DaMarcus Beasley bagged a goal and a game-clinching assist as Rangers won the Scottish Cup 3-2 over Queen of the South at Hampden Park.

The US international was a protagonist for 75 minutes before being subsituted, and it was his low drive just short of halftime which gave 'Gers a two-goal cushion after Kris Boyd had fired them into a 33rd-minute lead.

Their First Division opponents, enjoying their first Cup Final for 89 years, pulled a goal back five minutes after the break through Steve Tosh.

Three minutes later, the Doonhamers, who play at a 6,400-seat venue, had their travelling fans sniffing giant-killing glory when Jim Thomson headed past 'Gers goalie Neil Alexander, but Boyd saved Glaswegian blushes when he climbed to power Beasley's corner kick into the net with 18 minutes remaining.

Rangers were playing their 68th game of the season and their fourth in eight days, having lost the UEFA Cup Final to Zenit St Petersburg and the Scottish Premier League title to city rivals Celtic.

Beasley almost gave his team the lead in the 24th minute when he collected Boyd's pass in space, but curled his shot from the edge of the area to the wrong side of the upright.

Nine minutes later, it was Tosh's foul on the American which allowed Boyd to rifle a 20-yard set piece into the top corner.

Queen of the South almost struck back swiftly, but Alexander saved at Tosh's feet and Sean O'Connor had a penalty claim on Steven Whittaker turned away.

Two minutes before the interval, Carlos Cuellar found Beasley with his looping header and the former PSV man nutmegged Queens' keeper Jamie MacDonald from 12 yards.

But the minnows bit back hard soon after halftime as Tosh turned O'Connor's rasping effort past Alexander from close range in the 50th minute, before Thomson rose to nod home Robert Harris' free kick three minutes later.

Cuellar was the hero with a life-saving tackle on O'Connor in front of goal, before Boyd's header restored Rangers' advantage in the 72nd, a lead they controlled for the rest of the match as the Queens' challenge wilted.

Beasley finishes his first Scottish season with a total of 21 appearances and five goals in all competitions (Scottish Premier League 11/2 , Scottish FA Cup 1/1, Scottish League Cup 1/0, UEFA Champions League 5/2).

Scoring
RAN - Kris Boyd 4 33'
RAN- DaMarcus Beasley 1 43'
QOS- Steve Tosh 250'
QOS- Jim Thomson 2 53'
RAN- Kris Boyd 5 72'

Line-ups
QOS - Jamie MacDonald; Ryan McCann (Scott Robertson 86'), Jim Thomson, Andy Aitken, Robert Harris, Jamie McQuilken (John Stewart 76'), Neil MacFarlane, Steve Tosh, Paul Burns, Stephen Dobbie (Jon O'Neill 82'), Sean O'Connor

RAN - Neil Alexander; Steven Whittaker, Carlos Cuellar, David Weir, Sasa Papac, Lee McCulloch, Barry Ferguson, Kevin Thomson, DaMarcus Beasley (Steve Davis 76'), Kris Boyd, Jean-Claude Darcheville (John Fleck 86')