Atakayi Double Secures Points

Rangers 2 Hearts 1

A Serge Atakayi double was enough to give Rangers the three points in tonight’s Development League game at Forthbank. Leading at the break the Ibrox youngsters were pegged back before grabbing a late winner.

Hearts were first to threaten when Choulay tried his luck from distance with the shot going narrowly over. It was just after the half hour when Rangers posed Hearts any real problem, the Hearts defence failed to clear Max Ashmore’s corner from the right and Andy Dallas header forced a save from Kelby Mason at his left hand post. The visitor’s went straight up the other end and Angus Beith played a short corner on the left to Lewis Moore who cut into the left side of the box before shooting straight at Robbie McCrorie.

Five minutes before the break Rangers broke from their own box and the ball moved from Max Ashmore via Jamie Barjonas to Serge Atakayi wide on the right, he cut inside before firing a shot straight at Kelby Mason. The final effort on goal of the half came at the other end, Angus Beith winning possession before shooting from the edge of the box that Robbie McCrorie stretched to tip over.

Half-Time:- Rangers 0 Hearts 0

Seven minutes after the break Rangers took the lead, Liam Burt attacked the centre of the Hearts defence before passing to Serge Atakayi inside the right side of the penalty area and he shot cross Kelby Mason into the far corner of the net. Ten minutes later Rory Currie passed to Ewan Henderson who shot straight at Robbie McCrorie from the edge of the box.

Hearts equalised when Lewis Moore went along the eighteen yard line from left to right to make space for a shot, Robbie McCrorie, diving to his right got a hand to the ball but could only touch it onto the post and into the net. Rangers replied when Amin Abaradan rose to get on the end of a Josh Jeffries free-kick from the left, but his header lacked power and Kelby Mason saved comfortably. 

With five minutes remaining on the clock Rangers grabbed the winner, Scott Gray started the move with a pass forward to Jamie Barjonas, he moved the ball onto Serge Atakayi his shot had Kelby Mason diving to his left to touch the ball onto the inside of the post and tried to scoop away the rebound but the officials judged the ball had already crossed the line.

Full-Time:- Rangers 2 Hearts 1

Rangers:- Robbie McCrorie; Ross Lyon, Kyle Bradley, Aidan Wilson, Scott Gray: Max Ashmore; Jamie Barjonas (Jack Adamson 86 mins), Jordan Gibson (Josh Jeffries 72 mins); Serge Atakayi, Andy Dallas, Liam Burt (Amin Abaradan 76 mins)

Not Used:- Kieran Wright (Gk), Jason Krones

Hearts:- Kelby Mason; Jamie Brandon, Alex Petkov (Kyle Smith HT), Leon Jones, Aaron Reid; Choulay (Callum Morrison 58 mins), Harry Paton, Angus Beith, Lewis Moore; Ally Roy (Rory Currie 58 mins); Ewan Henderson.

Not used:- Paul Gallagher (Gk), Marc Leonard, Harry Cochrane, Zidan Akers