Academy Double Header

With the 2008’s and 2006’s scheduled to take on Partick Thistle at Springburn Park and the U18’s playing Morton at The Rangers Training Centre it was a chance to take in two games. I opted to watch the 2008’s at 10 am and the Under 18’s at 1pm.

Partick Thistle 2 Rangers 1

Rangers took an early lead when Alex Smith provided the pass for Thomas Falconer to break in to the left side of the penalty area and shoot past the keeper. Thistle had a chance when a poor clearance from the Rangers keeper saw him stranded from goal but the shot went into the side netting at the keeper’s left hand post.

Thistle equalised early in the second period, the attack initially came into the left side of the box, from the shot  Aaron McAlonan made a fine save but was helpless when the rebound was fired into the net. A good pass the created another good chance for Thistle, this time inside the right side of the box but this time it went across goal and wide.

The next chance came for Thistle from a long range shot that Aaron McAlonan stretched to save. Thistle’s dominance of the second period paid off when they took the lead with the last action of the period. From an attack that took them to the left hand byline the low cross was knocked into the net from close range.

Rangers came back strongly in the final period, their first chance coming when Farai Zvimba crossed from the right and it found Sam McLachlan who moved it on to Flynn O’Brien on the left side of the box with his shot being saved. Rocco McComb then went past a defender and fed Flynn O’Brien with the Thistle keeper coming from his line to make the block.

Some great skill from Flynn O’Brien wide on the left took him clear of two defenders and he sent Murray Shaw racing clear and into the left side of the penalty area but he shot wide of the far post. Rangers then twice came the width of the cross bar from drawing level. Aiden McCallion went past two defenders inside the left side of the penalty area and his shot from a narrow angle was tipped on to the bar and over. When the resultant corner was cleared from the penalty area Aidan McCallion’s shot from just outside the box crashed off the crossbar.

Full-Time:- Partick Thistle 2 Rangers 1

Rangers Squad:- Colbi McQuarrie (Gk), Arron McAlonan(Gk), Jack Caldwell, Matthew McIvor, Ollie Hynd, Thomas Falconer, Sam McLachlan, Aidan McCallion, Lewis Marshall, Zak Richford, Flynn O’Brien, Alex Smith, Connor Owen, Murray Shaw, Rocco McComb, Farai Zvimba, Ben Smylie.

 

Rangers 8 Morton 1

Next up was a trip up to The Training Centre for the U18’s friendly against Morton which Rangers won at a canter. In truth the game was finished as a contest after the quarter hour mark.

Rangers took the lead on seven minutes, Rory Wilson hit the left hand byline and from his cut back Robbie Ure shot past the keeper. The lead was doubled two minutes later, Jack Harkness in possession on the right passed inside to James Graham who found the net from the edge of the box.

Two goals either side of the fifteen minute mark finished the game as a contest. Robbie Ure’s pass sent Jack Harkness to the right hand byline and low centre was converted at close range by Rory Wilson. A carbon copy move with Robbie Ure providing the pass and Jack Harkness the low cross saw James Graham’s shot diverted on to the cross bar by the keeper but he followed up to nod home the rebound.

Morton then had a chance when the ball was played in from the right and volleyed goalwards which forced Jacob Pazikas into a save.

The half hadn’t reached the midway point when Rangers scored a fifth, Connor Allan’s pass sending Robbie Ure through, he cut inside a defender before slotting past the keeper. In Rangers next attack they didn’t score, Robbie Ure providing the pass to tee up James Graham inside the right side of the penalty area with on this occasion the keeper producing a fine save.

James Graham then turned provider sending Rory Wilson through to round the keeper and roll the ball into the net. The same combination almost produced a seventh goal but on this occasion the keeper saved Rory’s shot. The goal was delayed barely a minute, Robbie Ure’s superb first touch allowing him to race clear of the defence and shoot past the keeper.

The final action of the half saw Jacob Pazikas turn a long range shot round the post low to his left.

Half-Time:- Rangers 7 Morton 0

Rangers continued from where they left off and on forty-seven minutes Zak McKay’s cross from the right broke to Robbie Ure but the striker saw his shot blocked. The visitors then threatened with an attack into the right side of the penalty area, with Jacob Pazikas advancing from his line to make the block.

On sixty-five minutes Morton pulled a goal back, from a free-kick on the right hand angle of the box a pre-planned move took them to the byline and the low cross was knocked into the net. Withe the game inside the final quarter hour Leyton Dunlop switch played to Robbie Ure on the left, he played a one-two with Tyler Pasnik and picked out Zak McKay who’s shot was diverted on to the bar by the keeper but the ball rebounded off a defender and into the net for an Own Goal.

Rangers finished with two chances both created by Zak McKay runs to the right hand byline. From his first cutback Tyler Pasnik saw his shot saved, and on the next occasion Jack Roberts shot just wide of the keeper’s left hand post.

Full-Time:- Rangers 8 Morton 1

Rangers:- Jacob Pazikas; Jack Harkness (Zak McKay HT), Kelsey Ewan (Greig Allen 60 mins), Harley Ewan ( Kristian Webster 60 mins), Kyle Semple; Leyton Dunlop; Mackenzie Strachan (Ryan Duncan 60 mins), Connor Allan; James Graham (Jack Roberts 60 mins); Robbie Ure, Rory Wilson (Tyler Pasnik 60 mins).