Rod Wallace steered Rangers into the final of the League Cup on Sunday with a double blast at Celtic Park.

5 Live match report

The pacy striker knocked the heart out of the gallant First Division side after taking his tally for the season to 11 goals.

Airdrie went into the match aiming to upset the second half of the Old Firm, having beaten Celtic in the third round. Currently lying third in the Division One table, they also dismissed Premier League Kilmarnock.

But after a mistake by veteran keeper John Martin in the sixth minute they were always up against it.

Martin mis-hit a clearance straight to Jonatan Johansson 30 yards out, and the Finland striker's touch was poor but his pace took him beyond the Airdrie defence.

Martin seemed to be transfixed by his error and Johansson was able to prod the ball home and give Rangers the perfect start.

The Airdrie shot-stopper redeemed himself in the 17th minute, however, getting down quickly to turn away a shot from Giovanni van Bronckhorst after Wallace had carved out the opening.

But Rangers extended their lead 10 minutes before the break.

Andrei Kanchelskis released Johansson on the right and his perfect cross was headed in by substitute Ian Ferguson.

Airdrie, however, began the second half in much more positive fashion and Austin McCann made space for himself only to steer a header wide of the post.

Rangers looked content to sit on their lead - and that was a dangerous tactic against opponents who have carved out a fearsome Cup reputation for themselves over the years.

Johnston should have pulled a goal back for Airdrie on the hour after Paul McGrillen delivered a deep cross from the left. He was left unmarked at the far post only to steer his wide of the target when it seemed he must score.

Airdrie were growing in confidence but then paid heavily for pushing men forward.

Wallace made it 3-0 to Rangers in the 73rd minute when he latched onto a long clearance by Colin Hendry. The former Leeds star rounded Martin before steering the ball into an empty net.

It was a devastating blow for Airdrie but worse was to follow five minutes later with Wallace adding his second.

Substitute Gordon Durie added a fifth a minute from time after a nice one-two between himself and Wallace.