Rangers beat Celtic in Women's Scottish Cup semi to keep treble dreams alive

Rangers have defeated Celtic in the Women’s Scottish Cup semi-final to reach the final and keep their dreams of a treble alive.

Chelsea Cornet scored a late header at Hampden on Saturday before Kirsty Howat made sure of the victory and seal a 2-0 win with a last minute strike.

It means the Ibrox get the better of their city rivals in a last four clash for the second time this season.

Rangers have already won the League Cup and trail the Hoops by only three points in the SWPL as they look to make it a historic season.

They will now play the winner of Sunday’s Hearts vs Spartans game in the Scottish Cup final.

After a cagey first-half the game opened up in the second-half with both sides pushing for the opener but Rangers started to dominate towards the end and had a few chances before Cornet headed home from a corner with five minutes on the clock.

Howat then made sure of their place in the final when she lobbed the Celtic keeper to double the lead in the last minute.

Rangers had an early attack and the first sight of goal when Jane Ross fired a curling shot just wide of the target in the opening stages.

Jo Potter’s side had the best of the possession in what was a mostly scrappy first half at the National Stadium but there was limited chances at either end with both goalkeepers restricted to the role of spectators for the most part.

It was still 0-0 at the end of a cautious first 45 minutes with both sides failing to get any significant hold on the proceedings.

Celtic came out of the traps the quickest in the second with Natasha Flint and Murphy Agnew both involved as they created a couple of half chances without putting Victoria Esson under much pressure.

Sarah Ewans then had a speculative shot at goal but her effort just drifted wide of the post and the game remained goalless on the hour mark.

Potter then made the first changes of the match when Rio Hardy and Kirsty Howat come on to replace Ross and Ewens.

Chelsea Cornet then came close to the opener when she tried her luck from distance and forced the Celtic keeper to put it behind for a corner.

The game was now finally starting to open up and the Hoops had a good opportunity to take the lead up the other end when Flint blasted a first time effort just wide of the post.

Rachel Rowe then burst into the Celtic box but she sliced her shot well wide of the post with 15 minutes of normal time on the clock.

Rangers were now in the ascendency as they looked for a winner and Rowe played a through ball to Howat who raced on to it and got herself one on one with Daugherty but the Celtic number one done well to keep it out.

And Potter’s side got themselves in-front just a few minutes later as Cornet headed a corner past the keeper to give the Ibrox side a well deserved lead with just over five minutes remaining.

Howat then sealed the victory with a nice finish in the final minute of the game.