Bojan Miovski hat-trick helps Rangers ease into Scottish Cup fifth round

Bojan Miovski helped himself a hat-trick in Rangers’ commanding 5-0 Scottish Gas Scottish Cup win over Annan Athletic as new signing Andreas Skov Olsen checked in at Ibrox.

The North Macedonia striker, one of nine changes to Danny Rohl’s side, fired the Gers into the lead in the 12th minute of the fourth-round tie against the League Two outfit before heading in a second just after the half-hour mark.

Midfielder Kieran Dowell added a third early in the second half with a header – his first goal of the season – and Miovski grabbed his third in the 74th minute with a penalty before substitute Thelo Aasgaard scored a terrific free-kick from 30 yards with three minutes remaining.

It was a first look at his new side for Denmark winger Skov Olsen, who signed on loan from Wolfsburg until the end of the season with the Govan club having an option to buy.

The 26-year-old was paraded to the Gers fans before the match along with already-recruited  22-year-old Danish midfielder Tochi Chukwuani, who came off the bench later in the game, and Belgian left-back Tuur Rommens, who is working on his fitness.

The almost unrecognisable home side looked ill at ease in the early stages.

However, when Miovski drove past Annan’s debutant keeper Charlie Albinson from 16 yards for his sixth Gers goal of the season, there was always going to be only one winner.

Rangers despite a lacklustre demeanour, doubled their lead when Dowell played in Findlay Curtis – linked with a loan move to Kilmarnock – down the right and he stood up a cross to the back post where Miovski had the easiest of tasks heading in from three yards.

In the 38th minute Curtis escaped the Annan defence again but his delicate chip came off the bar and backtracking defender Scott Hooper cleared to safety.

The Light Blues settled.

In another incisive Gers attack Albinson made a save from Miovski from close range at the expense of a corner that came to nothing, unlike Dowell’s looping header from a Joe Rothwell cross in the 48th minute to effectively seal the home side’s entry into the next round.

Danilo and Curtis came close with efforts before 17-year-old Zebedee Lawson, who signed from Brighton in September, came on to make his Gers debut, along with Rabbi Matondo.

Chukwuani came on to make his debut in the 63rd minute amid more substitutions but it was fellow replacement Matondo who was fouled by Hooper in the Annan box, with Miovski sending Albinson the wrong way with his spot kick.

Albinson saved a long-distance effort from Chukwuani, the £4million signing from Sturm Graz, but he had no chance with Aasgaard’s curling free-kick which sped into the top corner for his fourth goal in six games.