17’s Draw As Accies Remain Unbeaten

Hamilton Accies 1 Rangers 1

Rangers Under 17’s completed their league programme with a draw against champions Hamilton Accies at New Douglas Park tonight. That result meant Accies had the distinction of going through their league campaign unbeaten. A draw was probably a fair result with the home side having the edge on better chances.

A superb passing move carved the first chance of the match for Rangers in the fourth minute. Josh McPake, Kai Kennedy, Dapo Mebude and Ben Williamson were all involved as the ball was worked to Zac Butterworth inside the left side of the box, Ross Connelly dived to his left to parry with Josh McPake firing the loose ball wide of the keeper’s right hand post. The home side’s first chance came of the quarter-hour mark, Sean Slaven passed to Charlie Reilly on the left hand angle of the box with Lewis Budinauckas saving comfortably.

With both teams cancelling each other out there was only seven minutes of the half remaining before the next real chance, the ball broke to Dapo Mebude twenty-five yards out and left of centre,  his shot forcing Ross Connelly to turn the ball wide of his right hand post.

Half-Time:- Hamilton Accies 0 Rangers 0

The second half was barely a minute old when the home side took the lead, Leon McCann played the ball up to Charlie Reilly on the edge of the box, he laid the ball back to Liam Scullion whose shot gave Lewis Budinauckas no chance. Rangers had a great chance to equalise just before the hour, Dapo Mebude and Kai Kennedy combined to create the space for Euan Deveney to cross from the left, Matty Yates stretched at the back post but headed over.

Accies were immediately back on attack, with Charlie Reilly feeding Kyle Munro inside the left side of the penalty area and it took a fine Lewis Budinauckas block to turn the ball wide. From the corner on the left Kyle Munro headed against the near post, Jamie Harrison followed up but was denied when Nathan Patterson cleared from the line.

Within a couple of minutes Rangers were level, Josh McPake broke forward before playing in Dapo Mebude on the left side of the box and he shot past Ross Connelly. With twenty minutes remaining a Josh McPake solo run took him past three defenders and into left side of the penalty area but shot wide of the keeper’s left hand post.

Back to the other end and Charlie Reilly picked out Niyah Joseph with a cross from the right hand angle of the box with Lewis Budinauckas holding his header just under the bar. With ten minutes remaining a clearance set up a race between Matty Yates and Leon McCann, the Rangers striker got ahead of the defender but Ross Connelly came from his box to challenge. The ball broke to Josh McPake but his effort lacked conviction and Leon McCann headed clear on the six yard box.

The final chance came for the home side, Kyle Munro in possession on the right side of the box picked out Niyah Joseph on the edge of the six yard box but his shot took a slight deflection on the way over.

Full-Time:- Hamilton Accies 1 Rangers 1

Hamilton Accies:- Ross Connelly; Jamie Harrison, Jamie Hamilton, Taylor Wilson, Leon McCann; Daryl Miekle; Liam Scullion, Reegan Mimnaugh (Niyah Joseph HT), Charlie Reilly; Kyle Munro, Sean Slaven.

Not Used:- Marley Redfern, Andrew Winter, Rhys Casci, Jay Blair, Adam McLean.

Rangers:- Lewis Budinauckas; Nathan Patterson (Ryan Muir 77 mins), Danny Finlayson, Jay Mack (Matty Yates 57 mins), Zac Butterworth (Euan Deveney 57 mins); Ben Williamson, Murray Miller; Ciaran Dickson; Josh McPake, Dapo Mebude (Kieran McKechnie 85 mins), Kai Kennedy (Joao Balde 77 mins).

Not Used :- Jack McConnell (Gk)