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Several Rangers players laud hat-trick hero Martyn Waghorn’s performance in 5-0 win on Twitter; Crooks also mentioned

Rangers' Martyn Waghorn celebrates scoring their fourth goal (Reuters)
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Mark Warburton’s Glasgow Rangers side reached the semi-final of the Scottish League Cup with an emphatic win.

Rangers' Martyn Waghorn celebrates scoring their fourth goalRangers’ Martyn Waghorn

A Martyn Waghorn hat-trick inspired Rangers to their joint-largest win of the season as they booked their place in the last four of the Scottish League Cup by thrashing Queen of the South 5-0 at Ibrox.

Mark Warburton’s men were going into the game having not won any of their last three fixtures, so undoubtedly would have been looking to the clash with the Scottish Championship side as an opportunity to rediscover that winning feeling.

Rangers manager Mark Warburton celebrates at the end of the matchRangers manager Mark Warburton

And while it appeared that their struggles in front of goal may continue as the first half-hour went by without the deadlock being broken, it would not be long until that was rectified as Jason Holt gave the Light Blues the lead.

But it was not until after the hour mark that the floodgates did decide to open. Captain for the night Andy Halliday – who also received a tremendous reception from supporters following the recent events involving Joey Barton – doubled the lead before Waghorn added a third, his first of the night, one minute later.

Andy Halliday celebrates after scoring the first goal for RangersAndy Halliday, who was skippering the side, scored the Gers’ second

And with the game now beyond doubt, the former Wigan man would complete a treble – the third of his Ibrox career – in the final 20 minutes to ensure that Warburton’s side put themselves in the hat for the semi-final in emphatic fashion.

After a gloomy spell for the club, it is unsurprising that several of the players took to social media after the game to celebrate such a dominant display, and while Waghorn’s performance received most of the praise, Matt Crooks’ debut did not go completely unnoticed.

Rangers' Martyn Waghorn (L) in action with Kilmarnock's Steven SmithMartyn Waghorn