16’s Win In High Scoring Game

Rangers 6 Morton 4

A second half comeback saw Rangers U16’s record a win against Morton in a high scoring game at Auchenhowie tonight. Trailing by two goals just after the break, four second-half strikes turned the game round.

On five minutes Matty Yates latched on to a long ball to break into the left side of the penalty area, he rounded the keeper but a defender blocked his shot just in front of goal. Six minutes later Ben Williamson fed Ryan Muir inside the right side of the box and his shot was deflected just wide of the far post.

The visitors took the lead just after the quarter-hour mark, in a quick break the ball was played to the left hand angle of the box and the striker cut inside before shooting past Jay Hogarth into the far corner of the net. When the ball was played out to Ben Williamson wide of the left five minutes later there seemed little danger, but a superb striker beat the keeper high at his near post.

Just before the half-hour mark Darren Watterson got to the left hand byline, he looked up and picked out Matty Yates on the edge of the box and his strike had the keeper stretching to tip over. Morton edged in from less than five minutes later, a corner was delivered from the left and headed on to be nodded into the net at the far post.

Their lead on lasted a couple of minutes, when their centre back miscued a header the ball broke to Callum Biggar on the right side of the box and he passed inside for Matty Yates to shoot past the keeper from the edge of the box. Within in minutes Matty Yates capitalised on a slip to break into the right side of the penalty area but on this occasion the keeper made a fine save.

Morton regained the lead on the stroke of half-time, from a good move down the left the ball was centred and moved on to the back post to be fired past Jay Hogarth.

Half-Time:- Rangers 2 Morton 3

Morton increased their lead with the first attack of the second half, it was a mirror image of their third goal. This time it was created down the right with the ball being moved inside before being finished at the back post. Rangers pulled a goal back quickly, the move was started by Euan Deveney breaking forward on the left, he switched play to Callum Biggar on the right side of the penalty area, from his centre Matty Yates was challenged and the ball broke for Cole McKinnon to shoot past the keeper.

Rangers drew level on the hour mark, John Balde headed forward and Matty Yates capitalised on hesitancy between defender and keeper to nip in between them and prod the ball into the net. They then edged in front midway through the half, Ryan Muir made the pass forward for Cole McKinnon to strike early and beat the keeper from around twenty yards.

Another Ryan Muir pass sent Matty Yates through on the right side of the box, but he failed to execute his attempted chip properly and the keeper made a comfortable save. With ten minutes remaining Rangers doubled their lead, Ben Williamson picking out Ryan Muir as he broke into the right side of the box to shoot past the keeper.

The final effort came from the visitors with an attack through the middle, with Jay Hogarth diving to his right to clutch the shot from the edge of the box.

Full-Time:- Rangers 6 Morton 4

Rangers:- Jay Hogarth; Ryan Muir, Ally Monro, Jay Mack, Euan Deveney; Ben Williamson; Tom Henderson (Cole McKinnon 47 mins), John Balde; Callum Biggar (Mark Woods 77 mins), Matty Yates, Darren Watterson (Matthew Henderson 64 mins).

17’s Win In Fife

Fife Elite 0 Rangers 2

Rangers 17’s recorded a win in this morning’s game at The Michael Woods Centre in Glenrothes. Possibly a little fortunate to be ahead at the break they were pretty much in control after the break and in the end won comfortably.

Rangers took the lead on five minutes, the ball moved from Ciaran Dickson through Kieran McKechnie and Dapo Mebude to Kai Kennedy who’s shot from around twenty-five yards slipped under the keeper and into the net. The home side immediately replied with an attack into the right side of the box and the shot had Lewis Budinauckas stretching to tip over.

As the twenty-minute mark approached Fife Elite attack down the right, when the ball was played into the striker he turned Kyle McLelland but his attempted lob was too high. Within two minutes a powerful twenty-five yard effort was straight but had to be saved by Lewis Budinauckas.

A further five minutes had elapsed when the home side attacked through the centre, the shot from the edge of the box took a deflection that had Lewis Budinauckas diving to his right to turn the ball wide. As the half-hour mark approached the ball broke for Nathan Patterson on the left side of the penalty area and his shot was saved low to the keeper’s right.

Deep into first half injury time Kyle McLelland was short with a pass back presenting a chance for Fife inside the left side of the box with Lewis Budinauckas advancing from his line to make the block.

Half-Time:- Fife Elite 0 Rangers 1

Just like the first half Rangers grabbed an early goal after the break, Matty Yates won possession midway inside the Fife half and his through ball sent Kieran McKechnie clear to round the keeper and roll the ball into the net. Rangers were pretty much control but the next chance came with twenty minutes remaining. Nathan Patterson’s pass sent Ben Williamson breaking into the left side of the box but he shot across goal and wide of the far post.

With ten minutes remaining  Kai Kennedy turned past a defender in midfield before passing to Matty Yates, his through ball saw the keeper win the race to save bravely at the feet of Josh McPake. The next chance came when Ciaran Dickson headed forward to Josh McPake who fed Kai Kennedy inside the left side of the penalty area and he shot cross the keeper and narrowly wide of the far post.

The final effort saw Kai Kennedy return the compliment with a pass releasing Josh McPake inside the left side of the box and on this occasion he was denied by the foot of the home side’s keeper.

Full-Time:- Fife Elite 0 Rangers 2

Rangers:- Lewis Budinauckas; Zac Butterworth (Jay Mack 66 mins), Kyle McLelland, Harris O’Connor, Nathan Patterson (Euan Deveney 76 mins); Murray Miller (Ben Williamson HT); Kai Kennedy, Ciaran Dickson; Kieran McKechnie, Dapo Mebude (Josh McPake 56mins), Matty Yates (John Balde 80 mins).

Not Used:- Jay Hogarth (Gk), Ryan Muir.

Cup Exit For Youths

St.Johnstone 2 Rangers 1

A disappointing performance saw Rangers crash out of the youth cup at New Central Park, Kelty, this afternoon. To be honest only the last twenty minutes when chasing the game did they reach the level required.

The Home side had an early chance when the ball broke for Shaun Stuthers who fed Jamie Docherty inside the left side of the penalty area and he forced a save from Aidan McAdams at his near post. Rangers reply was a Serge Atakayi pass inside from the left to Cammy Palmer who’s through ball saw a race between Andy Dallas and Ross Sinclair that the keeper just won.

Just before the twenty-minute mark Serge Atakayi went past a defender on the left hand byline but his run took him too close to Ross Sinclair who made the save. Rangers did take the lead on the half-hour mark, Jack Thomson’s ball over the top of the Saints defence sent Andy Dallas racing into the right side of the box and he turned inside a defender before shooting past Ross Sinclair.

When Cammy Palmer played the ball forward to Jack Thomson his audacious attempt from forty yards was only just too high. The home side equalised on the stroke of half-time, Danny Jardine dispossessed Jack Thomson and broke into the right side of the box before squaring for Shaun Struthers to shoot past Aidan McAdams.

Half-Time:- St.Johnstone 1 Rangers 1

The second half was only eight minutes old when St. Johnstone took the lead, from Cammy Ballantyne’s corner from the right Ally McCann rose to head low into the bottom left hand corner of the net. Having just made their third substitution midway through the half Rangers suffered a blow when Jordan Houston was helped from the field leaving Rangers to finish the game with ten men.

With the game now in the final quarter-hour Matthew Shiels chased a long ball down the left and broke into the box but his effort was turned behind by Ross Sinclair.  Sixty seconds later Ross Lyon crossed from the left, Andy Dallas helped the ball on and Serge Atakayi’s volley forced a fine save from Ross Sinclair low to his left.

With five minutes remaining Stephen Kelly passed  inside to Jack Thomson and his thirty-five yard shot was beaten away by Ross Sinclair and cleared behind for a corner. When the corner found its way to Serge Atakayi beyond the back post and on the byline, his cross was volleyed just wide of the keeper’s right hand post by Andy Dallas.

That proved to be Rangers last chance and the home side saw out the remainder comfortably to progress to the next round.

Full-Time:- St.Johnstone 2 Rangers 1

St.Johnstone:- Ross Sinclair; Cammy Lumsden, Jack Wilson, Ciaran Brian, Cammy Thomson; Ally McCann; Danny Jardine, Cammy Ballantyne; Euan O’Reilly, Shaun Struthers, Jamie Docherty ( John Robertson 79 mins)

Not Used:- Kyle Wooley, Kyle Green, Gregor Donald

Rangers:- Aidan McAdams; Jordan Houston, Kyle Bradley, Aidan Wilson (Lewis Mayo 63 mins), Matthew Shiels; Jack Thomson; Cammy Palmer (Myles Beerman 67 mins), Stephen Kelly; Liam Burt (Ross Lyon 55 mins), Andy Dallas, Serge Atakayi.

Not Used:- Robbie McCrorie (Gk), Grant Nelson, Scott Gray, Dapo Mebude.