Youths Win Against Caley

Rangers 4 Inverness Caley Thistle 0

Rangers Youths recorded a much-needed win against bottom club Inverness Caley Thistle at Murray Park this afternoon. Once they made the breakthrough fourteen minutes before the break the result was never in doubt. With Luca Gasparotto away on international duty Josh Robinson took his place in central defence, Nicolaj Kohlert and Darren Ramsay replaced Robbie Crawford and Adam Hunter in midfield, Kamil Wiktorski just back from three games in a week for Poland took his place on the bench.

After an early longe range shot from Nicolaj Kohlert that Edward Baldy saved comfortably Rangers continued to dominate possession but were failing to create any clear goal scoring opportunities. It was the visitors who came close after twenty-six minutes, Alan Smith produced a fine save diving to his left to parry Calum Dingwall’s twenty-five yarder, when the ball was cleared from the penalty area Liam Polworth’s net bound shot was headed clear just in front of goal by Josh Robinson.

Rangers took the lead when Darren Ramsay’s corner from the right landed at the feet of Adel Gafaiti and his shot from near the penalty spot through a crowd of players found the net. Three minutes later Kohlert played the ball up to Callum Gallagher who turned and fired a shot that only just cleared Baldy’s crossbar.

Eight minutes before the break Barrie McKay picked up a loose ball midway inside the Caley half and he found Lewis McLeod in space inside the box his shot had Baldy stretching low to his left to make a fine save.

Half-Time:- Rangers 1 Inverness Caley Thistle 0

Only three minutes of the second period had elapsed when Rangers doubled their lead, Darren Ramsay and Tom Skogsrud combined on the left and from the latter’s cross Lewis McLeod was determined and beat a hesitant defence to score from close range with a brave header. Gallagher then latched on to a slack Jack Sutherland headed pass back and Baldy did well to tip his powerful shot over.

Just before the hour the Caley keeper was in action again, Ramsay sent in a cross from the left which was headed to the edge of the box from where McLeod sent a drive goalwards,  Baldy dived to his left to turn the ball round for a corner. Midway through the half Rangers scored again, the ball was worked across the edge of the box from right to left, from McKay via McLeod to Darren Ramsay who shot across keeper Baldy into the far corner.

As the game entered the last quarter of an hour McKay cut in from the right to try his luck with keeper Baldy standing tall to block. Five minutes later Gafaiti sent a cross over from the left which McKay knocked back across goal, a Caley defender appeared to deny Gallagher a few yards from goal although the referee awarded a goal kick. The scoring was complete six minutes from time, a superb McKay run and perfectly timed pass picked out Stuart Urquhart’s run, who continued into the box to shoot past Baldy.

Full-Time:- Rangers 4 Inverness Caley Thistle 0

Rangers:- Alan Smith; Kyle McAusland, Josh Robinson, Adel Gafaiti, Tom Skogsrud; Darren Ramsay (Matty Clarke 84mins), Fraser Aird (Stuart Urquhart 82mins), Nicolaj Kohlert, Lewis McLeod, Barrie McKay; Callum Gallagher.

 

Not Used:- Blair Currie (GK), Kamil Wiktorski, Kim Skogsrud, Robbie Crawford, Adam Hunter.

 

Inverness CT:- Edward Baldy; Jack Sutherland, Harry Stewart (Mark Noble 82mins), Matthew Murphy, Tom Smith; Martin Laing, Liam Polworth, Ryan Christie (Andy Skinner 82mins), Ryan Watson (Stephen McKenzie 82mins); Kevin Buchan, Callum Dingwall.