Early Strikes Secure Win For U18’s

Rangers 2 Carlisle United 1

A young Rangers side minus six players who are in the Czech Republic with the Under 19’s squad, recorded a good win against an older Carlisle side. Especially in the second half when Rangers used several U16 players while the visitors fielded a few U19’s.

Rangers struck early with a superb goal on two minutes, Joao Balde played the ball out to Ryan Muir on the right and from his brilliant cross Matty Yates gave the keeper no chance with a header into his top left had corner. Barely another two minutes had passed when the lead was doubled, James Maxwell cut in from the right and beat the keeper from the edge of the box with the aid of a deflection.

The visitors came close on eleven minutes with an attack coming in from the left side of the penalty area, the shot being deflected on to Nick Hogarth’s left hand post and wide. From the corner the Carlisle striker was free at the back post but headed straight at Nicky Hogarth.

Ten minutes before the break Michael Ruth played the ball forward to Matty Yates who sent it wide to James Maxwell on the right, he cut inside before firing a shot off the far post. When Ben Williamson lost possession five minutes before the break Carlisle had a great chance to reduce the deficit but were denied when Nicky Hogarth produced a superb save low to his right.

Half-Time:- Rangers 2 Carlisle United 0

Rangers had an early chance in the second half when Ben Williamson played a ball into the right side of the box and it broke for Michael Ruth who shot straight at the keeper. Five minutes of the second half had elapsed when the visitors pulled a goal back, a great pass inside Ryan Muir allowed their attacker to advance into the left side of the penalty area and shoot past  Nicky Hogarth.

With a rash of substitutions the English side now appeared to have a big physical advantage but it was the young Rangers side that came closest to adding to the goal tally. With a quarter of an hour remaining Kieran McKechnie broke towards the edge of the box and his deflected shot had the keeper diving to his left to save. With the game in the final couple of minutes Aaron Lyall cut in from the right and picked out Chris McKee inside the box with a chipped pass but the striker shot over.

Full-Time:- Rangers 2 Carlisle United 1

Rangers:- Nicky Hogarth (Lewis Budinauckas 56 mins); Ryan Muir (Adam Devine 59 mins), Harris O’Connor (Leon King 70 mins), Leon King (Robbie Fraser 65 mins), Euan Deveney (Matthew Henderson 59 mins); Ben Williamson; Michael Ruth (Aaron Lyall 65 mins), Joao Balde (Trialist 59 mins); James Maxwell, Matty Yates (Chris McKee HT), Keiran McKechnie.