James Morrice Testimonial

Bonnyrigg Rose 1 Rangers 3

A  Rangers youth side supplemented by Archie Campbell, Kyle Hutton and Rory Loy had a comfortable win over Bonnyrigg Rose in James Morrice’s Testimonial at New Dundas Park last night.

It took the Ibrox youngsters less than five minutes to open the scoring, Ewan McNeil and Archie Campbell combined on the right and when the ball was played inside to Kyle Hutton he beat the keeper with a fine strike from around 30 yards. Just after the quarter-hour mark they had a great chance to double their lead. Campbell played the ball to Loy inside the box and the Rangers striker was tripped as he turned the defender for a clear penalty. He stepped up to take the kick himself but his poorly struck penalty was saved by the home keeper low to his left.

Five minutes later and Bonnyrigg had a great chance, a slip on the Rangers left let them advance to the byline and when the ball came across the striker headed just over. Rangers replied immediately when Steven Hetherington broke down the left and his cross was chested into the path of Rory Loy by Kal Naismith and the striker’s shot was just past.

The second goal was only delayed sixty seconds, Hutton won the ball on the halfway line and played it Naismith. When he tried to play in Campbell the ball came off the striker’s heel back into the path of Kal Naismith who’s low shot found the net from 25 yards. Five minutes later the ball was played down the left where Max Wright shrugged off a defender and shot across goal and wide of the far post.

With ten minutes of the half remaining Kamil Wiktorski and Rory Loy combined to set up another chance for Wright which the keeper saved low to his left. The home side then came back into the game with a couple of chances, a long-range effort from midfield looked to have Alan Smith beaten as it just went past his right hand post. Then a corner from the right was headed narrowly over. The final chance of the half fell to Naismith when set up by Dylan McGeough at the edge of the box, forcing the home keeper to touch the ball round for a corner.

Half-Time:- Bonnyrigg Rose 0 Rangers 2

The home side forced keeper Alan Smith into action when he had to make a diving save to his left. A minute later and a great solo goal made it 3-0, Rory Loy picked the ball up wide right and he cut inside past a defender and beat the keeper with a fine shot.

As is the norm in these type of games the second-half saw numerous substitutions. The home side and the man of the night James Morrice got their moment in the 77th minute. A long-range strike from midfield had Gary Inglis beaten as it came down off the underside of the bar. With the home side claiming it had crossed the line, the referee decided that in the race for the rebound Stuart Urquhart had impeded the Bonnyrigg striker and up stepped James Morrice to beat Inglis from the spot.

Full-Time:- Bonnyrigg Rose 1 Rangers 3

Rangers:- Alan Smith (Gary Inglis 73mins); Ewan McNeil (Abdul Abdulagay 60mins), Kamil Wiktorski (Stuart Urquhart 70mins), Darren Cole (Kyle McAusland 58mins), Steven Hethrington (Michael Noble 53mins); Archie Campbell (Gregor Fotheringham 62mins), Kyle Hutton (Gordon Dick 46mins), Dylan McGeough (Lee Cochrane 68mins), Max Wright (Anthony Marenghi 57mins); Kal Naismith, Rory Loy (George Scott 68mins)

Youngsters Borders Win

Selkirk 0 Rangers 2

Having decided the games in Fraserburgh and Elgin were reserve games and not doing a report, when I saw the lineup at tonight’s game, I really should have reported on what was pretty much an 19’s side in the last two games.

Goalkeeper Scott Gallagher must have felt like a veteran in a side made up of mainly 1st year 19’s and 2nd year 17’s that recorded a comfortable win over Selkirk at Yarrow Park tonight.

Yet it was the home side the had the first real chance on 17 mins, Des Sutherland shooting straight at Gallagher from just inside the box. This sparked Rangers into life and they created a few chances either side of the 25 minute mark.  First Anthony Marenghi cut in from the left and curled a right foot shot just over. Then Robbie Crawford broke forward, turned past a defender at the edge of the box and forced a save from keeper John Dodds.

Next up saw two chances in two minutes for George Scott, shooting just over from a Christiano Kisuka pass then a shot from the right hand angle of the box brought out a good save from Dodds.

Just after the half-hour mark the home keeper surpassed that with a stunning save to prevent Rangers from taking the lead. A great run down the right saw Kisuka leave two defenders in his wake, his cut back was met by Sam McMahon and it looked a certain goal until Dodds somehow managed to get a touch and divert the ball on to the bar. A minuter later and he denied Rangers again, this time low to his left from a Scott shot, as the ball spun up in the air McMahon looked certain to score but somehow headed wide.

Just when it looked like keeper Dodds would deny the Rangers youngsters he was caught out by a 35 yard strike from Anthony Marenghi two minutes before the break. There seemed little danger when he picked the ball up, but his dipping shot went over Dodds and in to the net of the underside of the bar.

Half-Time:- Selkirk 0 Rangers 1

Rangers doubled their lead in the opening minutes of the second half, good play from Crawford gave Marenghi time and space on the left, and his cross to the back post was headed home by Kyle McAusland. The second-half saw numerous substitutions from both sides and keeper Dodds continued to defy the Rangers attack.

Two notable saves in the closing twenty minutes, first to deny Crawford when he was sent clear by Kisuka, not just saving the initial effort, but winning the race to beat the Rangers midfielder to the rebound. Then a Crawford corner was headed goalwards by Abdul Abdulagay and met at the far post by Stuart Urquhart, Dodds blocking his effort with his legs at the expense of a corner.

Full-Time:- Selkirk 0 Rangers 2

Selkirk:- John Dodds; Steven Sharkey (Scott McKenzie 59mins), Euan Pritchard, Barry Milven, Ross McManus (Steven Noble 60mins); Ryan Clapperton, Grant Gass (Ryan McManus 60mins), Tony Craggs (Jason Inglis 54mins), Jay Wilson; Jason Cockburn (Callum Hope 60mins), Des Sutherland

Rangers:- Scott Gallagher (Gary Inglis 75mins); Frankie Owens, Scott Rumsby, Kyle McAusland, Michael Noble (Stuart Urquhart 65mins); Christiano Kisuka, Nicky Main (Lewis McLeod 70mins), Robbie Crawford, Anthony Marenghi (Lee Cochrane 67mins); Sam McMahon (Abdul Abdulagay 59mins), George Scott (Gregor Fotheringham 54mins)

17’s Pre-Season Opener

Rangers 2 Livingston 1

Rangers under 17’s began their pre-season preparations with a 2-1 victory over Livingston at Murray Park. The line up included four French trialists as second half substitutes.

After a quiet opening period Sam McMahon came close when he cut in from the right and shot across goal and just wide of the far post. A minute later and after good play by Lee Cochrane a great defensive challenge denied Mark Dyer.

The game then became a midfield battle with few goalmouth incidents until Rangers took the lead six minutes before half-time. Andy Murdoch picked the ball up on the halfway line and strode forward beating two defenders and sending Sam McMahon clear, the big striker advanced into the box and calmly knocked the ball past the keeper.

A couple of minutes later and a fantastic George Scott solo effort doubled Rangers lead. Picking the ball up in midfield he went past three defenders before sending an unstoppable shot from the edge of the box into the top corner of the net.

Half-Time:- Rangers 2 Livingston 0

Two minutes into the second half and Livvie pulled a goal back through the unfortunate Abdul Abdulagay. A free kick from the right was flicked on, came of the head of the Rangers defender and looped over Blair Currie and into the net. Rangers replied when McMahon controlled a George Scott cross inside the box and shot just over.

Five minutes in and Mark Dyer created a chance for McMahon and his shot beat the keeper but was just wide of the far post. Just after the hour mark the visitors keeper produced a great save low to his right to deny Lee Cochrane.

Trialist Mohamadou Sacko almost increased Rangers lead on 70 minutes, knocking the ball past the advancing keeper only to see the ball come back of the post and the danger cleared. With quarter of an hour remaining McMahon latched on to a loose ball and fired his shot straight at the keeper.

In the closing minutes Sacko again came close, the ball broke to him following a corner and the visitors keeper produced a fine save. The final chance fell to McMahon when a great turn gave him an opportunity, but his effort lacked power and the keeper saved comfortably.

Full-Time:- Rangers 2 Livingston 1

Rangers :- Gary Inglis (Blair Currie 46mins); Abdul Abdulagay (Mark Taylor 72mins), Scott Rumsby, Stuart Urquhart, Frankie Owens (Jordan Wilson 68mins); Lee Cochrane (Callum McConnell 85mins), Gregor Fotheringham (Lambert Lemlembe 46mins), Andy Murdoch (Adel Gafaiti 57mins), Mark Dyer (Mohamed Fofana 59mins); George Scott (Mohamadou Sacko 62mins), Sam McMahon.

Youth’s win Pre-Season Opener

Rangers 3 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1

A fine first half performance was enough to secure a win in the youths opening pre-season game at Murray Park this afternoon. They took an early lead in the 4th minute, good work on the right from Dylan McGeough and the Trialist No.9 gave Ewan McNeil a chance to cross and the unfortunate Wolves defender turned it past his own keeper.

Two minutes later and it really should have been 2-0, The Trialist N0.9 combined with Kamil Wiktorski to send Gordon Dick clear, he looked certain to score but shot just wide. The visitors then had a chance on ten minutes and keeper Alan Smith got the slightest touch to divert for a corner.

Five minutes later and Smith had to be alert to save a shot from the right hand side of the box. Back at the other end and the Trialist No.9 went past two defenders and sent the ball out to McGeough on the right who’s low cross found its way to Christiano Kisuka at the back post and he shot just wide.

The second goal was only delayed 60 seconds, Wiktorski played Kisuka down the left and his pass found Dylan McGeough free inside the box and he produced a composed finish to beat the keeper.

Rangers were playing well and McGeough and Gordon Dick combined to set up a chance for the Trialist No.9 who shot narrowly wide. Then on 26 minutes Gordon Dick burst into the box leaving two Wolves defenders in his wake and his shot brought out a fine save from the keeper who tipped over. From the resultant corner Rangers increased their lead when Chris Hegarty headed McGeough’s flag kick past the keeper.

The visitors responded by pulling a goal back inside a minute, after a break down the left and ball into the box, the striker shot past Smith into the corner of the net.

Half-Time:- Rangers 3 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1

The Premiership youngsters came out in a determined mood and took the game to Rangers, Smith saving a powerfully struck shot. Five minutes after the break following a corner they had another great chance but volleyed over.

The visitors continued to have the better of the second half but without troubling the Rangers defence until the 70th minute when they had a similar chance following a corner but again volleyed over. Rangers then finished stronger and should have added to their lead in the final ten minutes. McGeough and Anthony Marenghi worked a short corner to Andy Mitchell at the edge of the box and his shot rattled the Wolves cross bar.

A solo run by McGeough from the halfway line saw him glide past two players but his shot from the edge of the box went narrowly over. Then in the final minute Kyle McAusland was denied by the Wolves keeper at close range, the ball clearing the penalty area where it was volleyed goalwards by Marenghi and the keeper produced a stunning save to turn it round the post.

Full-Time:- Rangers 3 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1

Rangers:- Alan Smith; Ewan McNeil, Chris Hegarty, Chris Scott, Steven Hetherington; Dylan McGeough, Andy Mitchell, Gordon Dick (Anthony Marenghi 62mins), Kamil Wiktorski (Nicky Main 81mins), Christiano Kisuka (Kyle McAusland 75mins); Trialist No.9.

Not Used:- Blair Currie (GK)

Note:-

Earlier in the day a young Rangers side was on the wrong end of a 5-0 defeat against an experienced  Sunderland side that included internationalists, Martin Fulop, David Healy and Teemu Tanio.

First-half goals from Adam Reed and Nathan Luscombe gave the Wearsiders and 2-0 lead. Rangers only real chance came at this stage when Darren Cole released Archie Campbell, but a double save by Fulop at the feet of the Rangers striker kept the two goal lead intact.

The visitors added second half goals from David Healy, Craig Lynch and Jordan Cook.

Rangers:- Wayne Drummond; Rhys McCabe (Kyle McAusland 72mins), Krister Wemberg, Darren Cole, Michael Noble; Archie Campbell, Kyle Hutton, Stephen Stirling, Thomas Kind Bendiksen (Max Wright 27mins); Rory Loy, Trialist No.10 (Anthony Marenghi 80mins).

Not Used:- Gary Inglis (GK)