Rangers Edge Pars In Goal Fest

Rangers 5 Dunfermline Athletic 4

Rangers Under 20’s edged out Dunfermline at Dumbarton tonight with the odd goal in NINE !! With both defences looking like losing a goal almost every time they were attacked it certainly made for an entertaining ninety minutes.

The Fife side took the lead after only five minutes, when Scott Mercer crossed from the right Alan Smith failed to gather under pressure and the ball fell to Faysaal El Bakhtaoui at the back post and he shot into the net. Five minutes later Rangers equalised, from Alan Smith’s long clearance Lewis Martin and keeper Ryan Goodfellow hesitated allowing Jamie Burrows to nip in and knock the ball over the keeper and into the net.

The visitor’s restored their lead on twenty minutes, a free-kick from the right was delivered into the box and was headed clear by Craig Halkett but only to the edge of the box where Faysall El Bakhtaoui volleyed past Alan Smith. Rangers replied within three minutes from a free-kick of their own, Tom Walsh delivered from the right and the ball broke for Luca Gasparotto just outside the six yard box and he shot through a crowd of players into the net.

On the half-hour Anestis Argyriou broke forward from left-back and when he was challenged at the edge of the box the ball broke to Tom Walsh who forced a save from Ryan Goodfellow low to his right. It was the Greek defender’s last involvement as he was injured in the challenge and was replaced by Kris Gibson. A couple of minutes later Darren Ramsay touched the ball into the path of Tom Walsh just inside the box but he shot over.

As the half entered the last ten minutes Callum Gallagher played a one-two with Jamie Burrows on the right side of the box before firing a shot off the crossbar, the Dunfermline defence failed to clear and when the ball arrived at the feet of Tom Walsh at the edge of the box he fired into the net. Just before the break Stephen Husband broke forward and his pass released Robert Thomson breaking into the box and only a superb Craig Halkett challenge averted the danger.

Half-Time:- Rangers 3 Dunfermline Athletic 2

As the hour point approached the game was all square again, when Luca Gasparotto fouled Jordan Moore just outside the box Stephen Husband stepped up to fire past the wall and Alan Smith and into the bottom corner. The Pars almost edged ahead on sixty-five minutes when Faysaal El Bakhtaoui’s shot from around twenty-five yards was deflected just wide of Alan Smith’s left hand post.

Rangers replied and a Jamie Burrows lay off freed Dylan Dykes inside the penalty area but he was denied by Ryan Goodfellow and a stretching Danny Stoney could only knock the rebound over. I neat exchange of passes involving Barry McKay, Kyle McAusand and Danny Stoney created a chance for Kyle McAusland who forced a save from Ryan Goodfellow low to his left.

Rangers got their noses in front with twelve minutes remaining, Barrie McKay’s free-kick from left of centre midway inside the Dunfermline half was headed across goal by Craig Halkett and Dylan Dykes was on hand to net from close range. At the other end Faysaal El Bakhtaoui’s cross from the right was headed out by Craig Halkett, it fell to Scott Mercer on the left angle of the box and his shot went across goal and wide of Alan Smith’s left hand post.

Rangers seemed to have made the points save with only four minutes on the clock, Jamie Burrows and Tom Walsh exchanged passes in midfield before the former broke towards the penalty area before releasing Danny Stoney on the right side of the box and he took a touch before shooting across Ryan Goodfellow and into the net. Barely sixty seconds later the visitor’s ensured a nervy few minutes by reducing the deficit. Scott Mercer’s free-kick from the right midway inside the Rangers half was swung to the back post where Scott Gray rose to head past Alan Smith.

Full-Time:- Rangers 5 Dunfermline Athletic 4

Rangers:- Alan Smith; Ryan Sinnamon, Craig Halkett, Luca Gasparotto, Anestis Argyriou (Kris Gibson 31mins); Callum Gallagher (Dylan Dykes 53mins), Kyle McAusland, Darren Ramsay (Danny Stoney 67mins), Barrie McKay; Tom Walsh; Jamie Burrows.

Not Used:- Liam Kelly (Gk), Greg Pascazio, Jamie Mills, Ryan Hardie.

Dunfermline Athletic:- Ryan Goodfellow; Ryan Williamson, James Washburn, Lewis Martin, Ross Drummond; Faysaal El Bakhtaoui, Lewis Spence, Stephen Husband, Scott Mercer; Jordan Moore (Scott Gray 65mins), Robert Thomson.

Not Used;- Cammy Gill (Gk), Jordan Orru, Gavin McMillan, Finn Graham, Declan O’Kane, Cameron McClair.