Weekend Youth Round Up

 

With all teams taking on Ayr United I had the choice of watching the younger teams at Auchenhowie or a trip down to Belmont Academy to take in the older group’s games. I opted for the latter not having been there before. I won’t rush back. it’s a small narrow plastic pitch and you have to watch the game through a mesh fence.

Ayr United 1 Rangers 1

Rangers had the bulk of possession but failed to create much in the way of clear-cut chances and with the home side missing a penalty it was a game that could easily have been lost. The big disappointment was that after drawing level early in the second half they never looked like winning the game.

Rangers dominated possession in the early stages but there was twenty-five minutes on the clock before the Ayr goal was seriously threatened. Josh McPake sent a pass inside the left back to pick out Nathan Patterson’s run with the keeper saving his shot. The home side almost immediately took the lead with their first serious attack. Their striker cutting in from the left before shooting low past Nicky Hogarth. 

Rangers came close to an equaliser when Zac Butterworth broke into the right side of the penalty area but his shot across the keeper struck the junction of post and bar. Only a fine Nicky Hogarth save prevented Ayr from doubling their lead. The ball was played in from the left and their striker held of Harris O’Connor to get his shot away that the Rangers keeper blocked with his legs.

Rangers had another chance before the half-time whistle, Kai Kennedy on the left hand angle of the box passed inside to Ben Williamson who moved the ball onto Zac Butterworth but he shot narrowly over.

Half-Time:- Ayr United 1 Rangers 0

Less than ten minutes of the half had elapsed when Rangers drew level, Dapo Mebude attacked the right hand angle of the box and when the ball broke to Nathan Patterson he curled a shot over the keeper and into the net. With the twenty-minute mark of the half approaching Jay Mack failed to deal with a long ball allowing it to bounce towards the box, Nicky Hogarth came from his line and flattened the striker for a clear penalty, but the keeper redeemed himself saving the spot-kick with his legs.

Rangers only significant effort came with seven minutes remaining, Dapo Mebude volleying a bouncing ball from around twenty-five yards the keeper turned wide of hos left hand post.

Full-Time:- Ayr United 1 Rangers 1

Rangers:- Nicky Hogarth; Nathan Patterson, Kyle McLelland, Harris O’Connor (Jay Mack 35 mins) Euan Deveney (Dapo Mebude 50 mins); Murray Miller; Josh McPake, Ben Williamson (Ciaran Dickson 65 mins); Zac Butterworth, Matty Yates (Kieran McKechnie 6o mins), Kai Kennedy.

 

Ayr United 1 Rangers 1

Next up was the Under 15’s clash and it was a mirror of the previous game, Rangers falling behind and struggling to create clear opportunities on the narrow pitch despite dominating possession.

Ayr took the lead on five minutes when a free kick was delivered from wide left and was missed by everyone and went in at the far post. Rangers reply was a Robbie Fraser cross from the left hand byline that was met at the back post by Trialist No.5 who’s header forced a fine point-blank save from the keeper.

Midway through the half Robbie Fraser played a one-two with Alex Lowry before shooting just wide of the keeper’s left hand post. Just after the half-hour Alex Lowry went past a defender and hit the left hand byline, from his cross Leon King didn’t get enough on his header and the ball went wide of the far post.

Rangers got the equaliser they deserved four minutes before the break, Trialist No 9 broke into the left side of the penalty area and his shot across the keeper bounced off the far post with Aaron Lyall following up to find the net with a fine finish under pressure.

Half-Time:- Ayr United 1 Rangers 1

When Reegan Aitken was short with a pass back early in the second half it took a great challenge from Leon King to disposes the attacker and clear the danger. Rangers then worked a short free-kick on the right and from Adam Devine’s cross Trialist No.5 headed just wide of the far post.

Matthew Collins progressed on the left and from his cross Adam Mansouri’s header was comfortably saved by the keeper diving to his left. Rangers final chance came when Aaron Lyall set off on a solo run from the halfway line, he went past three defenders before passing to Reegan Aitken who shot over from the edge of the box.

Full-Time:- Ayr United 1 Rangers 1

Rangers Squad:- Jay Hogarth (Gk), Aiden Berry, Adam Devine, Robbie Fraser, Trialist No.5, Leon King, Aaron Lyall, Rhys Caves, Trialist No.9, Alex Lowry, Lewis Robertson, Matthew Henderson, Reegan Aitken, Matthew Collins, Adam Mansouri.

 

Footnote:- Rangers 13’s and 14’s recorded comfortable wins by 6-1 and 7-0 respectively in the games at Auchenhowie.