Colts Break Down Gretna

Gretna 2008 1 Rangers 5

It took Rangers Colts to almost the midpoint of the second half to break Gretna’s resistance. Despite taking an early lead Rangers were pegged back with the home side’s only real effort on goal over the ninety minutes. Once the second half break through came the young ‘Gers looked like scoring with every attack.

The first real effort of the match came on eight minutes, Ross McCausland attacking the right hand angle of the box, he went past a defender before shooting wide of the far post. Four minutes later Rangers missed a great chance, Arron Lyall crossed from the right, Cole McKinnon looked sure to score but headed wide of the near post.

Rangers took the lead just before the quarter hour mark, Arron Lyall fed Robbie Fraser on the left and from his low cross Juan Alegria slid in to knock the ball into the net. Rangers came close a few minutes later, Juan Alegria just failing to get a touch on Adam Devine’s volleyed cross from the right.

The sides were level on the twenty-second minute, a corner was swung in from the the left and Emile Ngoy headed goalwards, Lewis Budinauckas made a valiant attempt to keep the ball out but the referee correctly judged the ball had crossed the line. Rangers response saw Arron Lyall cut in from the left but shot straight at Sam Henderson.

Rangers missed a great chance to go back in front on twenty-seven minutes, Cole McKinnon’s chipped pass picked out Adam Devine inside the box and close to the byline, he volleyed across the six yard box to the unmarked Juan Alegria who with the goal at his mercy knocked the ball over. Within a minute Kyle McCausland progressed along the right hand byline with Sam Henderson saving at his near post.

Just beyond the half hour mark Arron Lyall attacked the left side of the penalty area where he exchanged passes with Kane Ritchie-Hosler but his shot from a tight angle was blocked by Sam Henderson. The final effort on goal of the first half was another from Arron Lyall, cutting inside from the left he again forced a save from Sam Henderson.

Half-Time – Gretna 2008 1 Rangers 1

Rangers had an early effort in the second half from a Cole McKinnon free-kick on the edge of the box that Sam Henderson matched with a diving save. With the hour mark approaching Juan Alegria headed Robbie Fraser’s corner from the right just wide of the back post.

With twenty-five minutes remaining Rangers took the lead, Kyle McCausland hit the right hand byline and from his cutback Kane Ritchie-Hosler shot past Sam Henderson. Kane Ritchie-Hosler then turned provider, breaking towards the box from midfield he passed to Arron Lyall and his shot from the edge the box brought out a fine save from Sam Henderson diving to his left.

With a quarter hour remaining Rangers increased their lead, Arron Lyall in possession wide on the left took out two defenders with a superb pass that sent Kyle McCausland free to break into the left side of the penalty area shoot across the keeper and into the net. A fourth goal soon followed, Greig Allen rising to head a cross from the right past Sam Henderson.

The scoring was completed with four minutes remaining, Darren McInally with the final pass at the end of a sequence to release Tony Weston inside the right side of the box and he shot past the keeper.

Full-Time:- Gretna 2008 1 Rangers 5

Gretna 2008:- Sam Henderson; Sean Clark, Daniel Martins, Oliver Black, Connor Duffy, Aiden Cassidy; Robbie Ivison, Dean Watson, Griffin Sabatini, Nathan Hendji, Emily Ngoy (Elie Akobeto 65 mins).

Not Used:- Toby Emerson, Kevin Onanu, Kai McCormack, Harry Hay.

Rangers:- Lewis Budinauckas; Adam Devine, Kyle McClelland, Johnly Yfeko (Greig Allen 76 mins), Robbie Fraser; Murray Miller (Tony Weston 62 mins); Cole McKinnon, Kane Ritchie-Hosler; Kyle McCausland (Robbie Ure 85 mins), Juan Alegria (Charlie Lindsay 76 mins), Arron Lyall (Darren McInally 85 mins).

Not Used:- Arron Cervantes (Gk), Connor Allan.