Easy Win For Colts

Rangers 9 Gretna 2008 FC 1

Ultimately it was an easy win for Rangers colts against Gretna 2008 at Dumbarton this afternoon, but a strange start to the game suggested otherwise. The visitors lost their keeper to a red card on nine minutes, then took the lead and only a fine block from the foot of Lewis Budinauckas prevented them doubling that lead. From then on it was a procession from Rangers and they could have scored more.

The first real action saw Gretna keeper Matthew Connelly red carded in the ninth minute, Alex Lowry sent the ball over the defence for Chris McKee to chase and the keeper advanced from his area to handle leaving the referee with little option. From the resultant free kick substitute keeper Lee Kilbride saved Alex Lowry’s shot low to his left.

On the quarter hour mark Robbie Fraser passed in from the left to Alex Lowry but his twenty-five yard shot was straight at the keeper. A couple of minutes later Adam Devine on the right passed to Tony Weston who played in Chris McKee inside the right side of the box, he evaded the keeper but shot into the side netting.

On twenty one minutes Gretna took the lead, Robbie Ivison’s attempted pass into the box came straight back to him from a Rangers defender and he strode into the penalty area to shoot past Lewis Budinauckas. With the half hour mark approaching Josh Cooper robbed Charlie McCann and he fed Ewan Cameron breaking into the right side of the penalty area, it took a fine block from the foot of Lewis Budinauckas to prevent a goal, Aidan Duffy latched on to the rebound with his shot deflected wide.

Charlie McCann broke forward from midfield and from his shot from the edge of the box Lee Kilbride saved. Rangers were back on level terms on the thirty third minute, the attack came on the left and when the ball came into the box Cole McKinnon’s shot was blocked, the ball landed for Adam Devine inside the right side of the box and his low shot was turned past the keeper by Chris McKee.

Rangers took the lead a couple of minutes later, Adam Devine broke forward on the right, his cross found its way to Alex Lowry beyond the back post, Lee Kilbride made a fine point blank save but was helpless as Chris McKee netted the rebound. Rangers next chance came from a free kick after Charlie McCann was tripped on the edge of the box, Alex Lowry fired his shot just over.

Charlie McCann was in action again five minutes before the break, advancing to the edge of the box and shooting just wide of the keeper’s right hand post. Rangers grabbed a third just before half-time, Cole McKinnon fed Adam Devine on the right and from his low cross Chris McKee beat the keeper with a neat back heel.

Half-Time:- Rangers 3 Gretna 2008 FC 1

The first chance after the break came four minutes in, Charlie McCann passing to Tony Weston on the right hand angle of the box, he cut inside a defender before shooting at the keeper. Five minutes later Alex Lowry released Adam Devine inside the right side of the penalty area, Lee Kilbride saved his effort and reacted to make it a double save from Chris McKee’s shot from the rebound.

The next gaol was only delayed a couple of minutes and when Cole McKinnon passed inside the right back position it released Robbie Fraser to break into the box and shoot across the keeper into the far corner. Just after the hour Robbie Fraser swung in a corner from the left and Leon King’s powerful header rebounded back off the keeper’s right hand post.

Midway through the half Cole McKinnon fed Ross McCausland on the right side of the box and he forced a save from Lee Kilbride. Five minutes later the same combination created another chance with the same outcome from the keeper. Rangers scored a fifth on seventy-two minutes, Tony Weston chased down a pass back and Lee Kilbride’s attempted clearance cannoned off the Rangers striker and into the net.

Two minutes later Murray Miller fed Adam Devine on the right and when Lee Kilbride spilled the full-back’s low cross Tony Weston was on hand to slam the ball into the net. There was ten minute remaining when Robbie Fraser played the ball forward to Kane Ritchie-Hosler, he went past two defenders before beating the keeper from the edge of the box.

Rangers eighth goal came with seven minutes remaining, Cole McKinnon passed to Adam Devine on the right and his cross found Robbie Fraser arriving from the left to power a header past the keeper. The scoring was complete when Cole McKinnon moved the ball forward to Murray Miller who burst past a defender into the box, Lee Kilbride did well to parry his shot but Tony Weston was on hand to net from the rebound.

Full-Time:- Rangers 9 Gretna 2008 FC 1

Rangers:- Lewis Budinauckas; Adam Devine, Kyle McClelland (Lewis Mackinnon 65 mins), Leon King, Robbie Fraser; Murray Miller; Cole McKinnon; Tony Weston, Chris McKee (Ross McAusland 59 mins), Alex Lowry ( Kane Ritchie-Hosler 65 mins).

Not Used:- Jay Hogarth (Gk), Mackenzie Strachan, Charlie Lindsay, Arron Lyall.

Gretna:- Matthew Connelly; Tobey Emerson (Lorenzo Giovannazzi 59 mins), Conor Duffy, Daniel Harvey, Blair Sneddon; Robbie Ivison, Paul Quinn(Connor Smith 59 mins) ; Ewan Cameron, Josh Cooper, Dean Quinn (Lee Kilbride 9 mins); Aidan Duffy.

Not Used:- Robert Griffiths, Louis Jeffrey.