Easy Win For 14’s

Hibernian provided the opposition for this week’s development league games. With the Under 15’s and 17’s through at the Hibernian Training Centrit was the younger teams who were at home at Murray Park and as is my norm I took in the game involving the older team.

Rangers 9 Hibernian 0

Rangers first chance came when Zak Rudden latched on to a slack pass in the Hibernian defence and burst through on goal with the visitor’s keeper advancing from his line to block with his legs. Rangers took the lead on seventeen minutes, Rhys Breen broke forward from defence and his pass sent Zak Rudden clear through the inside left channel and this time he made no mistake as he shot past the keeper.

Six minutes later Rangers doubled their lead, Mati Zattafarra advanced from his own half and passed to Zak Rudden out on the right, the Rangers striker returned the ball to Mati Zattafarra who moved the ball on to Stephen Kelly on the left side of the penalty area and he shot across the keeper into the net. A poor clearance from the Hibs keeper could have led to a third but he recovered to get down to his right to save Zak Rudden’s shot.

Stephen Kelly was the provider of the next chance when his pass released Scott Blacklaw deep inside the right side of the box but he was denied when the keeper made a fine save. Hibernian had a chance on the right side of Rangers penalty area six minutes into the second period with Darren Montgomery diving to his left to turn the ball wide.

Rangers were soon back on attack and when Zak Rudden dispossessed a defender on the edge of the box he thundered a shot high past the keeper. At the midway point of the period Scott Blacklaw lobbed the ball to the back post from the right side of the box and Stephen Kelly’s volley was just wide of the post.

A couple of minutes later Mati Zattafarra scored Rangers fourth with a fine individual goal, taking on the Hibernian defence on the left he went past two defenders and beat the keeper with an excellent finish. Four minutes before the end of the period Rangers scored a fifth, Rhys Breen sent Aaron Reid down the left to the byline and when he cut the ball back a Hibs defender turned the ball past his own keeper for an Own Goal.

Rangers next goal came six minutes into the final period, Zak Rudden took on the Hibernian defence on the right side of the penalty area before passing to Dylan Patterson on the left side of the box and he beat the keeper with a superb first time finish. Stephen Kelly then sent Scott Blacklaw through but his attempted lob didn’t quite come off and the keeper saved.

As the game entered the final ten minutes Zak Rudden was played through on the left side of the box, the Hibernian keeper parried the striker’s shot but Michael Hewitt followed up to fire into the unguarded net. In the final couple of minutes Rangers added a further two goals. The first came when Aaron Reid’s pass sent Zak Rudden done the left and he continued into the box to shoot past the keeper. The scoring was completed when Zak Rudden switched play to Michael Hewitt on the right, when his cross came into the box Mati Zattafarra volleyed past the keeper from around eight yards.

Rangers Squad:- Darren Montgomery (Gk), Michael Hewitt, Aaron Reid, Rhys Breen, Lewis Mayo, Cammy Palmer, Scott Blacklaw, Mati Zattafarra, Zak Rudden, Stephen Kelly, Jack Pow, Dylan Patterson.

Footnote:- Rangers Under 13’s recorded a 4-0 win over their Hibernian counterparts with the goals coming from Lewis McGrattan (2), Andy Rodden & Billy Gilmour.

Meanwhile through in the east Rangers Under 15’s that included Under 14’s players Scott Gray, Jack Thomson and Carlo Pigniatello beat Hibernian 5-0. The goals coming from Grant Nelson, Jack Thomson, Sam Jamieson & Liam Burt (2).

Rangers Under 17’s lost 2-1 in a game where both teams had a couple of over age players, with Rangers goal coming from Greg Pascazio.