National cups are something special for many teams and supporters. Today's match will decide whether it's Rangers U21 or Hamilton Academical that keep their silverware dream alive.
It’s busy days for these teams as both were in action only a few days ago. There’s no rest for the wicked, or in this case; no rest for Rangers U21 and Hamilton Academical.
Rangers U21 form and stats
U21 have reached this Challenge Cup stage through battling and winning against Dumbarton and Spartans. Last season their Challenge Cup adventure ended in the quarter-finals.The Rangers U21 manager Murty and his gang return home after a 2-2 draw away versus Tranent Juniors.
Prior to that was the away defeat visiting Gala Fairydean Rovers (1-2).There's a new fixture coming up fairly quickly for Rangers U21, as the Football League - Lowland League home game vs Bo'ness United is only four days away.
Hamilton Academical form and stats
Academical was sent out of Challenge Cup in the quarter-finals last season.Hamilton Academical have only collected 6 points from their away games in the Championship, after 1-3-3 (7 played).
Hamilton Academical lost away at Raith Rovers (1-3) in their previous game and are perhaps starting to feel homesick.
A draw for Hamilton Academical before that, at their own venue hosting Cove Rangers (4-4).Hamilton Academical are the outsiders in this one, but not by much. Their performance in similar games (being the away team and moderate outsiders) is 4 wins, 5 draws and 7 defeats. From a total of 16 matches.
A new game in only three days for Academical, the Championship home match versus Ayr United. Busy days.
{7 goals} so far away for Hamilton Academical, while their defence has allowed the opposition to score 14. All from 7 league matches away.
Head 2 Head
Top Goalscorers
  A. Ryan 4 goals |  A. Winter 3 goals |  S. Lawson 2 goals |
Rangers U21 missing players
Hamilton Academical missing players
| Rangers U21 | Hamilton Academical | ||||||
| Total | Home | Statistics | Stat | Away | Total | ||
| 25 | 10 | Played | P | 12 | 25 | ||
| 18 | 9 | Won | W | 4 | 7 | ||
| 2 | 0 | Drew | D | 3 | 6 | ||
| 5 | 1 | Lost | L | 5 | 12 | ||
| 74 | 36 | Scored | S | 15 | 32 | ||
| 41 | 11 | Conceded | C | 21 | 43 | ||
| 100% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 100% | 100% | ||
| 92% | 100% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 75% | 80% | ||
| 88% | 100% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 67% | 52% | ||
| 60% | 60% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 50% | 36% | ||
| 44% | 50% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 8% | 12% | ||
| 64% | 60% | BTTS | BTTS | 33% | 40% | ||
| 32% | 40% | Clean Sheets | C S | 33% | 24% | ||
| 4% | 0% | Failed to Score | F T | 33% | 36% | ||
| 6.2 | 6.4 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 5.3 | 6.3 | ||
| 4 | 4.2 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 4.9 | 4.1 | ||
| 1.9 | 2 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 1.9 | 1.9 | ||
| 0 | 0 | Red cards | R C | 2 | 3 | ||
| 13.5 | 16 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 7 | 7.6 | ||
| 7.1 | 7.8 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 2.5 | 2.9 | ||
| 48% | 54% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 41% | 38% | ||
| 7.8 | 5.4 | Shots against (avg) | S A | 9.5 | 10.3 | ||
| 4.1 | 2.8 | Shots on Target against (avg) | S O | 4.5 | 4.6 | ||
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Ayr United | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 29 | 18 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 17 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 9 | 11 | 25 |
| 2 | Greenock Morton | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 20 | 14 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 22 |
| 3 | Raith Rovers | 14 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 19 | 14 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 22 |
| 4 | Dundee | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 24 | 20 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 11 | 4 | 22 |
| 5 | Inverness CT | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 16 | 16 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 0 | 22 |
| 6 | Queen's Park | 14 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 21 | 23 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 12 | -2 | 21 |
| 7 | Partick Thistle | 14 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 27 | 27 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 14 | 0 | 20 |
| 8 | Cove Rangers | 14 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 22 | 24 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 18 | -2 | 16 |
| 9 | Arbroath | 14 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 18 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 10 | -9 | 11 |
| 10 | Hamilton Academical | 14 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 14 | 27 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 14 | -13 | 11 |
- Hamilton Academical FC
- The Scottish Sun - (local newspaper)
- Daily Record - (local newspaper)
