Rangers may once again be left waiting to learn their Scottish Cup fifth-round opponents after fresh controversy emerged surrounding Stranraer’s dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over Queen’s Park at Stairs Park.
The League Two side progressed on Tuesday night after a 1–1 draw was settled by spot-kicks, with goalkeeper Lyndon Tas producing a crucial save before Lewis Hunter converted the decisive penalty to secure a 5–4 shoot-out win.
However, Tas’ involvement in the tie has now been called into question due to his eligibility status.
The Hearts goalkeeper only joined Stranraer on loan after the original scheduled date of the fourth-round tie on Saturday, January 17.
Under Scottish FA competition rules, players must generally be registered with a club before the original fixture date in order to be eligible for any rearranged match.
Sources close to the Lesser Hampden side suggest Queen’s Park have raised the matter with the Scottish Football Association, prompting a review into whether Tas was correctly registered to play in Tuesday night’s fixture.
There is a key distinction that could determine the outcome. If Tas was signed under an emergency loan dispensation - typically permitted when a club is left without a fit goalkeeper - he would be eligible to feature in the rearranged match.
If, however, his move was processed as a standard loan outside of emergency provisions, Stranraer could be found to have fielded an ineligible player.
The circumstances surrounding the move are unusual. Stranraer’s regular goalkeeper Josh Lane was recalled by Hamilton Academical the day before the match, after Accies sold their own number one, Jamie Smith, to Livingston due to financial constraints.
That left Stranraer without a senior goalkeeper on the eve of the tie, forcing the club to act quickly.
Stranraer did have 21-year-old backup Ewan Henderson available and he was on the bench which could be a stumbling block for that defence – however, he has only featured in Challenge Cup matches previously for the side and has minimal first-team experience.
Should the SFA determine that Tas was not eligible, a range of disciplinary options are available. These could include: Forfeiture of the match, with Queen’s Park potentially reinstated, a replay ordered, a fine or formal warning for Stranraer or disciplinary action against club officials – with a precedent involving the Spiders - who were eliminated from the competition previously in 2022/23 after fielding an ineligible player against Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
In previous Scottish Cup cases involving ineligible players, outcomes have varied depending on the circumstances, intent, and the exact nature of the registration breach.
For Rangers, the uncertainty is frustrating. The Ibrox side are scheduled to host either Stranraer or Queen’s Park in the fifth round on the weekend of February 7/8 after cruising past Annan Athletic 5–0 in the previous round.
A tie against Stranraer would evoke memories of Rangers’ 2–0 Scottish Cup win in January 2020 under Steven Gerrard, while a meeting with Queen’s Park would offer the chance to avenge last season’s shock 1–0 defeat at Ibrox at the same stage of the competition.
The match was already delayed due to a faulty floodlight at Stairs Park, which caused a 30-minute stoppage in Tuesday’s match. Now, with questions being asked about player eligibility, Rangers could be forced to wait even longer for clarity.
At present, no official ruling has been made, and the SFA are expected to review the registration details before deciding on any further action.
Until then, Rangers remain in limbo - uncertain whether their next Scottish Cup test will come against a League Two side riding the momentum of a dramatic shoot-out win, or a Championship club eager to overturn another piece of cup heartbreak.
Once again, the Scottish Cup has delivered drama off the pitch as well as on it - and for Rangers, the road to Hampden continues to take unexpected turns.
At this stage, no official ruling has been made, and Stranraer have not been found to have breached any regulations. The SFA are expected to review the circumstances before confirming whether any further action is necessary.
Edit - A hearing has now been scheduled for next Wednesday, January 28 - with Stranraer at risk of elimination from the competition.