Penalty Secures A Win

Rangers 1 Berwick Rangers 0

A Tony Weston penalty fourteen minutes from time was enough to secure the points for The Colts against Berwick Rangers at Dumbarton this afternoon. It was my second game of the day having watched the under 15’s rack up a few goals against Hibernian this morning.

The first chance of the game came on six minutes, Adam Devine exchanging passes with Juan Alegria and shooting just wide of Andy McNeill’s left hand post from the edge of the box. A couple of minutes later the visitors had to make an early change when Jack Cook pulled up injured and he was replaced by Cameron Scott-Dow.

Only a superb Andy McNeill save on twenty-four minutes prevented Rangers taking the lead, Charlie McCann’s twenty-five yard  free- kick was heading for the keeper’s top right corner until he dived high to his right to turn the ball over. Just after the hour mark a Juan Alegria layoff setup a shooting chance for Arron Lyall on the edge of the box that Andy McNeill dived to his right to parry.

Rangers came close to making the breakthrough just before half time, Adam Devine sent Arron Lyall to the right hand byline and he  cut the ball back for Charlie McCann’s who’s shot was netbound until a superb Jamie Piper block diverted the ball for a corner.

Half-Time:- Rangers 0 Berwick Rangers 0

The first chance after the break came on fifty-two minutes when Robbie Fraser’s corner from the right found the head of Lewis MacKinnon but Andy McNeill was well placed to make the save. A further six minutes had elapsed when Juan Alegria got on the end of Adam Devine’s cross from the right but under pressure from a defender his volley was just too high.

With a quarter hour remaining Kane Ritchie- Hosler cut in from the left and passed to Charlie Lindsay who’s shot from the edge of the box was just wide of the keeper’s right hand post. Within a minute Rangers took the lead from the penalty spot, the referee adjudged that Tony Weston was tripped by David Murray Ferguson and the Rangers sub converted from the spot.

Berwick had a great chance to draw level with eleven minutes remaining, Calum Smith’s flick on from a long ball sent Ciaran Heeps clear, as he tried to round Lewis Budinauckas, Cole McKinnon got back and between the keeper and defender they managed to clear the danger. With five minutes remaining former Rangers Academy player Grant Nelson was shown a straight red card for a last man foul on the edge of the box as Robbie Ure raced clear.

Full-Time:- Rangers 1 Berwick Rangers 0

Rangers:- Lewis Budinauckas; Adam Devine, Lewis MacKinnon, Cole McKinnon, Robbie Fraser; Murray Miller (Charlie Linsday 74 mins); Kane Ritchie Hosler, Charlie McCann; Ross McCausland, Juan Alegria (Robbie Ure 62 mins), Arron Lyall (Tony Weston 62 mins).

Not Used:- Arron Cervantes (Gk), Kelsey Ewan, Mackenzie Strachan, Connor Allan.

Berwick Rangers:- Andy McNeil; Grant Nelson, Jack Cook (Cameron Scott-Dow 8 mins), Jamie Piper, David Murray-Ferguson; Aidan Denholm, Jordan Sinclair; Graham Taylor, Sean Stewart (Ciaran Heeps 64 mins), Kieran McGrath; Calum Smith.

Not Used:- Ben Swinton (Gk), John Ward, Lewis Allan, Lewis Baker.

Rangers 9 Hibernian 0

Saturday morning gave me an opportunity to take in the Under 15’s  game against Hibs and they kept up a good run of form by blowing the Easter Road youngsters away.

Rangers took the lead on the quarter hour, when the cross came in from the left Arran Kerr inside the right side of the box sent a header back across the goal and it found the top corner via the inside of the post. Five minutes later the two trialists combined to grab a second goal, Trialist No.6 progressing along the right hand byline before playing the ball across goal for Trialist No.7 to net from close range.

At this stage goals were coming at five minute intervals and when Josh Gentles won the ball inside the Hibernian penalty area it broke to Lewis Stewart who shot into the keeper’s bottom left hand corner. We only had to wait a further two minutes for the fourth, Lewis Stewart providing the through ball for Trialist No.6 to race clear, round the keeper and roll the ball into the net.

The visitors rallied and created a couple of opportunities before the break, a ball over the top of Rangers defence allowed their striker race clear, as Alfie Halliwell advanced from goal he poked the ball past the keeper but wide of his right hand post. Right on half time a chip from the left hand angle of the box had the keeper beaten but bounced of the top of the bar and over.

Half-Time:- Rangers 4 Hibernian 0

Hibs were first to threaten in the second half with an attack into the right side of the box and Alfie Halliwell had to make a save to his right. Rangers were soon back on attack and adding a fifth, Connor Campbell’s pass through the inside left channel sent Chris Eadie clear to shoot past the keeper.

Number six soon followed when Chris Eadie was again sent clear and on this occasion he beat the keeper with a sublime chip. The next goal came when Trialist No.6 was released inside the penalty area to shoot past the keeper for Rangers seventh.

Chris Eadie then turned provider with a pass to release Trialist No.6 to continue into the box and complete his hat-trick.  Alfie Halliwell then produced an incredible save to keep his clean sheet intact, the attack came on the left and the ball was played into the box the Rangers keeper somehow diverted the point blank effort on to the bar an over.

The scoring was complete when Trialist No.7 passed to Frankie Aitchison who dribbled past two defenders before shooting past the keeper.

Full-Time:- Rangers 9 Hibernian 0

Rangers Squad:- Alfie Halliwell (Gk), Arran Kerr, Jack Wylie, Cameron Scott, Connor Campbell, Trialist No.6, Grant Marchant, Grant Leitch, Lewis Stewart, Josh Gentles, Trialist No.7, Jace McCulloch, Duncan Barlow, Leo Fisher, Lyle Wark, Callum Adamson, Chris Eadie, Frankie Aitchison