LET'S HEAR IT FOR BIG CONNOR

Balogun hails pal Goldson for talking him through semi win even though he was left on bench by Gers gaffer Phil

- ANDY NEWPORT

AT six foot and three inches lofty Leon Balogun stands every bit as tall as titanic team-mate Connor Goldson.

But the returning Rangers defender happily concedes he was left having to fill some pretty big boots when he stepped in to replace Goldson at Hampden.

For the first time in his six years in Scotland, Goldson found himself a member of the Light Blues bomb squad as he was dropped for the Scottish Cup semi-final against Hearts.

The 31-year-old paid the price for two lacklustre displays in Dingwall and at Dens Park which have blown a huge hole in Rangers' hopes of a Premiership title this term.

But while the defender was consigned to a seat on the bench, Balogun insists that did not stop the club's vice-captain from standing firm in the build-up to the last-four shootout as he insisted upon playing his usual role at the National Stadium as one of the team's leading voices.

It would have been easy for Goldson to skulk off and spend the warm-up limbering up with the rest of the subs.

Instead he kept his head high as he joined with the starters while they went through their preparations, adding his pre-match pep talk on the pitch to the words of encouragement he had already shared in the changing room.

It was left to Balogun to take on Goldson' in-game duties and the Nigeria international was just relieved he was able to match his old partner's normally high standards.

"Connor is brilliant," said the 35-year-old. "He always is, whether he is playing or not. In terms of shoe size, I almost make it up to him!