GLASGOW (AFP) - Kris Boyd was Rangers' Hampden hero after his brace helped clinch a 3-2 victory over Queen of the South in the Scottish Cup final on Saturday.

Only two days after failing to prevent Old Firm rivals Celtic winning their third consecutive Scottish Premier League title, the Ibrox side secured their second trophy of the campaign by beating the First Division side.

But the Glasgow giants were made to sweat by the plucky Dumfries outfit - who still qualify for next season's UEFA Cup.

Goals by Boyd and US winger DaMarcus Beasley had given Rangers a seemingly unassailable half-time lead but these were cancelled out by Steve Tosh and Jim Thomson at the start of the second half.

However, Boyd restored Rangers' lead to ensure the Ibrox club lifted the Cup for the 32nd time in their history - and completed a cup double after they won the Scottish League Cup in March.

It also allowed the Ibrox club's supporters something tangible to cheer after their quadruple dreams were quashed by Zenit St Petersburg in the UEFA Cup on May 14 and Celtic's SPL success on Thursday.

Rangers manager Walter Smith was happy his players had finished their marathon season on a high.

He said: "It's a bit of a relief after the amount of football we've had to play in the last couple of months.

"I always thought fatigue might have been a problem but it was slackness that led to us losing the two goals.

"At that stage I wondered if we had it in us to come back again but I'm delighted for each and every one of them after their efforts this season."

Rangers had opened the scoring in the 33rd minute.

Captain Barry Ferguson rolled a free-kick back to Boyd, standing 25-yards from goal, and the striker unleashed an unstoppable right-foot shot into the top corner of the net.

And in the 43rd minute the game was as good as over when the Ibrox side doubled their lead.

Beasley's corner to the back post was headed back across goal by Spanish defender Carlos Cuellar, and when two Queen's defenders collided going for the same ball, Beasley gratefully fired home from 12-yards.

The final appeared to be over but to their enormous credit the Dumfries side refused to concede defeat.

In the 50th minute Queen of the South halved the deficit.

Sean O'Connor forced his way down the right wing to the touch line and his driven cross was chested into the net from close range by Tosh.

Rangers were stunned by the goal and amazingly they lost another one only three minutes later.

Robert Harris lofted a high ball into the box from a free-kick on the touchline and Queen of the South's captain Thomson leapt highest to send a looping header over Rangers goalkeeper Neil Alexander and into the net.

One of the biggest shocks in Scottish Cup history looked to be on the cards but in the 72nd minute Rangers regained the lead.

Beasley flighted in a corner and Boyd met the ball six-yards from goal to send a powerful header beyond MacDonald into the roof of the net.

Queen of the South manager Gordon Chisholm was disappointed with his team's first half performance.

He said: "We looked rusty in the first half. Having a four week break since our league season ended affected us.

"It's the poorest we've played in a long time but we were better in the second half and it was a great effort to get back on level terms.

"We're all disappointed but we were realistic coming here and knew it would be a tall order to win."