Reserves Clinch League Title

Falkirk 1 Rangers 3

Rangers Reserves came from behind to beat Falkirk 3-1 and clinch the Reserve League title at Falkirk Stadium this afternoon. With Celtic beating St.Johnstone by the odd goal in five Rangers youngsters ended the campaign with a four goal lead at the top of the table.

There was little goal mouth action in the early stages of the match and the game had reached the thirteenth minute when the home side came close. Kevin O’Hara passed to Nikolay Todorov on the right hand angle of the box and he shot back across Kieran Wright and wide of the far post. Midway through the half Falkirk took the lead, Shayne Lavery sent Kevin O’Hara clear on the left and he played the ball across the box for Nikolay Todorov to shoot past Kieran Wright.

Rangers first real effort on goal came on twenty-seven minutes, Jordan Houston on the right passed inside to Graham Dorrans and his twenty-five yard shot forced Robbie Mutch to parry before gathering. Three minutes later the sides were level, Stephen Kelly sent a free kick from the left hand touchline beyond the back post and Rhys Breen’s looping header went over Robbie Mutch and dropped into the net.

Four minutes later a good Rangers move saw the ball move from right, across midfield to Matthew Shiels on the left, he cut inside and passed to Stephen Kelly whose shot from the edge of the box bounced off Robbie Mutch’s right hand post. Rangers took the lead six minutes before the break, Stephen Kelly’s corner from the left went beyond the back post where Rhys Breen headed back across goal, Andy Dallas header appeared to have crossed the line before it was knocked into the net in the ensuing scramble.

Falkirk replied when Lewis Kidd’s free-kick from midway inside Rangers half was flicked on and Kieran Wright saved to his left with Jason Jarvis and Nikolay Todorov ready to pounce. 

Half-Time:- Falkirk 1 Rangers 2

The second half wasn’t five minutes old when Stephen Kelly broke forward and his pass inside Kyle Mitchell released Matthew Shiels inside the left side of the box but his effort was saved by Robbie Mutch at his near post. The next chance came when Josh McPake in possession on the left teed up Dapo Mebude on the edge of the box but he shot just wide of the keeper’s left hand post.

Just after the hour mark Josh McPake’s through ball gave Andy Dallas a chance but Robbie Mutch got there just before him to make a brave save. The midpoint of the half had just passed when Stephen Kelly lobbed the ball over the defence for Andy Dallas and he laid it back into the path of Josh McPake and his twenty-five yarder bounced off the keeper’s right hand post.

With a quarter hour remaining Josh McPake sent Dapo Mebude down the left, he passed inside to Graham Dorrans whose superb reverse pass released Stephen Kelly inside the right side of the penalty area but he was denied when Robbie Mutch stuck out a foot to divert the shot just wide of the far post. A minute later Graham Dorrans latched on to a loose ball a cracked a twenty-five yarder off the Falkirk crossbar.

With two minutes remaining the referee judged that Josh McPake was tripped by Scott Reekie on the right hand byline and inside the box for a penalty which Andy Dallas stepped up to convert. The final chance came when Ben Williamson passed to Josh McPake who exchanged passes with Andy Dallas before firing a shot on Robbie Mutch’s right hand post.

Full-Time:- Falkirk 1 Rangers 3

Falkirk:- Robbie Mutch; Kyle Mitchell, Souleymane Diakite, Scott Reekie, Patrick Brough; Jason Jarvis, Ruaridh Langan, Lewis Kidd, Kevin O’Hara; Shayne Lavery (Ross MacLean 79 mins), Nikolay Todorov.

Not Used:- Leo Fasan (Gk)

Rangers:- Kieran Wright; Jordan Houston, Lewis Mayo, Rhys Breen, Matthew Shiels; Cammy Palmer; Graham Dorrans, Stephen Kelly (Ben Williamson 86 mins); Dapo Mebude, Andy Dallas, Josh McPake.

Not Used:- Nicky Hogarth (Gk), Danny Finlayson, Nathan Patterson, James Maxwell, Kai Kennedy, Ciaran Dickson.