B Team Lose At Glentoran

Glentoran 6 Rangers 3

Rangers B travelled to Belfast yesterday to take on Glentoran in a pre-season friendly which was arranged as part of the deal to sign Charlie Lindsay. It was a tough shift for the young Rangers side as the East Belfast team were a few levels above Lowland League standard.

Glentoran took the lead in the third minute when Conor McMenamin crossed from right Jay Donnelly didn’t get the cleanest connection but from inside the six yard box it was enough to knock the ball across the line. That lead was doubled barely ten minutes later, Marcus Kane swung in a corner from the right, Aidan Wilson rose to power a header goal wards which was parried by Lewis Budinauckas but Patrick McClean was on hand to slam the ball into the net.

Rangers pulled a goal back within two minutes, Robbie Fraser’s pass releasing Josh McPake inside the left side of the penalty area and his shot squirmed under the body of Aaron McCarey. The hosts came close to extending their lead at the mid point of the half, when Marcus Kane’s cross from the left was cleared to the edge of the box where Rhys Marshall fired a shot just wide of the keeper’s right hand post.

A couple of minutes later Glentoran really should have scored again, Rangers were struggling to stop crosses from either wing and when Conor McMenamin’s cross from the right picked out Rory Donnelly inside the six yard box a goal looked certain, but his connection took the ball up in the air rather than towards goal. Rangers levelled five minutes before the break, Charlie Lindsay switched play to Aaron Lyall on the right, he cut into the penalty area but was denied when Arron McCarey advanced from goal to make the block, the ball broke to Josh McPake who fired into the net.

Glentoran restored their lead immediately and the source was another cross into Rangers box, this time it came from Marcus Kane on the left and the ball was flicked past Lewis Budinauckas by Rory Donnelly.

Half-Time:- Glentoran 3 Rangers 2

Rangers were first to threaten after the break when Kane Ritchie Hosler broke into the right side of the penalty area and his shot was diverted wide by keeper Ollie Webber. Five minutes later Rangers Trialist No.17 attacked the right side of the box before cutting the ball back for Charlie Lindsay who shot just wide of the keeper’s left hand post.

On fifty-six minutes Glentoran attacked the left side of the box and Ally Roy found himself one on one with Lewis Budinauckas, the forward got the break of the ball allowing him to go past the keeper and score from a tight angle. Rangers tried to respond when Josh McPake cut in from the left and shooting just wide of the near post.

The home side scored a fifth from the penalty spot with just over twenty minutes remaining, Jordan Jenkins was brought down by Kelsey Ewan and stepped up to convert the penalty. Rangers immediately reduced the deficit, Zak Lovelace picking out Trialist No.17 inside the right side of the penalty area and he dribbled round the keeper before rolling the ball into the net.

Another Rangers chance followed with Josh McPake’s free-kick from the edge of the box forcing Ollie Webber to save low to his left. With eight minutes remaining the home side scored their sixth and the game’s final goal, another right wing cross picked out Danny Purkis to head past the keeper at the back post.

There was one last effort of note and it came from Rangers, Zak Lovelace making space for a thunderbolt of a twenty five yarder that saw Olllie Webber produce a fine diving save high to his right.

Full-Time:- Glentoran 6 Rangers 3

Glentoran:- Arron McCarey (Ollie Webber HT); Arron Wrightman (Joe Crowe 59 mins (Johnny Russell 79 mins)), Aidan Wilson (Jordan Jenkins 59 mins), Patrick McClean (Darren Cole 59 mins (Josh Stewart 74 mins)), Marcus Kane (Seanan Clucas HT); Rhys Marshall (Hrvoje Plum HT), Bobby Burns (James Singleton HT); Conor McMenamin (Danny Purkis HT), Rory Donnelly (Ben Cushnie 53 mins), Ally Roy (Mal Smyth 59 mins); Jay Donnelly (Ciaran O’Connor 53 mins).

Rangers:- Lewis Budinauckas; Kane Ritchie-Hosler, Lewis MacKinnon (Kelsey Ewan 62 mins), Connor Allan (Harley Ewan 80 mins), Robbie Fraser (Jack Harkness 80 mins); Darren McInally (Mackenzie Strachan 72 mins), Charlie Lindsay; Josh McPake; Ross McCausland (Zak Lovelace 59 mins), Tony Weston (James Graham 72 mins), Arron Lyall (Trialist No.17 HT)

Not Used:- Jacob Pazikas (Gk)