17’s Win Over Killie

Rangers 4 Kilmarnock 1

Once Rangers made the breakthrough on the quarter hour mark the result was never in any doubt in last night’s game at a very wet Auchenhowie. The Killie side deserve some credit for remaining in the game despite facing a few setbacks.

The opening goal came when Kai Kennedy got to the left hand byline, the keeper came to punch his cross and the ball looped to the back post where Matty Yates was on hand to head into the net. The second goal soon followed, Murray Miller passed to Matty Yates inside the right side of the penalty area and he drove the ball across goal from the byline, it deflected off a defender and slipped through the keeper’s legs for an Own Goal.

Rangers next chance came when Murray Miller and Ciaran Dickson combined on the left side of the box to create a shooting chance for Kai Kennedy that the keeper saved low to his left. Just past the half-hour a superb Dapo Mebude pass from wide on the right picked out Josh McPake’s run into the box with the keeper saving bravely at his feet. Unfortunately he sustained an injury and with no substitute keeper an outfield had to take over between the sticks.

Rangers added a third in the added time for the keeper’s injury, Josh McPake playing a one-two on the right side of the box with Matty Yates before shooting past the stand in keeper.

Half-Time:- Rangers 3 Kilmanock o

Rangers had an early second half chance when Dapo Mebude met Matty Yates cross from the right on the volley and the keeper blocked with his foot. The resultant corner was played short to Josh McPake who drifted past two defenders on the right side of the box and again the keeper saved with foot.

On the hour Euan Deveney played the ball forward to Kieran McKechnie on the left from his cross Matty Yates rose to send a powerful text-book header back across the stand in keeper who produced a stunning save diving to his right. The visitors took a lift from that and pulled a goal back within five minutes. The attack came down the left and Nicky Hogarth was possibly a bit too quick advancing from goal which made the task of knocking the ball past him and into the net a bit easier.

Rangers restored their three goal margin with a Josh McPake solo effort, coming in from the right he left three defenders in his wake before shooting into the far corner of the net. With my notepad turning to mush and pens ceasing to function fortunately there was little more of note and Rangers saw out the game comfortably.

Full-Time:- Rangers 4 Kilmarnock 1

Rangers:- Nicky Hogarth; Nathan Patterson (Zac Butterworth 56 mins), Jay Mack, Harris O’Connor, Jamie Walker (Euan Deveney 59 mins); Murray Miller (Ben Williamson 61 mins), Josh McPake, Ciaran Dickson; Matty Yates, Dapo Mebude (John Balde 56 mins), Kai Kennedy (Kieran McKechnie 59 mins).

Not Used:- Lewis Budinauckas (Gk)