SECOND-HALF strikes from Joe Aribo, Alfredo Morelos and Scott Arfield secured a 4-1 win for Rangers over Hamilton at New Douglas Park this afternoon and sent the Ibrox club through to the William Hill Scottish Cup quarter-finals.

Arfield gave Steven Gerrard’s side the lead in the first-half when he followed up his saved penalty and netted. Brian Rice’s young team had battled back bravely and drew level through Lewis Smith before half-time.

But Aribo struck in the 68th minute to ensured the visitors reclaimed the lead and Morelos nodded home his 29th goal of the 2019/20 campaign five minutes from the end. Arfield then netted a long-range screamer in injury-time to round off a comfortable triumph.

Ianis Hagi, whose late strike against Hibernian in a Ladbrokes Premiership game at Ibrox on Wednesday had clinched a vital late victory, missed an absolute sitter early on.

Ryan Kent did well to pick out his new team mate in front of goal with a chip, but the Romanian playmaker headed wide of the left post.

Smith, one of three teenagers in the Hamilton side, had a chance to put the home team in front in the 12th minute after they launched a counter attack.

Andy Dales fed the Scotland Under-21 internationalist on the edge of the Rangers penalty box and he got his shot on target. Allan McGregor, though, got down well to deny him.

The visitors took the lead from the penalty spot in the 25th minute after referee Alan Muir ruled that 17-year-old Jamie Hamilton had bundled over Alfredo Morelos in the Hamilton box. Arfield saw his first attempt denied by Southwood, but he pounced on the rebound and casually side-footed into the net.

Gerrard’s men could easily have added to their tally. James Tavernier volleyed over after being supplied by Borna Barisic and Hagi, Morelos and Kent all forced saves from Southwood.

Hamilton’s hopes of getting a result appeared to suffer a blow when Steve Davies and Dales both limped off injured. They were replaced by Marios Ogkmpoe and Mickel Miller respectively.

But Ogkmpoe helped set up the equaliser seven minutes before half-time. He shrugged aside the attentions of George Edmundson and squared to Smith.

The 19-year-old, who had scored against Rangers in the league in November, made no mistake on this occasion. He fired beyond McGregor and into the bottom left corner of goal.

Rice’s men, who had two decent claims or penalty ignored by Muir in the first-half, went in at the break level.

But Miller suffered a knock towards the end of the opening 45 minutes when he was dispossessed by Glen Kamara on the edge of the Hamilton area. He failed to reappear for the second-half and his place was taken by Blair Alston.

The second-half was nowhere near as eventful as the first, but Rangers finally got back in front in the 68th minute when Kent forced his way into the Hamilton box. His cut back was met first time by Joe Aribo and Southwood was unable to get a hand to his right-footed effort.

Gerrard put on Andy Halliday for Barisic, who had picked up an injury, Steve Davis for Hagi, who once again impressed with some delightful passes and touches and Greg Stewart for Kent.

Morelos made sure of the victory with is first goal of 2020 when he rose to meet a deflected Stewart shot a few yards out and headed beyond Southwood. Arfield fired in off the underside of the crossbar in added-on time.