Academy Weekend Round Up

This weekend saw Rangers play Celtic across the age groups, I was able to take in three full games and part of a fourth. Saturday’s double header was at Rangers Training Centre, with the U13’s 9-a side game first up and the Under 15 game following. Sunday the action moved to Barrowfield with the U14’s kicking off at 10AM and the U16’s at 11AM.

I didn’t produce a report for the U13’s game for two reasons, it was a 9-a-side game and this is a new group to me, so my focus was on identifying the players. Celtic established a two goal lead in the first half-hour period but Rangers were the stronger team in the next two periods and probably should have won the game. The outcome was an entertaining 4-4 draw, with Luca Rankin (2), Ty O’Connor and Daniel Owonyomi scoring Rangers goals.

Rangers 0 Celtic 3

The U15’s game followed and Rangers were pretty much second best and only the performance of keeper Colbi McQuarrie kept the scoreline down.

Colbi’s first save in the game was a comfortable one gathering a shot from distance in the second minute. Seven minutes later a corner from the right broke to a Celtic player inside the Rangers penalty area, his shot beat Colbi McQuarrie but Jack Caldwell was well placed to clear from the line, the rebound effort was blocked and a third effort saw Colbi McQuarrie produce a fine point blank save.

A minute later Celtic broke into the right side of the box but again Colbi McQuarrie denied the attacker. Rangers had shown little in attack and on fifteen minutes Murray Shaw turned and shot from the edge of the box but it didn’t seriously trouble the Celtic keeper.

Colbi McQuarrie was soon called into action, saving a shot from the edge of the penalty area. Celtic took the lead a couple of minutes shy of the half-hour, there was a hint of offside when they broke into the left side of the box and the shot found the net despite Colbi McQuarrie getting a hand to it.

A short corner from the left was the source of Celtic’s next chance with Colbi McQuarrie saving the shot low to his left.

Half-Time:- Rangers 0 Celtic 1

Celtic came close to extending their lead early in the second half with an attack into the right side of the box, the shot beat Colbi McQuarrie but rebounded back off the crossbar. Rangers then had their best chance of the came when the ball broke to Aidan McCallion inside the right side of the box and he lobbed the advancing keeper but the ball went narrowly wide of the near post.

Celtic had a further chance with their attacker through one on one with Colbi McQuarrie but again the Rangers keeper came out on top. The visitors second goal came soon after and it was a mistake from a Rangers defender, losing possession on the edge of the box teeing up the Celtic player for a simple finish. Celtic then added a third goal before the end of the game.

Celtic’s three goals came from two players I watched playing for Rangers as trialists in November, but for whatever reason they both ultimately signed for Celtic.

Full-Time:- Rangers 0 Celtic 3

Rangers:- Colbi McQuarrie (Sam Reid); Jack Caldwell (Lyle Hunter HT), Olly Hynd, Matthew McIvor, Thomas Falconer; Sam McLachlan (Lewis Marshall HT), Aiden McCallion, Alex Smith; Flynn O’Brien (Zak Richford HT), Jose Calela (Jayden Fitzpatrick 59 mins), Murray Shaw (Brandon Ramage HT).

The action moved to Barrowfield on Sunday and my intention was to take in the U16 game at 11am, but I went along early and watched a fair bit of the U14’s game. In the part of the game I watched Rangers were the better team and had more and clearer chances. Celtic won the game with the only goal from a free-kick with virtually the last kick of the ball.

Celtic 1 Rangers 2

A Finlay Curtis strike and an Own Goal saw Rangers winning comfortably but a slack defensive pass allowed Celtic to pull a goal back with virtually the last kick of the game.

In the early part of the game goalmouth action was at premium and there was almost a half-hour on the clock when Rangers took the lead. From a free-kick on the edge of the box  and left of centre Finlay Curtis fired a shot into the keepers bottom right hand corner. Five minutes later Lewis Stewart cut inside a defender on the edge of the box before shooting just wide of the keeper’s left hand post.

Celtic had a chance a couple of minutes later, a cross in from the left was knocked just wide of the far post. Six minutes before the break a through ball sent Lewis Stewart racing clear, his shot beat the keeper but went wide of the post.

Rangers doubled their lead two minutes before the break, Jack Wylie progressed on the right and his cross into the penalty area was diverted past the keeper by a defender for an Own Goal.

Half-Time:- Celtic 0 Rangers 2

A couple of minutes into the second half Jack Wylie broke down the right and passed inside to Finlay Curtis and his twenty-five yarder forced the keeper to tip over. The game then entered an extended period where neither keeper was troubled and was only really noted for a series of substitutions.

In the dying seconds a slack pass across the Rangers eighteen yard box allowed Ronan Ferns to break into the box and reduce the deficit. The referee blew for time up on Rangers restarting the game.

Full-Time:- Celtic 1 Rangers 2

Celtic:- Jamie Miekle; Cole Crawford, Robbie Heron, Samuel Isiguzo, Andrew Kyle; Kalvin Bennett (Ryan Hamilton); Aidan Borland, Finlay Hale (Ronan Ferns 61 mins); Tom Pickford, Tyrere McDonnell (Aidan Haddow 61 mins), Rhys Dargle (Ryan Gaughan 61 mins)

Not Used:- Coray Shaw (Gk), Cruz Dunbar.

Rangers:- Alfie Halliwell; Jack Wylie, Kenzie McClelland (Duncan Barlow HT), Connor Campbell, Cameron Scott; Leo Fisher, Callum Adamson; Finlay Curtis; Lyle Wark (Grant Marchant 61 mins), Josh Gentles (Chris Eadie HT), Lewis Stewart (Jayden Fitzpatrick 61 mins)

Not Used:- Colbi McQuarrie (Gk)