Penalty Sees Off Fleetwood

Rangers 1 Fleetwood Town 0

It was a strange Rangers lineup in this afternoon’s Under 18 friendly against Fleetwood Town this afternoon. With five trialists in Rangers squad and three of them 2001’s which means they were Under 19’s. A early Matty Yates penalty was the difference between them and a decent Fleetwood side.

The visitors should have taken the lead on six minutes, the ball was moved from left to right and when it was played back across the six yard box a goal seemed certain but was miscued at the back post and when the loose ball was fired goalwards a brilliant block from Kyle McClelland prevented a goal. Rangers capitalised by taking the lead from the spot five minutes later. Trialist No.10 played the ball forward to Kane Ritchie-Hosler who flicked the ball up, it struck the hand of a defender and the referee pointed to the spot. Matty Yates did the needful and converted the penalty.

Rangers had a chance when the Trialist No.9 latched on to a short pass back but the Fleetwood keeper saved bravely at the striker’s feet. Just before the break Cole McKinnon passed to Kane Ritchie-Hosler on the right, he passed inside to the Trialist No.10 but his shot was weak and drifted wide of the far post.

Half-Time:- Rangers 1 Fleetwood Town 0

An early Rangers chance after the break came when Trialist No 3’s throw in on the left allowed the Trialist No.9 to lay the ball off and Matty Yates strike from the edge of the box forced the keeper to save low to his left. With the midpoint of the half a couple of minutes away Matty Yates showed good skill on the right hand byline, from his cross the Trialist No.16 headed back across goal but just wide of the post.

With the game now in the final quarter hour Fleetwood came close to an equaliser, a powerful strike from inside the right side of the box saw Jay Hogarth push the ball onto the bar and over. The Rangers keeper came to the rescue again with a couple of minutes remaining, the attack took Fleetwood deep into the right side of the penalty area with Jay Hogarth diverting the shot wide of the far post with his leg.

The final chance of the game came at the other end, Ryan Muir playing a one-two with Matty Yates on the right side of the box but was denied when the keeper blocked the shot with his foot.

Full-Time:- Rangers 1 Fleetwood 0

Rangers:- Jay Hogarth; Kyle McClelland (Ryan Muir HT), Trialist No.5, Leon King (Lewis McKinnon HT), Trialist No.3 (Adam Devine 59 Mins); Murray Miller (Umaro Balde HT); Trialist No.10, Cole McKinnon; Kane Ritchie-Hosler (Trialist No 16 HT), Trialist No.9 (Matthew Henderson 59 Mins), Matty Yates.

Not Used:- Aaron Lyall, Ross McAusland.

Reserves Win Over Cambridge

Rangers 2 Cambridge United 0

Originally deemed a closed door game a late change meant it was open, the plan was to stay for the afternoon’s Under 18’s game. Circumstances meant I had to leave after the morning game. It was a good win for what was a young Rangers team with only Jamie Murphy as a recognised first team player.

The young ‘Gers took the lead on ten minutes, Serge Atakayi in possession on the left played the ball forward and inside where it was helped on by James Maxwell for Andy Dallas to shoot past Dimitar Mitov. A few minutes later Jamie Barjonas came close with a long range effort that was just wide of the keeper’s left hand post.

Just after the hour Cambridge hit the left hand byline, from the cutback a mishit shot landed kindly for an attacker and it took a superb block form Jordan Houston to prevent a goal. Rangers really should have doubled their lead a couple of minutes before the break, Jack Thomson’s superb pass inside the left-back released Serge Atakayi, his low cross picked out Andy Dallas but he shot over with the goal at his mercy.

Half-Time:- Rangers 1 Cambridge United 0

Rangers doubled their lead just over ten minutes into the second half, Glenn Middleton passed inside to Jamie Barjonas from the left and his twenty-five yarder beat Dimitar Mitov low at his right hand post, with keeper looking a bit culpable. With the midpoint of the half approaching Dimitar Mitov was called into action, tipping over a twenty-five yard effort from Jamie Murphy. 

Rangers last chance came when Trialist No 16 beat a defender to a long ball just inside the Cambridge half, he continued into the left side of the box and forced Dimitar Mitov to dive to his left and make the save.

Full-Time:- Rangers 2 Cambridge United 0

Rangers:- Andy Firth; Jordan Houston, Danny Finlayson (Trialist No.18 56 Mins), Rhys Breen (Zack Butterworth 60 Mins), James Maxwell (Trialist No. 19  56 Mins); Jamie Barjonas (Ben Williamson 56 mins), Jack Thomson (Nathan Patterson 56 Mins); Jamie Murphy (Joao Balde 76 Mins); Serge Atakayi, Andy Dallas (Trialist No 16 60 Mins)

Not Used:- Kieran Wright (Gk)

Cambridge United 1st Half:- Dimitar Mitov, Leon Davies, Louis John, George Taft, Trialist, Tom Knowles, Paul Lewis, Liam O’Neil, Luke Hannant, Ben Worman, Jabo Ibehre

Cambridge United 2nd Half:- Dimitar Mitov; Kyle Knoyle, Greg Taylor, Harry Darling, Harrison Dunk, Jordan Norville-Williams, Reggie Lambe, Luke Hannant, Wes Hoolihan, Trialist, Jabo Ibehre

18’s Stroll Past Huddersfield Town

Rangers 9 Huddersfield Town 1

Rangers Under 18’s strolled to a high scoring win over Huddersfield Town at The Hummel Training Centre this morning. Not sure of the make up of the English Championship side, if anything they were physically a wee bit bigger, but were no match for the young Rangers side.

Rangers took the lead from the spot on six minutes, Nathan Young-Coombes took on a defender inside the left side of the box and he was brought down for a clear penalty which he duly converted. Only a further two minutes had passed when the lead was doubled. Adam Devine’s pass allowed Nathan Young-Coombes to break into the right side of the penalty area and shoot past the keeper.

Just after the quarter hour mark the ball broke for Cole McKinnon on the edge of the box and his volley was only just wide of the keeper’s right hand post. The visitor’s then had their first real attack which started on the right and when the ball was passed inside the shot was deflected just wide of Jay Hogarth’s right hand post.

Rangers capitalised on that by adding a third two minutes later, Alex Lowry passed to Nathan Young-Coombes on the right and as he took on a defender inside the right side of the box and on this occasion Alex Lowry did the necessary from the spot. On twenty six minutes a passing move ended when the ball was moved inside from the right to Albert Rachi and his thirty yarder beat the keeper but came back off the crossbar.

Barely sixty seconds later Rangers scored a fourth, Albert Rachi passed to Nathan Young-Coombes on the right, he went past a defender and his low cross broke to Cole McKinnon who netted from close range. Just after the half-hour mark Rangers scored again, Cole McKinnon and Nathan Young-Coombes combined on the right side of the penalty area and when the ball was played to Kane Ritchie-Hosler inside the box he spun to shoot into the far corner.

Huddersfield then attacked on the left and when the ball was passed inside it took a fine Leon King challenge to deflect the shot wide of the far post. A couple of minutes later Jay Hogarth got down to his right to comfortably save a free-kick from the right hand angle of the box. The Rangers keeper was called into action again just before the break, standing up to save a shot from the edge of the box.

Half-Time:- Rangers 5 Huddersfield Town 0

Rangers added to their tally in the opening minute of the second half, Matty Yates dispossessing a defender inside the right side of the box before shooting past the keeper. On the hour mark Lewis McKinnon was dispossessed inside the box but a superb block from Kyle McClelland prevented a goal.

Ross McAusland then exchanged passes Cole McKinnon before continuing into the box and firing a shot against the crossbar. The half was barely twenty minutes old when the visitor’s keeper hit a clearance straight to Cole McKinnon who strolled into the box and picked his spot.

With eighteen minutes remaining Huddersfield grabbed a consolation goal, the attack took them to the left hand byline and when the ball was cutback it was fired past Grant Thackray. Rangers response was to immediately hit an eighth, Matthew Henderson played the ball forward and Matty Yates out muscled a defender to enter the box and shoot past the keeper.

The visitor’s kept trying and Grant Thackray was called in to action when he dived to his left to save a shot from the left hand angle of the box. The scoring was completed with five minutes remaining, a sweeping passing move concluded with a Kane Ritchie-Hosler pass to Alex Lowry who calmly beat the keeper.

Full-Time:- Rangers 9 Huddersfield Town 1

Rangers:- Jay Hogarth; Adam Devine, Leon King, Kyle McClelland, Robbie Fraser; Albert Rachi, Umaro Balde; Cole McKinnon; Kane Ritchie-Hosler, Nathan Young-Coombes, Alex Lowry.

Rolling Subs All Used:- Grant Thackray (Gk), Matty Yates, Ryan Muir, Lewis McKinnon, Matthew Henderson, Ross McAusland.

 

Belated Under 18 Report

Rangers 6 Partick Thistle 1

Time restrictions from the final whistle to travelling to Gibraltar meant I had to leave Monday’s match report until I returned home. Rangers first friendly of the season for the under 18’s saw them run out comfortable winners in a game where they fielded a different eleven in each half.  The game saw a competitive first half hour  change when Thistle capitulated to Rangers four goal burst in a ten minute period.

The first real effort on goal came just before the quarter hour mark from a Nathan Young-Coombes free-kick on the edge of the box and right of centre that forced a diving save to his right from the Thistle keeper. Ten minutes later Joao Balde played the ball forward to Kane Ritchie-Hosler who laid it back into the path the midfielder and his shot was tipped over.

Rangers took the lead on the half-hour, a good passing move saw the ball played out to Joao Balde on the left, from his cross to the back post Nathan Young-Coombes volleyed goalwards and Kane Ritchie Hosler knocked it past the keeper from close range. Five minutes later Nathan Young-Coombes attempted a spectacular overhead kick, the ball broke to Kane Ritchie-Hosler off a defender and he found the net with the aid of a defletion.

The third goal soon followed when Nathan Young-Coombes broke into the right side of the penalty area, the keeper parried his shot but was left helpless when Alex Lowry netted the rebound. Rangers then made it four goals in a ten minute period, Nathan Young-Coombes was played through and again the keeper made the initial save but once again the rebound was netted on the follow up, on this occasion by Matty Yates.

Half-Time:- Rangers 4 Partick Thistle 0

Rangers had an early chance after the break, Aaron Lyall was the creator on the right with a pass to Cole McKinnon inside the box who was denied by the keeper. Just after the hour a great move saw Aaron Lyall play the ball to the overlapping Adam Devine on the right from his low cross Cole McKinnon seemed sure to score but miscued in front of goal. 

Five minutes later a superb double save denied Rangers a fifth goal. Matthew Henderson played the ball forward to Ross McAusland on the left, he cut inside leaving two defenders in his wake to tee up Chris McKee. His effort was blocked on the line by the keeper and when the ball landed at the feet of Ross McAusland the keeper showed great reactions to save again.

Rangers fifth goal was delayed barely sixty seconds, Ciaran Dickson passing to Chris McKee on the left hand byline, he went past a defender before beating the keeper from a narrow angle. Five minutes later Ciaran Dickson worked a short corner on the left with Ross McAusland before curling a shot past the keeper from the left hand angle of the box.

Thistle scored a consolation from the penalty spot in the final minute, Leon King was harshly penalised when he clearly played the ball and the penalty was converted with a “Panenka” style execution.

Full-Time:- Rangers 6 Partick Thistle 1

Rangers First Half:- Jay Hogarth; Ryan Muir, Lewis McKinnon, Kyle McLelland, Robbie Fraser; Umaro Balde, Joao Balde; Alex Lowry; Kane Ritchie-Holser, Nathan Young-Coombes, Matty Yates.

Rangers Second Half:- Grant Thackray; Adam Devine, Harris O’Connor, Leon King, Matthew Henderson; Trialist; Cole McKinnon, Ciraran Dickson; Aaron Lyall, Chris McKee, Ross McAusland.

Footballs Back

Rangers 2 Stirling Albion 1

Football is back with a Rangers reserve/Under 20 side taking on Stirling Albion at the Hummel Training Centre this afternoon. Rangers virtually fielded two different elevens in each half and it was a first half Dapo Mebude double that proved decisive.

Rangers took the lead midway through the first-half, Serge Atakayi and Graham Dorrans worked a short corner on the right and from the latter’s centre Dapo Mebude shot into the keeper’s bottom left hand corner. The lead was doubled six minutes before the break, from Jamie Murphy’s ball over the top of the Stirling defence a superb first touch from Dapo Mebude took him clear to continue into the box and slot past the keeper.

On the stroke of half-time Danny Finlayson’s pass sent James Maxwell through the centre, he held of a defender but was denied when the keeper came from his line to make the block.

Half-Time:- Rangers 2 Stirling Albion 0

Nine minutes after the break Yannis Bensaber on the left picked out Jason Holt around the penalty spot and his shot clipped the outside of the keeper’s right hand post. On the hour mark the visitor’s attacked on the right and when the ball was played inside Brian Kinnear was forced to save the shot low to his left.

Stirling came close twelve minutes later the attack came on the left and deep into Rangers penalty area but the shot was across the face of goal. With eight minutes remaining Stirling scored the goal they were threatening, the ball came into the box from the left where the striker laid it back to Paul Willis who shot past Brian Kinnear.

Just before the final whistle Ryan Hardie cut along the eighteen yard line from left to right, his powerful shot was parried by Blair Currie, the ball fell for Glenn Middleton who’s screwed his shot wide of the far post.

Full-Time:- Rangers 2 Stirling Albion 1

Rangers 1st Half:- Nicky Hogarth; Jordan Houston, Danny Finlayson, Ben Williamson, James Maxwell; Cammy Palmer, Graham Dorrans; Jamie Murphy; Serge Atakayi, Joe Dodoo, Dapo Mebude.

Rangers 2nd Half:- Brian Kinnear; Zack Butterworth, Danny Finlayson (Joao Balde 65 mins), Rhys Breen, Nathan Patterson; Stephen Kelly, Jason Holt; Glenn Middleton; Andy Dallas, Ryan Hardie, Yanis Bensaber.