Old Firm Stroll For Colts

Rangers 3 Celtic 0

Rangers Colts blew Celtic away in twenty three minutes in today’s Lowland League match at Ibrox establishing a three goal lead. The Ibrox youngsters could have added a few more and while Celtic may point to their lineup being a bit younger they never troubled Jay Hogarth in the Rangers goal over the ninety minutes.

There was less than twenty seconds on the clock when Rangers took the lead, Ross McCausland capitalised on Magnus Mackenzie’s slack pass back to break into the right side of the penalty area, cut inside a defender and shoot past Tobi Oluyameni. On five minutes Ross McCausland was in again when Alex Lowry released him with a pass inside Magnus Mackenzie, on this occasion his shot was deflected wide.

Rangers doubled their lead on the quarter hour mark, Charlie McCann passed to Alex Lowry who moved forward into Celtic’s half and when he got around twenty-five yards from goal he fired past the keeper. By the midway point of the half it was three, Robbie Fraser’s pass sending Tony Weston through one on one with the keeper who he beat with a calm finish.

Six minutes before the break another superb Alex Lowry pass picked put Adam Devine inside the right side of the box, he poked the ball past the keeper but the ball bounced off his right hand post. Rangers had a final chance before the break when Cole McKinnon fed Ross McCausland on the right and cut into the penalty area but his shot was weak and Tobi Oluyameni saved comfortably.

Half-Time:- Rangers 3 Celtic 0

Rangers had the first chance eight minutes after the break, Ross McCausland in possession on the right passed inside to Adam Devine who shot just wide of the keeper’s right hand post. Rangers continued to dominate possession but the second half was only really noted for a series of substitutions with neither keeper called into action.

Rangers had one final effort on goal with five minutes remaining with a Robbie Fraser strike from distance that Tobi Oluyameni saved without too much difficulty.

Full-Time Rangers 3 Celtic 0

Rangers:- Jay Hogarth; Adam Devine, Kyle McClelland, Leon King (Johnly Yfeko 81 mins), Robbie Fraser; Murray Miller; Cole McKinnon (Charlie Lindsay 81 mins), Charlie McCann; Ross McCausland (Arron Lyall 74 mins), Tony Weston (Robbie Ure 69 mins), Alex Lowry (Kane Ritchie-Hosler)

Not Used:- Arron Cervantes (Gk), Darren McInally.

Celtic:- Toby Oluyameni; Josh Dede, Bosum Lawal (Dylan Corr 69 mins), Dane Murray, Magnus Mackenzie; Mackenzie Carse; Owen Moffat, Ben Summers (Joey Dawson 81 mins); Karamoko Dembele (Tsoanelo Letsosa 81 mins), Johnny Kenny (Ben Doak 61 mins), Adam Brooks (Rocco Vata 69 mins).

Not Used:- Joe Morrison (Gk) Kyle Ure.

 

St.Mirren 6 Rangers 5

Earlier I took in Rangers U15’s clash with St.Mirren at their Ralston Training Centre, it was a high scoring game that the young Rangers side will be disappointed to lose. With a two goal lead at the break and the disappointment of a missed penalty, to missing a great chance right at the death for a sixth goal that would secured an incredible high scoring draw.

The home side attacked on the left in the opening minute and it took them deep into the left side of the Rangers penalty area with Colbi McQuarrie blocking the shot from a narrow angle. Rangers took the lead in the sixth minute, when the ball came in from the right it broke to Jose Calela and he beat the keeper with the aid of a deflection.

Five minutes later the sides were level, a through ball sent Saints through the inside left channel and the winger rounded the keeper and found the net via the inside of the far post. They came close again when Colbi McQuarrie’s pass out was intercepted the shot came off the outside of his right hand post.

Rangers were awarded a penalty midway through the half, a short corner was played on the left and the referee adjudged Flynn O’Brien’s cross was handled. Flynn O’Brien stepped up but his shot was weak and the keeper saved easily. Rangers came close two minutes later, Ronald Mynell picked up a loose ball and from fully twenty-five yards his shot was only just wide of the keeper’s right hand post. 

Rangers created another chance when Sam McLachlan on the left passed to Jose Calela inside the box, the ball broke to Ronald Mynell who forced a save from the keeper at his near post. Rangers took the lead just after the half hour mark, Lucas Macauley’s cross from the left found Flynn O’Brien inside the box, when he tried to take on a defender the ball broke to Jose Calela who shot past the keeper.

Rangers added a superb third five minutes before the break, Lucas Macauley on the left passed inside to Alex Smith who danced past two defenders to the edge of the box and picked out Flynn O’Brien to his right and he shot across the keeper into the net.

Half-Time:- St. Mirren 1 Rangers 3

St.Mirren reduced the deficit early in the second half, the attack came through the inside right channel and when the ball was passed inside the ball was fired past the keeper. Rangers came close on fifty-five minutes, Oliver Goodbrand played the ball forward on the left and a neat touch from Jose Calela on the halfway line sent Murray Shaw racing clear, he continued into the left side of the box but was denied by the keeper.

The home side capitalised on that left off by drawing level within a minute, the attack took them to the left hand byline and when the ball was played across the six yard box it presented a simple finish. A ball over the Rangers defence gave Saints an opportunity breaking into the left side of the box but a brave save at the feet of the attacker from Sam Reid thwarted the danger.

With sixteen minutes remaining Rangers edged ahead with another superb goal, Matthew McIvor provided the pass through the inside right channel for Flynn O’Brien to lob the ball over the keeper as he came from his line. The lead barely lasted sixty seconds with Saints fourth being a carbon copy of their third, hit the left hand byline low ball across goal and a simple finish.

Within a couple of minutes the home side worked a short corner on the left and the shot from the left hand angle of the box went in off the inside of the far post to take the lead for the first time in the game. Their lead was extended from a superb twenty five yard free-kick just right of centre that gave the keeper no chance.

Rangers reduced the margin to one goal with five minutes remaining from a Murray Shaw solo effort, going past two defenders and into the left side of the box to shoot across the keeper and into the net. They really should have equalised with the game’s last attack, the ball was moved from Oliver Goodbrand on the left through Matthew McIvor to Olly Hynd on the right, his cross took out the keeper and Murray Shaw looked sure to score but headed just wide of the back post.

Full-Time:- St.Mirren 6 Rangers 5

Rangers Squad:- Colbi McQuarrie (Gk), Sam Reid (Gk), Jack Caldwell, Matthew McIvor, Lyle Hunter, Lucas Macauley, Sam McLachlan, Alex Smith, Aiden McCallion, Flynn O’Brien, Jose Calela, Ronald Mynell, Olly Hynd, Oliver Goodbrand, Ben Hutton, Murray Shaw.