Poor Night For Colts

Rangers 1 Cumbernauld Colts 4

It was a poor night for Rangers Colts going down to a heavy defeat at the hands of Cumbernauld Colts at Dumbarton tonight. Granted their were seven changes due to International call ups, to Saturday’s starting XI that comfortably swept Berwick Rangers aside . With the Lowland League being promoted as a development opportunity it should have been an chance for some younger players who hopefully have learned from the experience.

The visitor’s came close in the eighth minute which began a series of chances for Cumbernauld Colts. Craig Murray’s shot from the edge of the box was touched on to his left hand post by Jay Hogarth, Owen Andrew followed up to rattle the rebound against the same post. Within a minute Cumbernauld Colts took the lead, Owen Andrew broke through the inside left channel before cutting inside and shooting into the far corner from the edge of the box.

Only around another sixty seconds had passed when the Rangers defence were caught out by a long ball, Owen Andrew’s lob looking likely to produce his second goal until Jay Hogarth stretched to divert the ball for a corner. The chances kept coming and when Craig Murray released Shaun Brown inside the right side of the penalty area his shot brought out a fine save from Jay Hogarth diving to his right.

Rangers response was to draw level on thirteen minutes, Tony Weston in possession on the right passed inside to Charlie McCann who sidestepped a defender before beating the keeper from the edge of the box. The visitor’s were back in front just before the half hour mark, Shaun Brown dispossessed Murray Miller outside the left side of the penalty area and he passed inside to Owen Andrew who shot across Jay Hogarth into the far corner.

Rangers came close to equalising a few minutes later, Charlie McCann’s pass releasing Tony Weston inside the right side of the box but his shot was just wide of the far post. Ten minutes before the break Rangers fell further behind, from Dominic McLaughlin’s long throw on the right Shaun Brown laid the ball back to Stephen O’Neill who fired into the top corner from just inside the box.

Less than five minutes later Cumbernauld Colts grabbed a fourth, Owen Andrews attacked the left hand angle of the box with the ball breaking for Sean Winter inside the penalty area and close to the byline from where his shot come centre appeared to go in off a Rangers defender. Rangers had a chance from a corner from the left just before the break but Robbie Ure miscued his header at the back post and Alex Marshall saved easily.

Half-Time:- Rangers 1 Cumbernauld Colts 4

The second half was only three minutes old when the visitor’s Dominic McLaughlin was shown a straight red following an off the ball incident with Robbie Ure. Rangers began to dominate possession but were struggling to create clear cut opportunities, the game had reached the hour mark when Murray Miller played the ball forward to Arron Lyall who cut inside a defender before shooting straight at Alex Marshall.

Five minutes later Charlie McCann passed to Tony Weston inside the penalty area and he saw his shot deflected wide of the keeper’s left hand post. There was just over a quarter hour remaining when Rangers passed up a great opportunity. Charlie McCann picked out Arron Lyall’s run into the box but the unmarked Ranger headed over.

Rangers next effort came from a powerful Robbie Fraser twenty-five yarder but was straight at the keeper. With ten minutes remaining it was Charlie McCann’s turn to try from distance and on this occasion Alex Marshall tipped over.

The final chance of the night came at the other end, Stephen O’Neill passed to Shaun Brown inside the left side of the penalty area and a stepover took him past a defender but he fired over.

Full-Time:- Rangers 1 Cumbernauld Colts 4

Rangers:- Jay Hogarth; Zak McKay (Connor Allan 59 mins), Kelsey Ewan, Greig Allen, Robbie Fraser; Murray Miller; Kane Ritchie-Hosler, Charlie McCann, Arron Lyall; Tony Weston, Robbie Ure (Mackenzie Strachan 68 mins).

Not Used:- Lewis Budinauckas (Gk), Harley Ewan, Leyton Dunlop.

Cumbernauld Colts:- Alex Marshall; Dominic McLaughlin, Dominic McLaren, Dominic Slattery, Cameron Dickson; Stephen O’Neill, Lewis Warnock (Richard Kirwan 75 mins), Craig Murray (Lee Whitmore 84 mins), Shaun Brown; Sean Winter, Owen Andrew (Drew McCann 90 mins).

Not Used:- Reece Murdoch (Gk), Ewan McPherson, David Veitch, Daniel Hatfield.