Home Farm Visit Murray Park

Rangers 5 Home Farm 1

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A Rangers under 16 side took on their counterparts from top Dublin youth side Home Farm at Murray Park tonight, a dominant first half performance secured the win with the visitors performing better  after the break.

Rangers came close after only two minutes, Junior Ogen passed to Steven Chatterton on the right, Ryan Hardie stretched to meet his driven cross but could only knock the ball over the crossbar. Just over ten minutes later Rangers took the lead, an enterprising break down the right from Steven Chatterton and when the ball was crossed into the box Ryan Hardie fired into the net.

Rangers continued to press and Ben Reilly fed Ross Lyon on the right hand angle of the box, he stepped inside a defender before going for goal which James Talbot gathered at the second attempt. Just beyond the midpoint of the half Rangers doubled their lead, Josh Jeffries cut infield from the left before passing to Ross Lyon on the right who sent the overlapping Steven Chatterton to the byline and his low cross was again converted by Ryan Hardie.

A couple of minutes later a ball over the top of the Home Farm defence sent Ryan Hardie through on goal, as keeper James Talbot came out to meet him he played the ball across goal to give Josh Jeffries a tap in. The fourth goal came a couple of minutes after the half-hour, Ryan Hardie’s cross from the right hand byline was volleyed across goal and into the bottom corner by Josh Jeffries.

As the half approached the final five minutes David Brownlie’s clearance caught out the Home Farm defence and Ryan Hardie raced clear, this time he was denied by James Talbot who saved low to his right.

Half-Time:- Rangers 4 Home Farm 0

The visitors started the second half much better and seven minutes in a ball over the top of the Rangers defence sent their striker through, Jamie Wilson advancing from his line to block with his legs. Just over five minutes later Rangers survived another scare, an attack and cross from the right saw David Brownlie slice his attempted clearance and the ball bounced of Jamie Wilson’s left hand post.

Midway through the half Ross McCrorie was judged to have tripped the Home Farm attacker just inside the right hand side of the box and the referee pointed to the spot, Paul Sweeney stepped up to convert from twelve yards. With just under fifteen minutes remaining scoring was complete, a superb Ben West pass sent Ryan Hardie through the inside right channel and he was brought down well inside the box, he duly dusted himself down to convert the penalty and complete his hat-trick.

Full- Time:- Rangers 5 Home Farm 1

Rangers:- Robbie McCrorie (Jamie Wilson HT); Steven Chatterton, David Brownlie, Ross McCrorie, Sam Liddington (John Cunningham 79mins); Ross Lyon (Ben West HT), Junior Ogen, Max Ashmore (Jamie Brandon 65mins), Josh Jeffries (Reece Duncan 72mins); Ben Reilly; Ryan Hardie.

Home Farm Squad:- James Talbot (Gk), Liam Hudson, Stephen McGivern, Shane D’arcy, Andrew Moore, Shane Boyle, Paul Sweeney, Cian Kennedy, Adam McDonnell, Lee Murray, Joe Doyle, Mark O’Brien, James Swan, Natahn Donohue, Cian Fogerty, Stephen O’Sullivan, Aaron Mulhall

17’s Reach Glasgow Cup Final

Queen’s Park 0 Rangers 1

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A Ryan Hardie goal eight minutes from time secured Rangers place in this year’s Glasgow Cup Final at a cold Lesser Hampden tonight. The home side had the better of the opening play without troubling Liam Kelly in the Rangers goal and there were twenty-one minutes gone before we had the first shot on target. Gloady Ntumba collecting a loose ball at the edge of the box but his shot lacked power and the Queen’s Park keeper saved comfortably low to his right.

Six minutes later Scott Roberts and Danny Stoney worked a short corner on the left and when the later’s cross landed at Ryan Hardie the keeper did well to claw the ball away from under the crossbar. Just after the half-hour Rangers suffered a blow when Scott Roberts picked up an ankle injury and had to be replaced by Ben Reilly.

In injury time in the first half a neat first time Gloady Ntumba pass sent Danny Stoney attacking the right side of the box but he shot across goal and wide of the far post.

Half-Time:- Queen’s Park 0 Rangers 0

Ten minutes after the break only a superb Liam Kelly save kept Rangers on level terms, from a free-kick midway inside Rangers half and just right of centre the Queen’s player rose to head goalwards from no more than four yards only to see Liam Kelly dive to his right and somehow turn the ball wide. As the seventy minute mark approached Rangers missed a great chance to take the lead, Dylan Dykes rose to head the keeper’s goal kick back towards goal sending Danny Stoney clear, but his shot bounced  off the keeper’s right hand post and wide.

Rangers were now creating chances and five minutes later Ryan Hardie controlled Adam Wilson’s cross from the left but the keeper made a superb block from close range. When the ball was cleared out to the right Ben Reilly’s cross found Dylan Dykes inside the box but his shot was wide of the left hand post.

The home side then manged to deny Rangers twice in a matter of seconds, when a free-kick was played into the box Danny Stoney’s touch freed Ryan Hardie who was denied when the keeper parried, with the ball loose a defender fired it against Ryan Hardie and with the ball seeming certain to find the net, a defender somehow cleared from the goal line at the right hand post.

With eight minutes remaining Rangers made the breakthrough, a superb first touch on a through ball setup Ryan Hardie to break into the right side of the box and shoot past the keeper. With five minutes on remaining the home side were reduced to ten men, with Danny Stoney attacking the penalty area he was halted by a rash two footed challenge leaving the referee little option and he flashed a straight red card.

As the game entered the final minute Rangers broke following a Queen’s Park corner, at they entered the home side’s half Ryan Hardie passed to Danny Stoney his attempted return pass appeared to be handled by a defender just inside the box but the referee waved play on. There was still time for the home side to have one final chance to salvage something from the game, a free kick from halfway was played into the box and it broke for a Queen’s player but the effort was weak and Liam Kelly saved comfortably.

Full-Time:- Queen’s Park 0 Rangers 1

Rangers:- Liam Kelly; Ryan Sinnamon, Greg Pascazio, David Brownlie, Jamie Mills; Adam Wilson, Dylan Dykes, Scott Roberts (Ben Reilly 31mins), Ryan Hardie; Danny Stoney; Gloady Ntumba (Lewis Morgan 64mins)

Not Used:- Robbie McCrorie (Gk), Sam Liddington, Steven Chatterton.

All Square In Glasgow Cup

Rangers 2 Celtic 2

Rangers 17’s lost a two goal half-time lead in their Glasgow Cup section game at Murray Park tonight, the equaliser coming four minutes from time. A good passing move set up the first chance on six minutes, it began with Jamie Mills and continued via Scott Roberts out to Lewis Morgan on the right and from his cross Ryan Hardie headed just wide of Colin McCabe’s left hand post.

Three minutes later Rangers took the lead, Ryan Hardie won possession just outside the right side of the penalty area, he cut inside a defender before beating McCabe with a neat finish. As the twenty-minute mark approached Joe Thompson passed inside to Luke Donnelly and his shot from just outside the box was turned round his right hand post by Liam Kelly.

On twenty-seven minutes Rangers had a let-off, Liam Kelly miscued his punch on Paul McMullen’s cross from the right, the ball fell at the feet of Luke Donnelly but with the goal at his mercy he shot wide of the right hand post. McMullen then tried his luck from twenty-five yards and Liam Kelly dived low to his left to turn the ball wide.

A minute later Rangers capitalised by doubling their lead, Jamie Mills won the ball just inside the Celtic half and passed to Danny Stoney who drove forward before beating McCabe from the edge of the box, possibly with the aid of a deflection.

Half-Time:- Rangers 2 Celtic 0

As the hour mark approached Celtic pulled a goal back from a stunning strike, the Rangers defence cleared the ball from their penalty and from fully thirty yards Liam Henderson, running on to the ball met it perfectly and gave Liam Kelly no chance as the ball flew into the top left corner. The game then entered a spell where there was little goalmouth action, until with quarter of an hour remaining Junior Ogen passed to Scott Roberts who tested Colin McCabe in the Celtic goal.

When the Rangers defence cleared a cross from the right it landed perfectly for Gareth McDonagh who’s shot was straight at Liam Kelly. Rangers went straight up the other end and when Danny Stoney passed inside to Scott Roberts keeper McCabe dived low to his left to turn the ball wide.

A superb turn from Paul McMullen created space on the left side of the Rangers box but he dragged his shot across goal and wide of the post. With four minutes remaining an exchange of passes on the edge of the Rangers penalty area freed Paul McMullen inside the box and he found the net via Liam Kelly’s left hand post.

The goalscorer was then fortunate not to see red for a poor challenge on Ryan Sinnamon, the referee seemed certain to show a second yellow until he realised he had cautioned him for diving in the first half and kept his cards in his pocket. Rangers were reduced to ten men in the dying seconds of the game when Junior Ogen was shown a straight red for an off the ball incident.

Full-Time:- Rangers 2 Celtic 2

Rangers:- Liam Kelly; Ryan Sinnamon, Greg Pascazio, David Brownlie, Jamie Mills; Lewis Morgan (Junior Ogen 72mins), Adam Wilson (Ben Reilly 59mins), Dylan Dykes, Scott Roberts; Danny Stoney; Ryan Hardie.

Not Used:- Robbie McCrorie (Gk), Sam Liddington

Celtic:- Colin McCabe; Glen Eadie, Fiacre Kelleher, Mark Barrowman, Calum Watters; Gareth McDonagh, Liam Henderson, Conor McManus, Paul McMullen; Joe Thompson; Luke Donnelly

Not Used:-Conor Cullen (Gk), Ciaran Lafferty, Aiden Nisbet, Connor McLaren, Jack Breslin, Aiden McIlduff.

17’s See Off Killie

Rangers 3 Kilmarnock 1

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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)

13’s Edge Out Dundee United

Rangers 6 Dundee United 5

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Rangers Under 13’s just did enough to edge out Dundee United in a thrilling game at Murray Park this afternoon. Rangers took the lead after eight minutes, a superb piece of skill from Dylan Patterson created space inside the box, the United keeper touched his attempted chip on to the crossbar, from the rebound Carlo Pigniatello sent a looping header over the keeper and into the net. United went straight to the other end and only a brilliant Lewis Muir save denied them an equaliser, the chance was created down the right and when the cutback was hammered goalwards the Rangers keeper leapt to turn the ball over.

The visitor’s drew level on seventeen minutes, the ball was switched out to left and the United player cut inside Jack Pow before sending a shot over Lewis Muir from a narrow angle. Five minutes later Rangers had a let off when a shot from just outside the box came back of the crossbar.

With five minutes of the period remaining United had a great chance to take the lead, with Rangers struggling to clear their box following a corner, a United player was tripped and the referee pointed to the spot, Rangers keeper Lewis Muir dived to his right to produce a superb save. The visitors were not to be denied and took the lead in the dying seconds of the period, a pass sending the player through on the right side of the box to shoot past Lewis Muir.

United started the second period where they left off in the first, on the attack. A passing move down the left created the chance and this time Lewis Muir dived to his left to save. Rangers replied when Scott Blacklaw won the ball in midfield and passed to Carlo Pigniatello who in turn passed to Dylan Patterson whose chip was just too high and cleared the crossbar.

A minute later Rangers were level, good play on the right from Zak Rudden and a pass inside saw a calm finish from Stephen Kelly, passing the ball into the bottom corner of the net. Rangers were now looking most likely and when Carlo Pigniatello was fouled on the edge of the box he sent the free-kick over the wall and the United keeper touched the ball over.

With just over ten minutes of the period gone Rangers took the lead, United lost possession from their own throw in and Zak Rudden found the net from the left side of the penalty area with a powerful sot. Dylan Patterson and Carlo Pigniatello then combined on the left and from the former’s cross Zar Rudden’s header brought out a fine save from the united keeper low to his left.

As the period came to a close Rangers scored again, when the ball was played into the box looking for Matthew Shiels it was cleared but only as far as Carlo Pigniatello who found the net with a superb shot. It was Rangers who created the first chance of the third period, a good passing move saw the ball move from Carlo Piniatello, Zak Rudden and Matthew Shiels and when the ball was laid back to Carlo Pigniatello who’s shot was only just over.

Two minutes later United reduced the deficit, a pass sent the player through on the right and with Rangers claiming offside he continued into the box to shoot past Darren Montgomery. Just after the turn round of the third period Rangers restored their two goal lead, Matthew Shiels was sent clear on the left and when his shot came back of the crossbar Scott Blacklaw knocked the ball back across goal where a United player turned it past his own keeper while trying to clear for an Own Goal.

When Carlo Pigniatello’s corner from the right landed at the feet of Zak Rudden he fired into the net to extend Rangers lead further. The visitor’s replied when the ball was played up to the striker at the edge of the box, he stepped inside a defender and beat Darren Montgomery with a fine shot. In the dying seconds the referee judged that Rhys Breen had handled a bouncing ball inside the box and this time the spot-kick was duly converted.

Full-Time:- Rangers 6 Dundee United 5

Rangers Squad:- Lewis Muir (Gk), Darren Montgomery (Gk), Jack Pow, Aaron Reid, Rhys Breen, Cammy Wray, Stephen Kelly, Aaron Mooney, Scott Blacklaw, Zak Rudden, Carlo Pigniatello, Dylan Patterson, Matthew Shiels, Lewis McGrattan.