Unconvincing Win For 17’s

Rangers 2 Hamilton Accies 1

Rangers under 17’s secured the points with a win over Hamilton Accies at Murray Park this afternoon, but it was an unconvincing performance against an Accies side that played for seventy-four minutes with ten men and without a recognised goalkeeper, then the final eight minutes with only nine men.

The visitor’s were first to threaten on fourteen minutes when Jason Krones was caught underneath a long ball, the Accies striker then beat Jason Krones again but was denied by a superb Aidan Wilson challenge. Two minutes later Andy Dallas raced through the inside left channel and was halted five yards outside the area by a reckless challenge from the Hamilton keeper who was shown a straight red card. Setting aside the debate about last man and goalscoring opportunities, the challenge was dangerous and merited a red card. Without a substitute goalkeeper an outfield had to take over between the sticks, when Jamie Barjonas eventually took the free-kick, the stand in keeper seemed unsure on whether to catch or head the ball and it bounced clear off his shoulder.

Rangers stepped up the search for the opening goal as the half-hour approached with Sam Jamieson setting up a shooting chance for Josh Jeffries inside the right side of the box with the keeper saving with his legs. The goal was delayed barely sixty seconds, Ross Lyon laying the ball off to Sam Jamieson inside the left side of the box and he coolly passed the ball across the keeper and into the net.

Within a couple of minutes Rangers suffered a blow when Aidan Wilson was stretchered off with what looked like a serious injury with Jamie Brandon coming on as a replacement. With the first half deep into injury time Max Ashmore tried his luck from distance with the keeper gathering at the second attempt. With the next attack Rangers should have doubled their lead when Josh Jeffries sent Andy Dallas clean through with Accies stand in keeper coming from his line to block with his foot.

Half-Time:- Rangers 1 Hamilton Accies 0

Accies were first to threaten five minutes after the break with an attack inside the left side of the penalty area that Lewis McMinn saved at his near post. Just after the hour Rangers doubled their lead from the penalty spot, Jamie Brandon was tripped when he stepped inside a defender, he took the responsibility of taking the spotkick, firing the ball high into the net’

With twelve minutes remaining the visitors pulled a goal back, following a corner the Rangers defence struggled to clear and the ball was eventually forced over the line from close range. Less than five minutes later Accies were rather harshly reduced to nine men when their left-back was shown a second yellow for pulling back a Rangers player in midfield.

Rangers survived a final scare with another stramash in front of goal that had Lewis McMinn scrambling across his six yard box before the defence finally cleared.

Full-Time:- Rangers 2 Hamilton Accies 1

Rangers:- Kieran Wright (Lewis McMinn HT); Aidan Wilson (Jamie Brandon 31mins), Jason Krones, Jack Thomson, Lewis White; Ross Lyon, Jamie Barjonas, Max Ashmore, Sam Jamieson; Josh Jeffries; Andy Dallas (Kieran Balfour 63mins).

Footnote:- At the same time on an adjacent pitch Rangers U15’s lost 4-3, with Rangers goals coming from Stephen Kelly, Mati Zata and Carlo Pigniatiello. Meanwhile at New Douglas Park the U13’s won 4-3 and the U14’s won 4-1.