Thistle CAS Fixtures

I managed to take in three of the CAS fixtures against Partick Thistle over the weekend. First up was the 2007 (Under 13’s) on Saturday morning, followed by the 2005’s (Under 15’s) in the afternoon and finally the 2004’s (Under 16’s) on Sunday morning.

Rangers 7 Partick Thistle 3

The game was a bit closer than the scoreline suggests with Thistle still in the game well into the third and final period. A goalkeeping error gave Rangers the cushion to add another couple of goals and put a bit of gloss on the result.

Rangers took the lead on thirteen minutes, Jayden Fitzpatrick’s shot was blocked but the ball broke to Frankie Aitchison whose shot found the net inside the keeper’s right hand post. Thistle were level less than five minutes later, The attack came on the right and when the ball was passed inside the shot forced Alfie Halliwell to dive to his right to parry but an attacker followed in to net from the rebound.

Alfie Halliwell was called into action before the period ended getting down to his left to save a shot from just inside the box. Rangers restored their lead early in the second period, Jayden Fitzpatrick attacked the right hand angle of the box before passing across the penalty area for Frankie Aitchison to beat the keeper at the back post.

There were ten minutes of the period remaining when Thistle equalised for a second time. They attacked the left side of the box and when the ball was passed inside and fired past Alfie Halliwell. The teams were only level for a couple of minutes when Rangers edged ahead again. Jack Wylie broke from the back into the Thistle half and his pass sent Frankie Aitchison clear to round the keeper and roll the ball into the net.

Rangers had the final chance of the period when Harry Weir side stepped a defender on the left hand angle of the box before shooting just wide of the far post. Early in the final period Rangers doubled their lead, Aiden McCallion providing the pass for Grant Marchant to continue into the box and shoot past the keeper.

A few minutes later Duncan Barlow and Grant Marchant combined on the left to setup a shooting chance for Harry Weir which the keeper saved at his near post. The visitors response to to score a third goal, attacking into the left side of Rangers penalty area and beating Alfie Halliwell with the aid of a deflection.

Just before the final period turn round Rangers “scored” a bizarre fifth, there was no danger when a Thistle player passed the ball back but the keeper allowed the ball to run under his foot and into the net for an Own Goal. Within a minute of the turn round Rangers scored again, a through ball sending Arran Kerr clear to net after rounding the keeper. The scoring was complete when Josh Gentles latched on to a slack pass back, his initial shot was saved but the Rangers striker followed up to shoot high into the net.

Full-Time:- Rangers 7 Partick Thistle 3

Rangers Squad:- Alfie Halliwell (Gk), Jace McCulloch, Jack Wylie, Kenzie McClelland, Duncan Barlow, Aiden McCallion, Grant Leitch, Grant Marchant, Jayden Fitzpatrick, Frankie Aitchison, Arran Kerr, Lyall Wark, Harry Weir, Leo Fisher, Josh Gentles, Alexander Smith.

 

Rangers 1 Partick Thistle 6

Next up was the 2005’s and after a fairly even first half a second half collapse  saw them suffer a heavy defeat. 

Thistle took the lead from an attack into the right side of Rangers penalty area where the ball was fired past Jacob Pazikas. Only a brilliant save prevented a Rangers equaliser a few minutes later, Tiaman Scott passed to Rory Wilson inside the right side of the box, his shot looked destined for the far top corner until the keeper dived and got the faintest touch to divert the ball onto the post.

With the quarter hour mark approaching Tiaman Scott latched onto a slack pass but his shot from the edge was the box was just wide of the keeper’s left hand post. A few minutes later a ball was cleared from the Rangers box and the Thistle midfielder struck from around twenty-five yards that forced Jacob Pazikas to save high to his right.

Rangers were level just after the half hour mark, Tiaman Scott laid the ball back to Brodie Kerr on the right and he picked out Rory Wilson inside the box and he fired past the keeper. Thistle responded with a bit of sustained pressure with a brilliant Adam Forrester block preventing a goal then minutes later Jacob Pazikas blocking a shot at close range.

Half-Time:- Rangers 1 Partick Thistle 1

Thistle regained the lead six minutes after the break, a corner from the right was flicked on and knocked into the net at the back post. Within two minutes the visitors scored again, the attack came down the right and passed across the box to be converted at the back post.

It was four by the hour mark, Rangers losing possession outside the left side of the box and the Thistle player broke into the penalty area to shoot past Jacob Pazikas. Thistle scored a fifth goal when a shot from the edge of the box was parried by Jacob Pazikas low to his left but was helpless as the rebound was fired into the net.

Rangers were pretty much penned back inside their half and when they failed to clear a corner from the right it took a goal line clearance from Brodie Kerr to prevent a sixth goal. The sixth goal came with four minutes remaining with Rangers missing a couple of opportunities to clear the ball it was eventually shot just inside Jacob Pazikas’s right hand post.

Full-Time:- Rangers 1 Partick Thistle 6

Rangers Squad:- Jacob Pazikas (Gk), Brodie Kerr, Adam Forrester, Leyton Grant, Ryan Murray, Callum Sandilands, Kerr Robertson, Elliot Dunlop, Tiaman Scott, Rory Wilson, Kole Connelly, Kian Gunn, Ricco Diack, Richard Van Cruigen.

 

Rangers 9 Partick Thistle 1

Last up was the 2004 fixture on Sunday morning, with a few players away on international duty Rangers squad was supplemented with a couple of 2003’s and five 2005’s.

Rangers had a chance on eleven minutes when Connor Allan latched onto a slack pass across Thistle’s penalty area but the keeper was quick from his line to make the block. Rangers took the lead two minutes later from a soft penalty, Darren McInally passed to Robbie Ure inside the right side of the box and the referee adjudged he was tripped and pointed to the spot which the Rangers striker converted.

Five minutes later it was another penalty, this time a clear award. Matthew Henderson made the pass to Robbie Ure inside the left side of the box and he was brought down, he stepped up and doubled his goals tally. A couple of minutes later Zak Mckay hit the right hand byline, from his low cross Robbie Ure was denied at close range by the keeper but Darren McInally followed up to score.

Just before the half hour mark Leyton Dunlop’s pass allowed Zak McKay to hit the right hand byline from his cross a defender knocked the ball towards goal and the keeper was forced into a save to his right. A couple of minutes later Darren McInally fed Robbie Fraser on the left, Robbie Ure seemed sure to score from the cross but headed just wide of the far post.

Rangers fourth goal soon followed, Jack Harkness winning possession twenty five yards from goal and passing to Leyton Dunlop to his right who broke into the box and shot past the keeper. Four minutes before the break Connor Allan broke into the left side of the penalty area but shot into the side netting.

Half-Time:- Rangers 4 Partick Thistle 0

Thistle had an early chance in the second half breaking into the left side of the penalty area with Scott Cowie racing from his line to make the save. Within two minutes the visitors threatened again on the left side of the box with the shot bouncing off the near post.  

Rangers extended their lead on fifty six minutes, Zak Queen passed to Connor Allan on the left and he played the ball across to Leyton Dunlop on the right hand angle of the box and he curled a shot in at the far post. Thistle grabbed a goal on the hour mark, the attack came down the right and the cross found its was beyond the back post where it was fired into the net.

Rangers were soon back on the attack and scored again within a couple of minutes, Leyton Dunlop providing the cross from the left hand angle of the box for Robbie Ure to head home at the back post. A solo run from Connor Allan took him from just inside Thistle half to inside the box where he knocked the ball past the keeper but it bounced of the keeper’s left hand post.

Midway through the half Rangers scored again, from Matthew Henderson’s pass Zak Queen’s dummy setup Darren McInally to shoot past the keeper. Leyton Dunlop then worked a short corner on the left with Darren McInally and from the cross Robbie Ure’s back post header was saved by the keeper.

With nine minutes remaining Robbie Fraser moved the ball forward to Matthew Henderson and he passed to Robbie Ure on the left hand angle of the box, he cut inside and beat the keeper with the aid of a deflection. On the final whistle the ball was played up to Robbie Ure on the edge of the box, went past a defender and again his shot was deflected past the keeper.

Full -Time:- Rangers 9 Partick Thistle 1

Rangers:- Scott Cowie; Zak McKay (Zak Queen 55 mins), Kristian Webster (Adam Forrester 65 mins), Logan Dunnachie, Robbie Fraser;Jack Harkness, Matthew Henderson; Darren McInally; Leyton Dunlop, Robbie Ure, Connor Allan.

Not Used:- Jacob Pazikas (Gk)