Easy Win For 16’s

Rangers 8 Dundee United 0

40

A Rangers under 16’s squad supplemented with three under 17’s had an easy win against Dundee United at Murray Park tonight. Ryan Hardie who came on as a late substitute for Scotland in last Friday’s Victory Shield match was on top form scoring five goals.

Like the reserves the previous night the Rangers youngsters hit their opponents with an early goal flurry, there was barely two minutes on the clock when they took the lead. Scott Lochrie played the ball to Andy McKinnon on the right, he bore in on goal before squaring to Ryan Hardie who had the simple task of knocking the ball into the net. Just over five minutes later Rangers increased their lead, Ryan Hardie latched on to a short pass back before rounding the keeper and scoring from a narrow angle.

Before the game had reached the quarter-hour mark Rangers scored a third, Scott Lochrie swung in a corner from the left and David Brownlie rose to head past the keeper. Three minutes later the fourth goal followed, Adam Wilson sent Andy McKinnon through in the inside right channel and he carried on into the box before beating the keeper.

A shell-shocked Dundee United had their first effort on goal just before the half-hour, a corner from the left was sent to the back post and the resultant header was narrowly wide. Rangers were soon back on the attack and eight minutes before the break Ryan Hardie scored the goal of the night, sent through on an Adam Wilson pass he calmly chipped the ball over the advancing keeper and into the net.

There was still time for Rangers to score a sixth goal before the half-time whistle and it came from another Scott Lochrie corner from the left, this time sent to the back post where David Brownlie headed his second of the match.

Half-Time:- Rangers 6 Dundee United 0

United started the second period with an attack down the left and when the shot came in Robbie McCrorie dived to his right to turn the ball wide for a corner. The visitors were having their best spell of the game and just before the hour mark an attack through the middle was thwarted when Robbie McCrorie was quick from his line to save at the striker’s feet. Rangers immediately went down the other end and increased their lead, Junior Ogen’s pass sent Ryan Hardie through on the left side of the box and he coolly slotted the ball past the keeper.

A few minutes later Robbie McCrorie in the Rangers goal was called into to action again, saving low to his left after United broke through on the left hand side of the box. At the other end Lewis Morgan brought out the best from the United keeper who dived to his right to tip over his shot from just outside the box.

Rangers eighth and final goal came with just over fifteen minutes remaining, Ben Reilly sent Lewis Morgan clear on the right, a United defender’s challenge denied Junior Ogen as they challenged to meet the low cross, but the ball broke to Ryan Hardie who fired home from eight yards. The visitors never gave up and were denied twice by Robbie McCrorie before the final whistle, following a corner from the left and a shot through a crowd of players the keeper saved low to his left, then after a run along the left hand byline he stood tall to block at the near post.

Full-Time:- Rangers 8 Dundee United 0

Rangers:- Robbie McCrorie; Ben Reilly, Ross McCrorie, David Brownlie, Sam Liddington (Lewis White 60mins); Andy McKinnon (Josh Jeffries 60 mins), Junior Ogen, Scott Lochrie (Kjeld McIntyre HT), Chris McDonald (Lewis Morgan HT); Adam Wilson (Max Ashmore 60mins); Ryan Hardie.