Glasgow Rangers vs Livingston - Andy Halliday eyes Petrofac Training Cup success for Rangers

Posted Tuesday, October 20, 2015 by PA

Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday is determined to end the club's failure to win the Petrofac Training Cup.

Rangers have failed in three attempts to lift the lower-league trophy following a penalty shoot-out defeat by Queen of the South, a final loss to Raith Rovers, and Alloa's semi-final comeback.

The Ibrox club were not envisaging a fourth attempt to claim the trophy when they fell 3-2 to the Wasps last year, but Halliday wants to make the most of it.

Halliday and his team-mates take on holders Livingston, his former club, in the quarter-finals at Ibrox on Tuesday with a home tie against St Mirren on offer.

The 25-year-old said: "It's obviously the fourth season that Rangers have been in the Petrofac Cup and we have yet to win it, so it's one we are really hoping to add to the collection this season.

"The main factor is we want to win every game and we want to win every cup we are involved in this season.

"And we've obviously not won it so we need to try to put that right. There are a few teams standing in our way and the first one is Livingston.

"There have been some disappointing results in the Petrofac, but it's that same old - when every team plays Rangers they want to beat Rangers. It's their cup final per se.

"It's something we want to put right and we need to take the confidence from previous games into Tuesday and hopefully the result will take care of itself.

"But we played Livingston a few weeks ago and they were very well organised, very hard team to beat. They had quite a lot of athleticism in their team."

Mark Warburton will not take the competition lightly as he aims to make it 15 wins as Rangers boss - a League Cup defeat by St Johnstone being the only setback this term.

"It's important," Warburton said. "You can't go into a squad of players and talk about a winning mentality and then say, 'This isn't high on our list'. Far from it. It's a game we want to win.

"We are two games from a cup final and silverware, another honour for the club and a day out for the supporters. We want to go with a strong team and win the game.

"Whatever game you play in it's about creating a winning mentality and maintaining momentum. It is important.

"Look at the reaction to St Johnstone, and it was important how we reacted to that evening.

"Right now, this is a big game for us. It's not about the next league fixture it's just about tomorrow night. We are two games away from a cup final."

Livingston will be without the suspended Scott Pittman and Myles Hippolyte as they look to continue their defence.

Manager Mark Burchill is also missing the injured Darren Cole (ankle), Craig Sives (back) and Danny Mullen (hamstring).

Burchill said: "We want to continue as the holders so will look to win at Ibrox. We are big underdogs as we are at the bottom of the Championship and Rangers are at the top.

"We are playing better than our points tally would indicate and were unfortunate to lose to St Mirren on Saturday. If we play to the same standard then I will be pleased."