Football: Rangers awayday

(First Edition)

RANGERS, who won the Tennents Scottish Cup the hard way last season, could again taking the difficult route this term. The Ibrox side played only one of their five ties at home in capturing the trophy for the first time in 11 years and yesterday's third-round draw was not exactly kind to Rangers when they were handed a visit to Motherwell on 9 January.

The second round does not take place until 19 December, but the draw for the third has left several smaller clubs rubbing their hands in anticipation.

This time last year Alex Smith was in charge of Aberdeen. Now with Second Division promotion-chasing Clyde, Smith can return to the bigger platform again if his side beat Brechin at their temporary home of Douglas Park, Hamilton. Victory for Clyde would give them a home tie against Celtic.

SCOTTISH CUP THIRD-ROUND DRAW: Aberdeen v Hamilton; Cove Rangers or Peterhead or Montrose v Vale of Leithen or East Stirling; Motherwell v Rangers; Stirling Albion v East Fife or Alloa Athletic; Dundee United v Meadowbank; Kilmarnock v Raith Rovers; Airdrie v Clydebank; Gala Fairydean or Arbroath v Morton; Partick Thistle v Cowdenbeath; Hibernian v St Mirren; Dundee v Dumbarton; Clyde or Brechin v Celtic; Dunfermline v Ayr United; Falkirk v Inverness Thistle or Berwick Rangers; St Johnstone v Stenhousemuir or Forfar or Albion Rovers; Hearts v Huntly or Queen of the South.