Injury Time Winner For Colts

Cumbernauld Colts 2 Rangers 3

Lewis MacKinnon’s volley deep into injury time gave Rangers Colts a deserved three points against Cumbernauld Colts at Broadwood tonight. The Ibrox youngsters missed a host of chances during the ninety minutes.

With four players on international duty with Scotland’s Under 19’s there were a few changes to the lineup from Saturday at Bo’ness.

In the third minute Shaun Brown’s in swinging corner from the right forced Lewis Budinauckas to touch the ball onto the crossbar and Lewis MacKinnon knocked it behind for a corner. Rangers reply saw Charlie Lindsay break forward on the inside left channel, he passed inside to Ross McCausland and his shot was only just wide of Alex Marshall’s right hand post.

Rangers missed a great opportunity to take the lead on ten minutes, the move started with Murray Miller who played the ball forward to Charlie McCann, he found Jack Harkness overlapping on the right and from his low cross Robbie Ure shot over. Rangers took the lead on the quarter hour mark,  Tony Weston latched on to a short pass back to knock the ball past Alex Marshall.

Midway through the half Tony Weston played the ball forward to Jack Harkness on the right, his cross picked out Robbie Ure but his header was weak and Alex Marshall saved easily. With the half hour approaching Robbie Fraser’s ball over the defence found Tony Weston inside the left side of the penalty area and a great first touch created a shooting chance but he shot wide of the near post.

The next chance came when a brilliant Ross McCausland flick sent Charlie McCann breaking into the right side of the box, he passed to Robbie Ure, who tried to chip the keeper it appeared he  touched the ball over but the referee awarded a goal kick. The home side came close before the break from a free-kick wide of the left, Dominic McLaughlin volleying over. There was still time for Lewis MacKinnon to volley goalward from Robbie Fraser’s free-kick from the right but it was straight at Alex Marshall.

Half-Time:- Cumbernauld Colts 0 Rangers 1

The sides were level six minutes into the second half, Dominic McLaren finding the net with a glancing header from Stephen O’Neill’s corner from the left. Five minutes later an individual effort from Robbie Ure saw him go past a defender on the left hand angle of the box before shooting just wide of the near post.

Rangers fell behind in the seventieth minute, a long ball over Rangers defence saw Lewis Budinauckas converge with Greig Allen as he raced from his penalty area, neither dealt with the danger and Shaun Brown was left with a simple finish into the empty net. The Ibrox youngsters got back on level terms five minutes later, Kane Ritchie-Hosler passed to Tony Weston inside the box and a great touch and turn allowed him to shoot past the keeper.

Rangers were pushing for a winner and Juan Alegria released Charlie McCann inside the right side of the penalty area with Alex Marshall saving low to his right. There was thirteen minutes remaining when Rangers missed a great chance, Charlie Lindsay played the ball forward to Ross McCausland who attacked the penalty area, he picked out Juan Alegria inside the left side of the box but from a good position he blazed over.

With ten minutes remaining Robbie Fraser’s corner from the right bounced across the six yard box but Greig Allen could only nod wide at the back post. Deep into injury time Charlie McCann sent a free-kick from the halfway line into the box, Juan Alegria’s flick on had the home defence struggling to clear and the ball eventually broke for Lewis MacKinnon to volley past the keeper from just inside the penalty area.

Full-Time:- Cumbernauld Colts 2 Rangers 3

Cumbernauld Colts:- Alex Marshall; Dominic McLaughlin, Dominic McLaren, Dominic Slattery, Cameron Dickson; Stephen O’Neill, Lee Whitmore (Daniel Hatfield 86 mins), Graeme Holmes, Shaun Brown; Sean Winter (Ewan McPherson 73 mins), Owen Andrew.

Not Used:- Reece Murdoch (Gk), Richard Kirwan, Drew McCann, Aiden Laverty.

Rangers:- Lewis Budinauckas; Jack Harkness (Kane Ritchie-Hosler 52 mins), Lewis MacKinnon, Greig Allen, Robbie Fraser; Murray Miller, Charlie McCann, Charlie Lindsay, Ross McCausland, Robbie Ure (Juan Alegria 58 mins), Tony Weston.

Not Used:-Arron Cervantes (Gk), Connor Allan, Mackenzie Strachan, Arron Lyall