Injury Time Goal Stuns Youths

Hearts 4 Rangers 3

A free-kick deep into injury time cost Rangers Under 19’s a point at Riccarton this morning, it was hard on the youngsters but the failure to consolidate a two goal lead was to prove to be the side’s undoing.

After some initial Hearts pressure Rangers took the game to the Edinburgh side, Fraser Aird laid the ball back to Kyle McAusland on the right and from his cross Chris Kane headed over own crossbar under pressure. Aird’s corner from the left was returned to him from a Hearts defender and from the winger’s cross Tom Skogsrud headed past Jack Hamilton.  A couple of minutes later Callum Gallagher headed narrowly over from Aird’s free-kick from the left.

The Ibrox youngsters were to double their lead on ten minutes, Fraser Aird fired a free-kick from the edge of the box against the Hearts wall and when the ball came back to him he sent a superb cross into the box for the unmarked Kyle McAusland to head past Hamilton. Six minutes later the home side tested Alan Smith when Jamie Walker cut in from the left, the Rangers keeper saving low to his left.

On twenty-one minutes Chris Tobin picked up a loose ball in midfield, broke forward before firing for goal and clipping the outside of Smith’s right hand post. A minute later Hearts pulled a goal back, Jamie Walker cut in from the left and shot for goal, although keeper Smith will be disappointed as the shot slipped under his body. Two minutes later Rangers restored their two goal lead with a superb goal, Gallagher went past Brad McKay on the right and continued to the byline where he looked up and picked out Robbie Crawford’s run into the box, the midfielder picked his spot shooting past Hamilton.

Only a minute had passed and the home side were handed a lifeline, Jamie Walker went down under a Kamil Wiktorski challenge inside the box and the referee pointed to the spot for what looked like a soft award, the same player stepped up to send Smith the wrong way from the spot. Just after the half-hour mark the sides were level, Tobin got to the byline and when his cross found its way to Brad McKay at the back post he had time and space to control the ball before shooting past Smith.

Rangers replied with a long-range effort from Lewis McLeod after Barrie McKay passed the ball in from the left, his shot was straight at Hamilton who saved comfortably.

Half-Time:- Hearts 3 Rangers 3

The first chance of the second half came nine minutes in, Gallagher played in Aird on the right hand angle of the box and his shot across goal was just wide of Hamilton’s right hand post. The home side replied immediately, Callum Patterson’s header from Ryan Stewart’s right-wing cross was only just over.

On 62 minute Stewart tested Smith in the Rangers goal when the striker cut in from the right with the Rangers keeper saving to his right. The keeper was to better that five minutes later with a stunning save, Hearts worked the ball out to the right and when Stewart got his head to Patterson’s cross a goal looked certain till Smith dived to his right to turn the ball wide for a corner.

With quarter of an hour remaining it was Hearts keeper Hamilton’s turn to excel denying Rangers twice within sixty seconds. Tom Skogsrud got the byline and his cutback found Lewis McLeod  eight yards out and a goal looked likely until Hamilton dived to his left to parry. The  next attack came on the opposite flank, McAusland’s cross found Kim Skogsrud at the back post this time Hamilton was quick from his line to block the substitute’s effort and the Hearts defence cleared.

With almost five minutes of injury time played Hearts were awarded a free-kick on the left hand angle of Rangers penalty area and up stepped Fraser Mullen to give Smith no chance as he found the net via the keeper’s left hand post, Rangers barely had time to kick-off before the referee blew for full-time.

Full-Time:- Hearts 4 Rangers 3

Hearts:- Jack Hamilton; Fraser Mullen, Chris Kane, Brad McKay, Kevin McHattie; Callum Patterson (Billy King 78mins), Callum Tapping (Sam Nicholson 83mins), Chris Kane, Jason Holt, Jamie Walker; Ryan Stewart.

Not Used:- Blair Carswell, Dale Carrick, Michael Thomson, George Scott, Adam King.

Rangers:- Alan Smith; Kyle McAusland, Luca Gasparotto, Adel Gafaiti, Tom Skogsrud; Fraser Aird (Ewan McNeill 77mins), Robbie Crawford (Kim Skogsrud 64mins), Kamil Wiktorski, Lewis McLeod, Barrie McKay (Darren Ramsay 68mins); Callum Gallagher.

Not Used:- Blair Currie, Nicolaj Kohlert, Sam McMahon, Marc Dyer.