17’s See Off Killie

Rangers 3 Kilmarnock 1

90

Kilmarnock manager Kenny Shiels was an interested spectator for this afternoon’s under 17’s clash at a wintry Murray Park. And it was the away side that were first to threaten after two minutes,a good run along the byline took their striker past two Rangers defenders and his cutback to his striker partner saw the close range shot deflected wide.

Rangers replied when Gloady Ntumba exchanged passes with Adam Wilson and drove into the box and he was only denied by a fine defensive challenge. On thirteen minutes Scott Roberts attacked the left side of the penalty area, went past a defender before bringing out a save from the Killie keeper.

Midway through the half a free-kick from the left midway inside the Rangers half found its was to the back post where the Killie centre-back who had come forward for the free-kick was in space but he shot over. On the half-hour the conditions had deteriorated to a blizzard, the referee took the players off for fifteen minutes to allow the weather to clear.

Five minutes after the resumption a Scott Roberts solo run from halfway took him past two defenders and his shot from just outside the box was only just wide of the keeper’s left hand post.

Half-Time:- Rangers 0 Kilmarnock 0

Rangers took the lead ten minutes after the break, Ryan Sinnamon played the ball forward to Ben Reilly on the right, he made his way to the byline before crossing low for Ryan Hardie to flick the ball past the keeper from around six yards. Killie replied less than five minutes later, a corner on the right was played to the angle of the box and then played low into the area and the striker found the net via the underside of the bar.

Five minutes later Rangers restored their lead, Ben Reilly sent Danny Stoney clear on the right and when he got to the byline he sent over the perfect cross for Ryan Hardie to head past the keeper. A further five minutes had passed when Dylan Dykes burst through the centre of the defence, with the keeper not only saving his initial effort but blocking his subsequent effort from the rebound.

With around quarter of an hour remaining Scott Roberts passed to Ryan Hardie inside the box, he cut inside of to his left foot and curled a shot over the keeper and onto the crossbar. The visitor’s had a chance with five minutes remaining an attack down the left was the source and when Robbie McCrorie forced the player wide, Greg Pascazio was well paced to head the effort from the goal line.

Chances were coming at regular intervals in the dying minutes and when Ryan Hardie got a flick to Robbie McCrorie’s goal kick Lewis Morgan was clean through with the Killie keeper advancing from his line to block. With the defence dithering in possession Ryan Hardie robbed a defender before calmly beating the keeper to complete his hat-trick.

A fourth for Ryan Hardie looked likely when Scott Roberts played him through but this time he over ran the ball as he rounded the keeper and it went behind for a goal kick. Lewis Morgan then progressed down the left before passing inside to Scott Roberts with the Killie keeper tipping over. Sam Liddington played the corner short to Ben Reilly and he was denied by the keeper at the near post.

The final attack came at the other end the striker breaking towards the box before going for goal, keeper Robbie McCrorie diving high to his left to turn the ball round the post.

Full-Time:- Rangers 3 Kilmarnock 1

Rangers Squad:- Liam Kelly (Robbie McCrorie 75mins); Ryan Sinnamon, Greg Pascazio, David Brownlie, Jamie Mills; Adam Wilson (Ben Reilly HT), Dylan Dykes, Junior Ogen (Lewis Morgan HT), Scott Roberts; Danny Stoney (Sam Liddington 67mins); Gloady Ntumba (Ryan Hardie HT)