DAVID ROWSON has claimed Rangers have Neil Alexander to thank for keeping their dream of a domestic Treble alive.

With three minutes left of last night's Co-Op Cup third round humdinger, Rowser burst through the Gers' rearguard only to be denied what would surely have been a winner when Alexander smothered his close range effort.

As he reflected on his near miss the Jags' midfielder lauded the new Rangers' No.1.

The 32-year-old said: "I got a touch on it but Alexander was off his line so quickly and he got his angles spot on.

"He spread himself really well and though I should have scored, I have got to give credit to Neil - it was a great save.

"If that had gone in with two minutes left I would have put money on us holding out because we felt we were the stronger side at the end of the regulation period.

"But that is why Alexander is No.1 at Rangers. When he really needed to produce a save he did it and for me that is as much why Rangers are in the quarter-finals as the two goals from Kris Boyd and Pedro Mendes."

Yet Rowson, along with fellow Thistle midfielder Gary Harkins, must take tremendous credit from the way they turned what had been the Ibrox side's initial domination of the central area around to Jags' advantage.

After a promising start the game largely bypassed Steven Davis while Kevin Thomson's contribution was negligible.

That was in no small part due to Rowser's relentless harrying and disruption of the Ibrox supply lines and the repeated surging runs of Harkins.

But Rowser says the crestfallen Jags must take heart from the way they forced Gers into extra-time and ultimately were only shot down by two quite exceptional strikes.

The Firhill midfield general said: "I think we have got to take a lot of positives from that performance. It only goes to back up the two games we had with Rangers in last season's Scottish Cup quarter-finals and we must look at the tape of the game and take great belief from it.

"For me, between the two games with Rangers last season and last night, I felt this one was the best performance from us. I just wish the result could have been different.

"But in league terms we have got to take heart, there is no point in feeling sorry for ourselves.

"Instead we have got to say to ourselves, if we can push Rangers so close we need have no worries over going to Livingston."

Thistle face First Division leaders Livingston on Saturday, at Almondvale, with their opponnets having benefited from an extra day's rest and a significantly less draining tie at Parkhead 24 hours earlier.

So Jags' boss Ian McCall says Livi are the real winners of last night's Firhill epic.

A clearly still drained Corky said: "It was a great effort and we were beaten by two great strikes but the big winners for me are Roberto Landi and Livingston. We gave absolutely everything and unfortunately it wasn't to be.

"But now we have tired legs and jaded minds to lift for Saturday's trip to Almondvale and, of course, Livingston have the benefit of an extra 24 hours rest.

"But that is cup football and the boys did themselves and the Partick Thistle support proud and hopefully that will be reflected in the numbers we take along the M8 on Saturday."