Mark Hailstones Testimonial

Clydebank 2 Rangers 6

What was a Rangers under 18 team made the trip to Holm Park to honour Clydebank striker Mark Hailstones in his testimonial match after ten years service for the club. The Ibrox youngsters ran out comfortable winners although it should be noted that the home side’s starting lineup was not their strongest and possibly included a few “guests”.

The home side lost possession straight from kick-off and Ryan Hardie broke into the right side of the penalty area before shooting past the keeper. Within sixty seconds Rangers had doubled their lead, Andy McKinnon’s initial effort was saved but the defence failed to clear and when the ball came back to him he shot home.

Clydebank replied immediately with an attack down the right and when the cross came in Liam Kelly was beaten by a powerful header that rebounded clear off the crossbar. On eight minutes Rangers scored again, from Adam Wilson’s corner from the right Greg Pascazio’s header was blocked and in the ensuing scramble Ryan Hardie forced the ball over the line.

On the quarter-hour mark Junior Ogen drove forward before feeding Andy McKinnon on the right side of the box and he forced the keeper to save low to his right. Andy McKinnon then turned provider passing to Ryan Hardie from the left and the striker’s shot was saved low to the keeper’s right.

On twenty minutes Clydebank pulled a goal back and the “man of the moment” was the scorer. From a free-kick on the left, midway inside Rangers half was sent towards the back post and Mark Hailstones volleyed past Liam Kelly. Five minutes later the home keeper misjudged a long ball allowing Ryan Hardie to run past him but the angle was too tight and his effort rolled across goal.

Just before the half hour Adam Wilson progressed on the left and his superb pass freed Ryan Hardie inside the box and he shot past the keeper. A couple of minutes later and Adam Wilson got on the score sheet, the home keeper allowing his long-range shot to slip under his body and into the net.

As half time approached Greg Pascazio sent Ryan Hardie through the inside right channel but his pass across goal was just to strong for Junior Ogen who collided with the post in his attempt to score. Right on the whistle the home side attacked down the right and when the cross was knocked down into the forwards path a goal looked certain but Liam Kelly produced a superb point-blank save.

Half-Time:- Clydebank 1 Rangers 5

The second half was tame by comparison and it was the midway point when Scot Whiteside broke forward from defence, he passed to Jordan Hamill who burst past two defenders into the box with the keeper saving bravely at the midfielder’s feet. At the other end a low driven cross from the right hand byline brought substitute keeper Robbie McCrorie in to action, diving full length to punch the ball clear.

The Bankies grabbed their second goal on seventy-two minutes, the source was a corner from the right which the Rangers defence struggled to clear and the linesmen indicated that one of the efforts on goal had crossed the line. Rangers replied when Jamie Brandon sent Ryan Hardie down the right and he made his way into the box to nod the ball into the path of Jamie Mills who was denied by the keeper.

A few moments later was the night’s only sour note when Jamie Brandon got injured in a challenge and had to leave the field on a stretcher with Max Ashmore returning to the action. In the final minute Ryan Hardie charged down the keeper’s clearance, lobbed the ball over a defender before knocking it into the empty net.

Full-Time:- Clydebank 2 Rangers 6

Rangers:- Liam Kelly (Robbie McCrorie 68mins); Jordan Hamill, Greg Pascazio, Scot Whiteside, Sam Liddington (Lewis White 62mins); Andy McKinnon (Chris McDonald 67mins), Junior Ogen, Max Ashmore (Jamie Brandon 60mins) Adam Wilson, Jamie Mills; Ryan Hardie.