James Penrice enjoyed Rangers’ Premier Sports Cup semi-final victory over Aberdeen but believes the winning feeling will multiply by 10 if they win the final.

The Light Blues registered a 1-0 victory at Barclays Hampden on Saturday thanks to a late but deserved goal from striker Ryan Naderi, who pounced on a strike towards goal from Penrice to direct the ball into the net from six yards.

Gers players took the acclaim of their fans at the end after confirming Derek McInnes’ first final as boss, with Rangers facing Hibernian at the national stadium on December 13 after the Hibees beat city rivals Hearts 2-1 on Sunday.

Penrice, on loan from Super League Greece side AEK Athens, said: “I think it’s special seeing boys that haven’t seen the kind of scenes before, haven’t seen Rangers at Hampden.

placeholder image — Rangers left-back James Penrice. (Photo by Andrew Milligan/Press Association)

“I think it can only help. And I think it will be 10 times that if you were to come back here and win it in six weeks.

“So the motivation for the boys is to relive that again, 10 times that.

“And I think that’s what we’ll be trying to put into the group and it can only help us.”

Penrice admits his decision to join the Ibrox side in the summer was vindicated – albeit there had been no hesitation.

The former Partick Thistle, Livingston and Hearts left-back said: “It was never in doubt. Never.

“It was the only place I wanted to go in the summer. And I pushed a hell of a lot.

“This is why I want to come here and play for a massive club and play in games like a final. It only backs up my decision.”

It was not a classic display from Rangers, especially in a low-quality first half but Penrice stressed the importance of digging deep to get results.

He said: “I think that’s what it is. We’d love to be knocking the ball about and score six or seven goals, but sometimes that doesn’t happen.

“Teams come and they sit lower and they make it hard for us.

“At Rangers, that’s going to happen. You need to score goals. I think it’s just that final bit. The final pass, the final shot. I think composure in front of goal. But I can’t complain.

“The boys ran themselves into the ground and I think big Ryan gets his striker’s goal and it’s a massive positive.”

Although he had been pushed into midfield at times in previous games, Penrice started alongside Nico Raskin in the Gers engine room in a tactical move by McInnes which raised some eyebrows.

However, Penrice took it in his stride, saying: “It was obviously not what I’ve been used to in a two. But when the gaffer says play there, there’s no question, I’ll play wherever.

“Whatever I can do to help the team is what I’ll do.

“Obviously, it’s not a position I’ve played in before in the past for Livingstone and Partick.

“But if he asks me to play in there, I’m going to say yes. I could play anywhere.”