RANGERS hit the Scottish Cup trail against Forfar tonight in their delayed fifth round tie.

They will be hoping to defend the trophy they won by beating Queen of the South in the final at Hampden last season.

BARRY BROWNING (Plean) would like details of the first cup final he attended, when Rangers beat Hearts in 1976. The teams lined-up: Rangers: McCloy, Miller, Jackson, Forsyth, McKean, Greig, Hamilton (Jardine), Henderson, MacDonald McLean and Johnstone.

Hearts: Cruikshank, Brown, Burrell (Aird), Jeffries, Gallacher, Kay, Gibson (Park), Busby, Shaw, Callaghan and Prentice.

Derek Johnstone headed Rangers into the lead in the first minute, they added a second through MacDonald just before half-time, and then Johnstone scored his second. After 81 minutes, Hearts got their consolation goal from Shaw.

ASSOCIATION MAN (Bearsden) - A friend of mine, who is a keen follower of rugby union, tells me that the first rugby international match took place before the first football international of 1872. I find this difficult to believe. Can you advise? Surprisingly your friend is correct. The first football international was played on November 30, 1872, at the West of Scotland cricket ground in Partick, Glasgow. Scotland and England played out a goaless draw.

However, over a year previously, the same two countries had played a rugby international at Raeburn Place in Edinburgh. Scotland won by a goal and a try to a solitary try by England.

BOB O'HARE (Mount Florida) - Could you tell me a bit about the Celtic career of goalkeeper Gordon Marshall (senior), father of Gordon Marshall the Celtic goalkeeper of the 1990's? The elder Gordon had a short and disappointing time at Celtic Park. He joined up on the July 13, 1971. His first appearance was in a home game against St Johnstone in the pre-season Drybrough Cup. Although Celtic won 4-2, some fans blamed Marshall for the two St Johnstone goals.

Gordon was selected to play in a European Cup first round, first leg away to B1903 Copenhagen. Celtic slumped to a disappointing 1-2 defeat, this was Gordon's only first class competitive game for the Celts.

Gordon's last appearance for Celtic was in a challenge match away to Stirling Albion in January 1972, a game which ended in a 1-1 draw.

Other senior clubs Gordon played for were Hearts, Newcatle, Nottinham Forest, Hibs, Aberdeen and Arbroath.

BRANDED (via email) - Can you tell me how many goals Ralph Brand scored for Scotland? The Rangers inside left scored eight times in eight appearances for Scotland during the early 1960s. He would probably have won more caps had he not been a contemporary of Denis Law.

BILL AND BOAB (Partick) -There is a pint riding on this! Can you tell us how long a goalkeeper is allowed to hold the ball before he must release it - is it six or nine seconds? The current Fifa Laws of the Game state: "A goalkeeper is not permitted to keep control of the ball in his hands for more than six seconds."

The referee would award an indirect free kick for an infringement from the position where the offence occurred.

LESLIE GRANT (Dumbarton) - What is the oldest senior football ground in Scotland? Stark's Park in Kirkcaldy has been in continuous use as a football ground for 128 years and has been the home of Raith Rovers since 1891.

Prior to 1891 it was the home ground of Kirkcaldy Rangers, Links Fern, and, in 1881 was the home of the "Lang Toun's" first club, Kirkcaldy Wanderers.