Man Utd Edge Out Youths

Rangers 2 Manchester United 3

What was a Rangers Under 19 side with Liam Kelly in goal lost out by the odd goal in five to a slightly younger Manchester United side at Auchenhowie this afternoon. The Rangers youngsters came back twice from a goal down, but the English side grabbed what was a deserved winner soon after the second equaliser.

D’mani Mellor had the ball in the net for Manchester United within two minutes but was flagged offside. Rangers replied on five minutes when Glenn Middleton latched on to a loose ball and his twenty-five yard shot had James Thompson diving to his right to save.

The visitors took the lead just over five minutes later, Dylan Levitt dispossessed Cammy Palmer twenty -five yards out and his shot from the edge of the box found the net via Liam Kelly’s left hand post. Just after the quarter-hour mark when Zak Rudden was challenged inside the Man Utd penalty area the ball broke to Andy Dallas on the left side of the box, his shot beat James Thompson but came back off the crossbar.

Twenty minutes before the break Glenn Middleton passed to Zak Rudden on the right side of the penalty area and his cross come shot had James Thompson stretching to claw the ball way. Ten minutes later Dylan Levitt dispossessed Aidan Wilson on the edge of the box and his shot had Liam Kelly diving to touch the ball wide of his left hand post.

Half-Time:- Rangers 0 Manchester United 1

Rangers were back on level terms two minutes after the break, Zak Rudden won possession and the ball broke for Stephen Kelly to shoot past James Thompson from around twenty-five yards. The visitors broke into the Rangers box five minutes later and Nishan Burkart cut inside a defender but was denied by a fine Liam Kelly block.

In their next attack Dylan Levitt progressed on the right his low cross reached D’mani Mellor at the back post but his effort from close range came back off the upright. United took the lead just after the hour mark, a corner from the left was flicked on at the near post and Anthony Elanga netted from close range.

When the ball was knocked forward into the visitor’s box it sat up for Andy Dallas but Brandon Williams made a superb block to charge down the shot. Midway through the half Jake Kenyon exchanged passes with Anthony Elanga to take him into the left side of the penalty area with Liam Kelly getting down to save the shot.

Rangers were back on level terms with just less than a quarter-hour remaining, Stephen Kelly’s cross from the left had James Thompson stretching to claw away from under his crossbar but Aidan Wilson followed up to prod the ball into the net. Parity barely lasted sixty seconds, Dylan Levitt’s free-kick from the right hand angle of the box was volleyed past Liam Kelly at the back post by Anthony Elanga.

The visitors had another chance when Rangers failed to clear when the ball came into the box from the right, it went all the way to D’mani Mellor at the back post who forced a save from Liam Kelly.

Full-Time:- Rangers 2 Manchester United 3

Rangers:- Liam Kelly; Danny Finlayson (Jordan Houston HT), Aidan Wilson, Lewis Mayo, Scott Gray; Cammy Palmer (Liam Burt 66 mins); Jamie Barjonas (Serge Atakayi HT), Stephen Kelly; Andy Dallas, Zak Rudden, Glenn Middleton.

Not Used:- Aidan McAdams (Gk), Grant Nelson, Kyle Bradley.

Man Utd:- James Thompson; George Tanner, Di’shon Bernard, Brandon Williams, Jake Kenyon; Ethan Galbraith, DJ Buffonge (Max Dunne 82 mins); Dylan Levitt; Dion McGhee (Anthony Elanga 60 mins), Nishan Burkart, D’mani Mellor.

Not Used:- Jacob Comey