Glasgow Cup Defeat For 17’s

Partick Thistle 2 Rangers 1

Rangers under 17’s suffered a defeat at the hands of Partick Thistle tonight at Lochinch, they now must hope Celtic avoid defeat in tomorrow’s game against Queen’s Park if they are to make this year’s final. If truth be told they didn’t deserve to take anything from the game with Thistle being the better side throughout. Rangers rarely troubled the Thistle goal and their attacks were one-dimensional, continuously missing out the midfield and playing a long ball from back to front.

Thistle had the first effort on goal after four minutes, when a corner from the right found its way to the back post the shot was just wide of Robbie McCrorie’s right hand post. Three minutes later they threatened again when a cross from the right was headed narrowly over.

Fully thirty-five minutes had gone before Rangers had a shot on target, Max Ashmore’s twenty-five yarder was powerful enough but straight at the keeper. Four minutes later Rangers missed a great chance when Junior Ogen got on the end of Adam Wilson’s free-kick from the right, but his header was high and wide when he should have hit the target.

Half-Time:-Partick Thistle 0 Rangers 0

The home side took the lead five minutes after the break, when Michael McMullin cut in from the left his shot took a wicked deflection completely wrong footing Robbie McCrorie, the ball rebounded of the right hand post and off the back of the Rangers keeper and into the net. A minute later Thistle cut in from the left again, this time Robbie McCrorie got down low to his left to save.

Rangers came close just before the hour, From Chris McDonald’s throw in to Junior Ogen saw him lay the ball back for Sam Jamieson to shoot across goal and just wide of the far post. Thistle replied with an attack that should have doubled their lead, clear through the inside left channel the shot was placed beyond Robbie McCrorie but bounced clear off his left hand post.

A minute later another attack from Thistle with the long-range effort going narrowly over. As the final quarter hour approached Rangers drew level, with Thistle struggling to clear a bouncing ball on the left side of the box it eventually fell for Sam Jamieson to volley high past the keeper.

At the other end a corner from the left found its way to the back post and Robbie McCrorie had to stretch to tip the incoming shot over. Rangers had a glimmer of a chance when Adam Wilson headed the ball forward Ryan Hardie advanced into the left side of the box but his shot was weak and the keeper saved easily.

With five minutes remaining Thistle grabbed the winning goal, cutting in from the left Anton McGuigan thundered a shot off the underside of the crossbar which the far side linesman ruled had crossed the line. With David Brownlie thrown up front in desperation the home side held out comfortably to record the win and a remarkable turnaround from their heavy defeat earlier in the tournament.

Full-Time:- Partick Thistle 2 Rangers 1

Rangers:- Robbie McCrorie; Ross McCrorie, Scot Whiteside, David Brownlie, Chris McDonald; Kyle Clark (Jamie Brandon HT), Jordan Hamill, Adam Wilson, Max Ashmore (Sam Jamieson 55mins); Junior Ogen; Ryan Hardie.

Not Used:- Lewis McMinn (Gk), Kyle Bradley, Liam Burt, Jamie Barjonas

Partick Thistle Squad:- Matthew Kerr, Connor Bruce, Greg Molloy, Mason Mullen, Jeff Fergus, Michael McMullin, Anton McGuigan, Cammy Ferrier, Kyle Turner, Neil McLaughlin, Andy McCarthy, Oevin Nisbet, Rabin Omar, Sam Gillespie, Marc Hood, Zac Simpson, Nathan Gallagher and Matthew Ashelby.