all the way.

Novo miss-hit his shot and Alan Main got a touch although referee Dougie McDonald awarded a goal kick to compound the Spaniard's misery.

A minute later Saints were ripped open when Smith played a good ball into the ball and Davis cleverly touched it off looking for Daniel Cousin but Stanic got back in time to clear for a corner.

Rangers tried to keep the pressure up in the opening moments of the second half and they nearly found a way through in the first minute.

Whittaker produced a good diagonal cross from the right side to pick out Novo who made good contact with his head but Main saved well, pushing the ball over for a corner.

Then in 53 minutes Cousin did well to work the ball to Novo in the left channel and he struck a decent right foot shot but Main held it well.

That said Steven Milne had two decent chances for St Johnstone which must have alarmed the Rangers bench.

Hardie used his height to beat Smith in the air to head back Stanic's cross and Milne had a real chance from a central position but fired over the bar.

That was in 52 minutes and five minutes later the Saints' midfielder headed over the top, connecting with Craig's cross.

There was another worrying moment when Alexander was forced into a decent save from Milne's flick in 61 minutes following Craig's drilled free kick.

It was a real struggle for Rangers and the problems were typified in 65 minutes when Cousin completely miss-kicked with a clear shot at goal allowing Main to make an easy save when he should have been pulling the ball out of his net.

The frustration continued as Alan Main made a good save from Whittaker in 78 minutes and then Novo was caught offside twice as he threatened to grab the winner.

Then in 86 minutes Buffel stumbled at the vital moment as he burst through and Craig cleared for a corner.

Novo drove it over and it broke for Davis who tried to direct a header to the right corner but Craig was there to clear from just in front of the goal line.

As the 90^th minute came and went as Cousin nearly found the corner with a looping header but Jody Morris scrambled the ball away for a corner.

Rangers were forced into their final switch before the start of extra time as Kirk Broadfoot came on for Smith, who seemed exhausted.

That was the least of Rangers' worries as, incredibly, they fell behind three minutes into the first half of the added time.

Paul Sheerin found space on the left and produced a tempting cross which caught Alexander in two minds and Daniel McBreen pounced to direct a header into the left corner.

The Rangers fans were stunned. Surely the Quadruple dream was not going to die in such circumstances?

The Light Blues needed something to happen and they got the break they wanted in 102 minutes.

Full back Gary Irvine pulled down Cousin as he tried to reach Davis's pass. It was a clear penalty and suddenly the responsibility lay with Novo.

Despite booing and jeering from the St Johnstone fans, Novo kept his cool and drove a great spotkick into the left corner.

The little Spaniard then thought he had won it in 117 minutes when he beat Main again with a low right foot shot but it came back off the post.

Buffel went in to try to get the rebound but Rutkiewicz did enough to put him off and Main grabbed the ball gladly.

That was the last chance and the tie went to spotkicks.

Neil Alexander proved to be the hero with two great saves and it was Cousin who scored the clinching kick to take Rangers into their 50^th Scottish Cup Final.

TEAMS
Rangers: Alexander; Whittaker, Cuellar, Dailly, S. Smith; Burke, Hemdani, Thomson, Naismith; Novo, Cousin.
Subs: G. Smith, Broadfoot, Davis, Buffel, McMillan.

St Johnstone: Main; Irvine, Stanic, Morris, Rutkiewicz, McManus, Milne, Hardie, Jackson, Craig, MacDonald.
Subs: Cuthbert, James, Anderson, Sheerin, McBreen.