18’s Grab Late Leveller

Rangers 3 Celtic 3

Josh McPake’s equaliser deep into injury time gave Rangers U18’s a deserved share of the points against Celtic at The Hummel Training Centre this afternoon. The Ibrox youngsters came from behind on three occasions but would be disappointed at the goals they lost.

Rangers were first to threaten on seven minutes when Zack Butterworth latched on to a loose ball but his shot was just wide of the keeper’s right hand post. Celtic replied immediately switching play to wide right and when the ball was played to the edge of the box Nicky Hogarth saved low to his left.

Rangers fell behind on twenty-six minutes, it started when the gave away a unneccesary corner from their own throw in. When the corner came in from the left the Celtic centre back rose unchallenged to head past Nicky Hogarth. The Rangers youngsters were only behind for four minutes. Ciaran Dickson passed to Nathan Patterson on the right and the quality of his cross meant the slightest touch from Dapo Mebude guided the ball past the keeper.

The game burst back into life just before the break with Rangers coming close. From Nathan Patterson’s throw-in Dapo Mebude held off a defender inside the box and teed up Ciaran Dickson but he was denied when the keeper dived to his right to turn the ball wide. Celtic capitalised on the let off when their attacker turned Kyle McLelland to break into the left side of the penalty area and the ball broke for their midfielder to shoot past Nick Hogarth. They could have increased their lead in first half injury time, the attack again came down the left with their fullback combining with a midfielder to set up the attacker deep inside the box with Nicky Hogarth saving at close range.

Half-Time:- Rangers 1 Celtic 2

Rangers started on the front foot after the break with Josh McPake passing to Ciaran Dickson who passed to Dapo Mebude inside the right side of the box but his shot went behind off the near post. Five minutes later Zack Butterworth sent Josh McPake towards the left hand byline when his cross was cleared from the box Ben Williamson’s shot from around twenty-five yards was powerful but straight at the keeper.

On sixty-five minutes Dapo Mebude picked up the ball just inside Celtic’s half, went past a defender and tried his luck from fully thirty-five yards but his effort was only just too high. When the game entered the final quarter-hour Dapo Mebude was fouled on the edge of the box. Ben Williamson curled the ball over the wall and it bounced down off the under side of the bar with the linesman indicating it had crossed the line.

Within two minutes a free kick into the Rangers box setup a bit of head tennis and the referee saw a push and awarded Celtic a penalty which was duly converted. Rangers responded with Danny Finlayson played the ball forward to Josh McPake who went past a defender and into the right side of the penalty area but his shot was saved.

With five minutes remaining the ball was played to Dapo Mebude wide on the left, he cut inside and shot from distance the keeper managed to gather at the second attempt with Chris McKee waiting to pounce. Deep into injury time Harris O’Connor won possession and picked out Ciaran Dickson’s run into the right side of the box his back heel teed up Josh McPake who shot across the keeper and into the far top corner.

Full-Time:- Rangers 3 Celtic 3

Rangers:- Nicky Hogarth; Nathan Patterson (Harris O’Connor 68 mins), Danny Finlayson, Kyle McLelland, James Maxwell (Joao Balde 75 mins); Murray Miller (Chris McKee 83 mins); Ciaran Dickson, Zack Butterworth; Kieran McKechnie (Ben Williamson HT), Dapo Mebude, Josh McPake.