Development Games Against Dundee United

This weekend’s development games saw Dundee United visit Murray Park and 15’s and 17’s with the younger teams travelling to Dundee. Staggered kick-off times meant I could take in both games at Murray Park.

Rangers 7 Dundee United 0

The morning game saw Rangers 15’s win comfortably in a pretty one-sided game, with neither of Rangers keepers having any save of note to make. Rangers could have taken the lead as early as the first minute, when a cross came in from the right it broke off a United defender and Ryan Hardie headed just over. He came closer still on five minutes when his free-kick from just outside the box came back off the crossbar.

Midway through the first period Callum Shippcott won the ball midway inside the United half and broke into the box before firing at goal only to see the keeper make a fine save tipping over. Two minutes later Shippcott was released on the right by Michael Mossie and his low cross bounced of the near post.

The next chance came when Ryan Smith won the ball in midfield, advancing into the box  his shot was just wide of the keeper’s right hand post. Rangers made the break through five minutes before the end of the first period, Scott Lochead was tripped inside the box and he stepped up to send the penalty into the bottom right hand corner of the net.

Rangers increased their lead five minutes into the second period, Mossie sent Ben Reilly clear on the right and his low ball across the six yard box gave Ryan Hardie a simple finish at the back post. The right flank was proving to be the main source of danger from the Rangers attack and the next effort came after Shippcott cut inside with the keeper saving low to his right.

The third goal was not long in coming and this time it was from a corner on the right, Steven Chatterton rising to head Lochead’s corner into the net. Five minutes later and another spot kick was to provide Rangers fourth, Ben Reilly netting after he was brought down as he made his way along the byline on the right.

Rangers had another chance before the end of the second period, Jamie Wilson’s clearance going over the United and defence and leaving Hardie clear but the keeper came off his line to save. The visitor’s keeper was deny Hardie again when he was through just after the turn round in the third period. A minute later the keeper was helpless when Ryan Hardie went passed two defenders before shooting past the keeper.

With ten minutes remaining Adam Wilson’s pass sent Ben Reilly through on goal, he calmly rounded the keeper before rolling the ball into the empty net. The scoring was complete when Sam Liddington played the ball into Ryan Hardie inside the box, the striker side-stepped a defender before firing home.

Full-Time: Rangers 7 Dundee United 0

Rangers Squad:-Jamie Wilson (GK), Max Currie (GK), Michael Mossie, Sam Liddington, David Brownlie, Steven Chatterton, Ryan Smith, Callum Shippcott, Adam Wilson, Ryan Hardie, Ben Reilly, Scott Lochead, Lewis Morgan, Alex McEwan.

So it was onto the Under 17’s game which kicked off early afternoon, it was a more comfortable win the scoreline suggests, the game going a bit flat after multiple substitutions in the second-half.

Rangers 3 Dundee United 2

A solo run from his own half from Jamie Burrows  almost opened the scoring after seven minutes, when a Dundee United free-kick was cleared he picked the ball up and his run took him past two defenders and into the box, he shot across the keeper only to see the ball rebound of the keeper’s left hand post. He was involved when Rangers took the lead after sixteen minutes, Darren Ramsay won the ball in midfield before playing forward to Burrows, who passed to Charlie Telfer in space inside the box to fire high past the keeper.

A couple of minutes later Craig Halkett rose to power a header goalwards from a Darren McGill corner from the right with the United keeper diving to his left to save. A minute later a carbon copy Halkett header from another McGill corner was cleared off the line by a combination of keeper and defender.

On twenty-five minutes a superb passing move involving Burrows, Telfer and Ramsay ended with a shot from Stuart Urquhart being turned round the post by the keeper.From Ramsay’s corner from the left Jordan Wilson saw his header cleared off the line. Rangers pressure was to tell just after the half-hour, the ball broke to Darren Ramsay he went past a defender before sending an unstoppable shot from the edge of the box into the top right hand corner of the net.

Three minutes before the break Rangers scored again, Darren McGill was the provider with a great cross and Jamie Burrow’s glancing header was enough to beat the keeper.

Half-Time:- Rangers 3 Dundee United 0

Seven minutes after the break another Burrow’s glancing header, this time from an Andy Murdoch cross from the right produced a fine save from the keeper low to his right at the expense of a corner. Midway through the half  United pulled a goal back, from a build up on the left Sam George was beaten by a powerful strike from just outside the box.

As the game entered the last few minutes Scott Lochrie sent Luke Hammond clear with an opportunity to make the game safe but his lob over the keeper was just wide. United then went up the other end and when a corner from the left was headed goalwards Orri Omarsson headed off the line.  When the ball was sent back to the edge of the box George was beaten in the air and the knock on gave the United player  the simple task of knocking the ball into the net for the last action of the match.

Full-Time:- Rangers 3 Dundee United 2

Rangers:- Liam Kelly (Sam George 57mins); Andy Murdoch, Craig Halkett (Orri Omarsson 46mins), Jordan Wilson, Jamie Mills; Scott Roberts (Kjeld McIntyre 54mins), Darren Ramsay (Scott Lochrie 46mins) , Stuart Urquhart ( Connor McLeod 57mins), Darren McGill (Ross Kellock 57mins), Jamie Burrows (Luke Hammond 54mins), Charlie Telfer (Dylan Dykes 46mins)

Footnote:- The younger teams were playing away to Dundee United with the 13’s winning 5-0 and the 14’s winning 4-0.