THE waiting is finally over for Rangers. A month after their last success, Mark Warburton’s side experienced that winning feeling once again at Ibrox.

The weeks since the 2-1 victory over Motherwell have been fraught for the Gers boss and his players. Dropped points at Kilmarnock were followed by an Old Firm no show and the Joey Barton side show before another blow was delivered by Ross County at the weekend.

This 5-0 win against Queen of the South won’t ease the Premiership demands on Warburton but it will lift some of the pressure off his shoulders. Rangers have now scored 20 goals and conceded none in their six League Cup outings and are just 90 minutes from another Hampden final.

Read more: Mark Warburton: Rangers will head to Pittodrie in high spirits after League Cup victoryGlasgow Times:

It was a comfortable night as Jason Holt and Andy Halliday netted before Martyn Waghorn secured a semi-final berth with a well taken second half hat-trick.

Warburton may have been encouraged with the performance of his side on Saturday but it wasn’t the reaction to Old Firm defeat that the Ibrox crowd had hoped for as another two points were squandered in the title race.

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The Light Blue legions returned this time expecting a dominant showing from their side and it was a chance for a handful of players – Lee Hodson, Harry Forrester and Michael O’Halloran in particular - to stake their claim for a starting spot against Aberdeen on Sunday.

Warburton can’t read too much into a win over a Championship side, but victory here was crucial in many respects for Rangers. They can now head to Pittodrie with a spring in their step once again.

The performances of Josh Windass were amongst the few positives Warburton could take from the matches with Celtic and County but the midfielder was denied another chance to impress against the Doonhamers. A hamstring injury sustained in the warm-up saw his place go to Niko Kranjcar as he joined captain for the night Halliday and Holt.

It changed the dynamic of the central three for Warburton as Rangers lost the drive and dynamism of Windass and it was to prove another mixed evening for Kranjcar. He remains capable of moments that can change a game, but has yet to convince that he can dominate and dictate a match in this system.

As Rangers toiled to break down the Doonhamers defence, Warburton had the playmaker to thank for his part in the opening goal, though.

Chances were hard to come by for Rangers in the opening half an hour as keeper Lee Robinson remained largely untroubled on his Ibrox return.

After punching away a Kranjcar cross from the right, he blocked a drive from James Tavernier. Within minutes, he had to pick the ball out of his net.

It was Kranjcar and O’Halloran, another member of the Ibrox squad with a point to prove, that made the goal as Queens’ resistance was finally broken.

A ball over the top from the Croatian was gathered by O’Halloran and he shifted it to his right, burst towards the line and crossed to the near post. Holt was on hand to add the finishing touch as he diverted the ball beyond Robinson.

The joy would have been followed by relief for Warburton as Rangers finally got themselves in front, and they could have all-but won the game in what was left of the first half.

Robinson gathered a Hill header from a Kranjcar corner, before Hodson rifled a shot over the bar after he combined with Forrester and cut onto his right foot inside the area.

It was Forrester who created the final chance of the half and Waghorn should have finished it to put Rangers within touching distance of the last four.

A delicate chip over the Queens defence found Waghorn just yards out but the striker couldn’t get the power or direction on his header to beat Robinson.

Rangers lost the services of their goalscorer at the break as Barrie McKay replaced Holt. It saw Forrester return to a more central berth.

The 25-year-old showed some nice touches throughout the game, and with doubts over Kranjcar and Windass he could well find himself in the starting line-up at Pittodrie.

But Warburton is perhaps fortunate that he can still call on the midfielder after a rash challenge on Jordan Marshall that was only deemed to be a yellow card by referee Don Robertson. The ball was there to be won, but Forrester threw himself into the 50-50 and could have seen red.

Within minutes, the game was won. Both goals were made by McKay, the first as his cross found Halliday and the midfielder swept the ball beyond Robinson. On the night he lead his boyhood heroes out, it was a moment to remember for Halliday.

Read more: Mark Warburton: Rangers will head to Pittodrie in high spirits after League Cup victory

He soon had another reason to celebrate as Rangers made it 3-0, McKay this time picking out Waghorn and the striker curling his strike into the corner of the net from the edge of the box. It was job done for Warburton’s side.

There were soon more positives for the Gers boss. Ibrox celebrated for a fourth time when Waghorn converted an O’Halloran cross to get his second of the game before the home crowd were on their feet once again to welcome Matt Crooks onto the park as he finally made his debut in Light Blue.

The night belonged to Waghorn, though. With seven minutes left, he completed hat-trick with another clinical finish, collecting a Kranjcar lay-off and rifling the ball into the net.

Rangers will discover their Hampden opponents when the draw for the last four is made on Thursday night.

But all sights are set on Pittodrie and the Sunday showdown with the Dons. Warburton will hope it is a super one for his side as they look to kick-start their Premiership title bid.