Rangers 2 Stirling Albion 0
The weekend started with the Under 17’s taking on Stirling Albion on Saturday morning, with heavy rain the game was switched from grass to Astroturf a few hours before kick-off.
Rangers had the first chance to take the lead after nine minutes, Jamie Brandon released Ryan Hardie inside the box with the visitor’s keeper standing tall to make a fine save. Five minutes later a poor goal-kick from Robbie McCrorie presented Stirling Albion with a chance and the keeper redeemed himself with a five save diving to his left.
Rangers took the lead on twenty minutes, Max Ashmore crossed from the left and Ryan Hardie finished with a controlled header into the bottom right hand corner of the net. The visitors threatened just after the half hour, moving the ball from left to right the shot from the right hand angle of the box was only just wide of the far post.
Ranger responded immediately by increasing their lead, when a corner from the right fell for Ryan Hardie the keeper did well to block, the ball came back to the striker just left of the goal near the byline, his pass into the centre of the box setup a finish for Michael Mossie.
Rangers had a final chance five minutes before the break, Junior Ogen passed to Chris McDonald on the left side of the box, he passed inside to Ryan Hardie who turned to make space for a shot that the keeper saved low to his left.
Half-Time:- Rangers 2 Stirling Albion 0
When Scot Whiteside got his head to Junior Ogen’s corner from the right it took a goal line clearance to prevent a third Rangers goal. A minute later Kyle Clark’s cross field pass found Junior Ogen on the right side of the penalty area and the Stirling keeper saved bravely at the Rangers player’s feet.
On the hour mark the visitor’s had a free-kick just outside Rangers box and with the ball moving wickedly in the air Robbie McCrorie did well to turn the ball over. As the midway point of the half approached Ryan Hardie was clear on a through ball, he was a bit too casual with his finish which allowed the keeper to make the save.
With fifteen minutes remaining Michael Mossie drove forward before exchanging passes at the edge of the box with Ryan Hardie, the Stirling keeper diving to his left to save his shot on goal. Four minutes later Chris McDonald latched on to a poor pass back and his lob looked to be destined for the net only to bounce clear off the crossbar. The final chance came when Junior Ogen cut in from the right past two defenders before testing the keeper low to his left.
Full-Time:- Rangers 2 Stirling Albion 0
Rangers:- Robbie McCrorie; Jordan Hamill, Scot Whiteside, David Brownlie; Jamie Brandon (Liam Burt HT(Sam Jamieson 67 mins)), Kyle Clark, Michael Mossie, Max Ashmore, Chris McDonald; Ryan Hardie, Junior Ogen.
Rangers U14’s 3 Glendowan FC U15’s 3
The second youth game of the weekend came on Sunday morning Rangers Under 14’s took on Belfast boys club Glendowan FC’s Under 15’s on the Astroturf at Murray Park.
Rangers were having the better of the play territorially without creating any clear-cut chances and it was Glendowan who took the lead with the first real chance of the game, when the ball was played up to the edge of the Rangers box Lewis Mayo’s clearance was more up in the air than away and the Glendowan forward set a looping header over Lewis Muir and into the net. The visitors had a chance to double their lead soon after when a pass released their attacker through the inside right channel, this time Lewis Muir dived low to his right to make a fine save.
Rangers were having plenty of possession but it was the Belfast side that looked the more likely to score and they had the first chance of the second period, it came from the right side of Rangers penalty area but the shot was across goal and wide of the far post. Rangers were then unfortunate not to draw level, Stephen Kelly’s pass sent Cammy Palmer through the inside right channel, he continued into the box and his shot beat the keeper but bounced clear off the inside of his right hand post.
The equaliser did come and the creator was Stephen Kelly, making his way across the eighteen yard line from right to left he left two defenders in his wake before playing in Scott Blacklaw on the left side of the box and he beat the keeper with a cool finish. The visitor’s regained the lead before the end of the period, when the ball came into the edge of the penalty area from the left the striker got the break of the ball in a challenge with Jordan Houston and it gave him time and space to shoot past Lewis Muir.
Rangers got back on level terms in the early stages of the second period, Lewis Mayo sent a pass through to Carlo Pigniatiello on the edge of the box, his through ball caused panic in the Glendowan defence and when a defender knocked the ball across his own area it landed for Cammy Palmer to shoot high into the net. Soon after the turn around in the final period Glendowan took the lead for the third time, the goal was created with a run along the left hand byline and when Rangers failed to take a couple of opportunities to clear the ball eventually came across goal and Lewis Muir was beaten from close range.
Rangers replied when Rhys Breen broke from defence before passing to Carlo Pigniatiello on the left who passed to Stephen Kelly inside the box, he made space for the shot by stepping inside a defender and was only denied by a fine save from the Glendowan keeper. The Rangers youngsters were not to be denied and came back for a third time with an equaliser in the final minute. Stephen Kelly exchanged passes with Cammy Palmer in the middle of the park before his pass released Carlo Pigniatiello on the left side of the box and he took a touch before shooting past the keeper.
Full-Time:- Rangers 3 Glendowan FC 3
Rangers Squad:- Lewis Muir(Gk), Michael Hewitt, Aaron Reid, Jordan Houston, Lewis Mayo, Cammy Wray, Jack Pow, Cammy Palmer, Matthew Shiels, Stephen Kelly, Scott Blacklaw, Mati Zattafarra, Rhys Breen, Carlo Pigniatiello, Aaron Mooney.
Rangers 5 Hamilton Accies 2
The weekend’s rain had let up for the final youth game of the weekend, the under 13’s clash with Hamilton Accies on Sunday afternoon. Rangers hand the first real effort on goal after eleven minutes, Kieran McKechnie won the ball on the right and passed inside to Dylan Patterson and his effort from just outside the box was only just over.Towards the end of the opening period Dylan Patterson came close again, this time from a free-kick just outside the box, his effort beat the defensive wall but was just wide of the keeper’s left hand post.
Rangers again threatened in the opening period of the second period, when a cross from the left in to the Accies box was headed clear, Lewis McGrattan gathered before shooting just wide of the keeper’s left hand post. Five minutes later Accies took the lead with their first real chance of the game, when the ball was played up to the left side of Rangers box it broke for a Hamilton player who finished with a fine lob over Nicky Hogarth.
Rangers replied a minute later with Dylan Patterson cutting in from the right past two defenders before testing the Accies keeper who saved low to his left. Rangers equaliser came ten minutes into the second period, Lewis McGrattan passed in from the right to Dylan Patterson who fired the ball into the top corner from around twenty-five yards.
Five minutes later Rangers took the lead, their seemed little danger when Andy Rodden collected the ball twenty-five yards out just left of centre, he looked up and sent a shot over the keeper into the far top corner. A further five minutes elapsed when a superb passing move came close to a third Rangers goal. Started by Nathan Patterson on the right at halfway the ball was moved through half the team to Zack Butterworth inside the left side of the area, his shot beat the keeper but bounced clear off the inside of the keeper’s left hand post.
Dylan Patterson then sent a superb pass inside the left back to release Adedapo Mebude who was foiled by the Accies keeper. The final chance of the period came when Ben Williamson’s ball into the box was cleared as far as Lewis McGrattan who’s effort came back off the crossbar with Adedapo Mebude blazing the rebound high over.
Rangers extended their lead in the opening minute of the final period, Dylan Patterson’s dangerous free-kick from the right being diverted past the keeper by a Hamilton defender for an Own Goal. To their credit Accies responded immediately and reduced the deficit with an attack down the left that released their attacker to carry on into the box and shoot past Reece Murdoch.
Rangers restored their two goal advantage ten minutes into the period, Zack Butterworth won the ball on the left side of the box and when his low cross came along the six yard line Adedapo Mubude got the better of keeper and defender to force the ball over the goal line and into the net. Hamilton threatened Rangers goal with eight minutes remaining from an attack on the right side of the penalty area and it took fine Nathan Patterson block to stop the initial shot with Recce Murdoch saving the effort from the rebound.
Rangers then added to their tally with a couple of minutes remaining, Billy Gilmour providing the killer pass to free up Zack Butterworth inside the left side of the box and he shot across the keeper into far corner. There was one final chance when Adedapo Mubude set off on a solo run past a couple of defenders into the area with the keeper advancing from his line to block his shot with his legs.
Full-Time:- Rangers 5 Hamilton Accies 2
Rangers Squad:- Nicky Hogarth (Gk), Reece Murdoch (Gk), Nathan Patterson, Andy Rodden, Rhuaridh Mcintyre, Aiden Gibb, Lewis McGrattan, Kieran McKechnie, Billy Gilmour, Niyah Joseph, Dylan Patterson, Marc Leonard, Ben Williamson, Zack Butterworth, Kyle Ewing, Adedapo Mubude, Jamie Walker.
Footnote:- Rangers Under 15’s recorded a 5-3 win over Hamilton Accies at New Douglas Park on Sunday morning with goals from Liam Burt, Jamie Barjonas, Kyle Bradley & Sam Jamieson (2)
Rangers Youths 
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