17’s Grind Out Win

Rangers 1 Ayr United 0

Rangers Under 17’s struggled against an Ayr United side that they drew with earlier in the season. Despite dominating from start to finish it took a Dapo Mebude penalty deep in first half injury time and surviving a nervy last ten minutes to secure the points.

Rangers first opportunity came on nine minutes, Nathan Patterson played the ball forward into the box and a great Matty Yates touch teed up Josh McPake who shot into the side netting from inside the right side of the penalty area. Within a minute Josh McPake was shooting into the side netting on the other side of the box when Dapo Mebude created the chance.

When the game restarted following a lengthy injury to the Ayr right-back Logan Angus,  Kai Kennedy fired in a low cross from the left hand byline that Daniel Graham dived to parry before a defender cleared. The next chance came when Matty Yates ran along the edge of the box to the right hand angle where he crossed to the back post and Dapo Mebude’s header had Daniel Graham stretching to clutch under the bar.

Kai Kennedy then delivered a free-kick from close to the right hand corner flag which Danny Finlayson headed wide of the far post. The half was in the seventh minute of injury time when Josh McPake went past the full-back on the right side of the box and the referee judged he was bundled over and pointed to the spot. Dapo Mebude stepped up to send Daniel Graham the wrong way from the spot.

Half-Time Rangers 1 Ayr United 0

The opening minute saw a scramble in the Ayr box with the ball eventually falling to Dapo Mebude inside the left side of the box but his shot was deflected wide. Before the half was five minutes old Dapo Mebude fed Kai Kennedy as he burst into the box but he over ran the ball as he tried to go past the keeper. Josh McPake then attacked along the left hand byline, from his low cross Danny Finlayson’s close range effort appeared to hit Daniel Graham on the face before being cleared.

Rangers next move started with Dapo Mebude on the left, the ball was moved through Matty Yates and Kai Kennedy to Josh McPake inside the right side of the box with Daniel Graham diving to his right to a parry the shot. When the ball was cleared from the Ayr box Ben Williamson’s twenty-five yarder forced Daniel Graham to save low to his right.

The next chance came when Danny Finlayson rose to head Kai Kennedy’s corner from the right just wide of the far post. Ayr had shown little in attack but as the game entered the final ten minutes their Ross Love passed the ball forward to set up a shooting chance for Paul Smith that was straight at Lewis Budinauckas. Within a couple of minutes an attack from the left looked to have set up a shooting chance for Robert Frew but a superb Scott Gray challenge cleared the ball for corner.

When the corner from the left came in their Ross Love rose to head wide of the far post. Rangers could have made the game save when Nathan Patterson sent Dapo Mebude racing into the right side of the box but the keeper saved and gathered before Josh McPake could pounce. There was still time for another scare inside Rangers penalty area that was again snuffed out with an timely interception from Scott Gray.

Full-Time:- Rangers 1 Ayr United 0

Rangers:- Lewis Budinauckas; Nathan Patterson, Danny Finlayson, Harris O’Connor (Jay Mack 90 mins), Scott Gray; Ben Williamson; Ciaran Dickson, Kai Kennedy; Josh McPake, Matty Yates (James Maxwell 74 mins), Dapo Mebude.

Not Used:- Jack McConnell (Gk), Kyle McLelland, Euan Deveney.

Ayr United:- Daniel Graham; Logan Angus (Lewis Nohar 20 mins), Ross Love, Callum Bryce, David Oliphant; Andrew Heaney (Paul Smith 60 mins), Joe Barker (Daniel Wamuziri 87 mins), Euan Griffiths, Robbie Laurie, Aidan Moffat (Robert Frew 76 mins); Gabe Skeoch.

Not Used:- Hamish Brown.