Colts Break Vale’s Resistance

Vale of Leithen 0 Rangers 6

Only four players were in Rangers starting lineup that started the home fixture against the visitors in August, but that was four more than started for Vale of Leithen in that fixture. Fielding a different starting eleven with only substitute Matteo Crolla was retained in the squad from that previous game.

The home side defended stoutly and a spirited performance saw them hold out for half an hour and they restricted Rangers to a single goal at the break. The second half was a different matter with the young Rangers side adding a further five goals.

Rangers first effort came on eight minutes, Arron Lyall took on three defenders on the right, his pass across the eighteen yard box was dummied by Alex Lowry allowing Robbie Fraser to fire just over from the edge of the box. The home side were barely in Rangers half but on twenty minutes Mark Deya had a shooting chance inside the right side of Rangers penalty area but shot wide of the far post.

Five minutes later Arron Lyall’s run took him inside the right side of the box and his shot from a tight angle was saved by Chris Peden. In Rangers next Rangers attack Robbie Ure chased a Robbie Fraser inside the left side of the penalty area with Chris Peden saving bravely at the striker’s feet.

The breakthrough came barely sixty seconds later, Arron Lyall on the right passed inside to Alex Lowry and from the left hand angle he shot across the keeper into the far corner. A goalmouth scramble ensued in Rangers next attack and when the ball broke to Tony Weston  keeper Chris Peden blocked his shot with his foot.

Five minutes before the break Arron Lyall exchanged passes with Robbie Ure as he broke into the right side of the box but fired into the side netting.

Half-Time:- Vale of Leithen 0 Rangers 1

Rangers missed a great chance five minutes after the break, Kane Ritchie-Hosler hit the right hand byline and fired the ball across goal but Tony Weston knocked the ball over from close range. The second goal followed less than five minutes later, Murray Miller passed to Robbie Fraser on the left and from the byline he picked out Robbie Ure who fired past the keeper.

Within a couple of minutes Chris Peden was beaten from Alex Lowry’s twenty-five yard, and left of centre free-kick but the ball bounced off the crossbar. Rangers now looked like scoring with every attack and duly did with their next on fifty-seven minutes, Arron Lyall passed to Robbie Ure inside the right side of the box and he turned a defender twice before shooting across the keeper into the far corner.

Rangers fourth goal followed eight minutes later and it was a Tony Weston solo effort going past two defenders as he entered the left side of the penalty area and shot into the far corner. Rangers next attack did not result in a goal thanks to a fine Chris Peden save, Arron Lyall provided the pass to Cole McKinnon inside the right side of the box but he was denied by the keeper diving to his right.

With a quarter hour remaining Rangers scored a fifth, Kane Ritchie-Hosler beating the keeper from inisde the right side of the box with the aid of a deflection. The sixth goal came five minutes later, Cole McKinnon receiving a pass and beating Chris Peden from around twenty five yards.

There was still time for a spectacular Tyler Pasnik effort which crashed of the crossbar, Cole McKinnon provided the cross from the right and Tyler’s overhead kick beat the keeper but came back off the crossbar.

Full-Time:- Vale of Leithen 0 Rangers 6

Vale Of Leithen:- Chris Peden; Aidan McFarlane, Ryan Ferguson, Andrew Mackay; Rhys Anderson, Daniel Deya, Michael Robertson, Sami El Yemani (Luke Cormack HT), Michael Joyce; Mark Deya, Lewis Grahame (Matteo Crolla 66 mins).

Not Used:- Ben Brady.

Rangers:- Jay Hogarth; Kane Ritchie-Hosler, Connor Allan, Leon King, Robbie Fraser; Murray Miller (Mackenzie Strachan 66 mins); Cole McKinnon, Alex Lowry, Arron Lyall (Leyton Dunlop 78 mins), Robbie Ure, Tony Weston (Tyler Pasnik 78 mins)

Not Used:- Lewis Budinauckas (Gk), Darren McInally.