Glasgow Cup Win For 17’s

Rangers 5 Partick Thistle 0

Rangers Under 17’s secured a comfortable win in tonight’s Glasgow Cup Sectional Tie at Murray Park, but like the first team last night it took and improved second half performance to put the game beyond their opponents.

The first effort on goal came in the fourth minute, Zak Rudden chased a ball down the left and entered the penalty area, he was denied when the keeper blocked he shot from a narrow angle with his legs. A minute later Jamie Barjonas moved the ball to Liam Burt from a free kick just outside the left hand angle of the box and the midfielder’s shot was only just wide of the keeper’s left hand post.

On twelve minutes Andy Dallas broke through the middle of the Thistle defence and again the keeper came to the visitor’s rescue by diverting his shot with his foot. The next chance came when Stephen Kelly picked out Jamie Barjonas’s run into the left side of the box on twenty minutes, he tried to lob the out rushing keeper who just got enough on the ball to prevent the opening goal.

The break through came barely sixty seconds later, Stephen Kelly cutting in from the right and his shot from the edge of the box beat the keeper with the aid of a deflection. Just over five minutes later Jamie Barjonas sent Zak Rudden down the right, he cut inside before going for goal and his effort was only just wide of the keeper’s left hand post.

Ten minutes later Thistle gave a reminder that they were still in the game, a long-range effort from their right back from outside the right side of the penalty area had Kieran Wright stretching to tip over.

Half-Time:- Rangers 1 Partick Thistle 0

The first chance of the second half came just over ten minutes into the half, Jamie Barjonas played in Zak Rudden in the left side of the penalty area and again the Thistle keeper came from his line to blog with his legs. Five minutes later Mati Zata broke towards the Thistle box and played in Andy Dallas to his right with his shot forcing the keeper to tip over.

The second goal eventually came just after the half’s midpoint, Jack Thomson broke forward from defence and played Mati Zata through on the right side of the box, he turned a defender before shooting past the keeper. A third goal soon followed, Stephen Kelly won possession midway inside the Thistle half and sent Liam Burt clear, although the keeper blocked his initial shot he had the simple task of walking the rebound into the net.

The fourth goal came as the final quarter-hour of the game approached, Liam Burt was fouled just outside the left side of the box for which the Thistle defender was shown a second yellow and a subsequent red card, Zak Rudden stepped up to fire a shot through the wall and into the net.

With eight minutes remaining Zak Rudden’s pass released Mati Zata on the right side of the penalty area, the keeper saved his initial shot and the Rangers substitute didn’t connect properly with the rebound allowing a defender to get back and clear from the line. Thistle then broke to create an opportunity for a consolation, the substitute was played through on the left and he continued into the box before forcing Kieran Wright to save low to his left.

The scoring was completed with three minutes remaining on the clock, Scott Gray picked out Stephen Kelly inside the left side of the box, he went past a defender on the byline before playing the ball across goal for Mati Zata to net from close range.

Full-Time:- Rangers 5 Partick Thistle 0

Rangers:- Kieran Wright; Kyle Bradley (Jordan Houston 50 mins), Jack Thomson, Lewis Mayo, Scott Gray; Jamie Barjonas; Kieran Balfour (Mati Zata 50 mins), Liam Burt; Stephen Kelly, Zak Rudden, Andy Dallas ( Premyslaw Dachnowicz 74 mins).

Not Used:- Lewis Muir (Gk), Matthew Shiels.