Colts Lose On Penalties

Rangers 3 Celtic 3 (Celtic won 4-3 on penalties)

Another high scoring game following last week’s Youth Cup Final. Across the sixty-nine Lowland League, Under 18 League and Champions Youth League games Rangers have lost 123 goals and Celtic 109. Evidence would suggest that defending isn’t a strength at the older end of both academies.

Rangers frailties allowed Celtic to race to a three goal lead then an improved second half saw them level the game with two minutes remaining, Celtic winning a poor standard penalty shoot out, The record will show that Josh Clarke saved four penalties but the truth is the four penalties were so poor it would have been difficult not to save them.

Rangers were forced into an early change when Jack Harkness limped off after four minutes to be replaced by Kelsey Ewan. Three minutes later Celtic had the first chance of the game, Adam Brooks advanced on the left and his ball across the box just evaded the in rushing Rocco Vata. Rangers reply saw Robbie Fraser pass the ball forward to Zak Lovelace, he passed inside to Alex Lowry who shot straight at Josh Clarke.

A slack pass from Bosun Lawal gave the ball straight to Robbie Ure allowing him to advance into the right side of the box but he screwed his shot well wide of the far post, A minute later Zak Lovelace made space of the edge of the box but he shot over.

Celtic took the lead on twenty-five minutes, Lewis MacKinnon should have dealt with the ball but got caught trying to shepherd the ball out towards the left hand byline and when Matthew Anderson knocked the ball across goal Adam Brooks was left with a simple finish. Seven minutes later Celtic doubled their lead, Rocco Vata went past Robbie Fraser on the right and picked out Adam Brooks inside the box where he shot past Lewis Budinauckas.

It got worse for the young Rangers side when Kelsey Ewan lost possession on the right hand touchline to Magnus McKenzie who passed inside to Adam Brooks, he moved it on to Rocco Vata who broke into the right side of the box and fired into the net. Rangers were thrown a lifeline seven minutes before the break, Mitchell Robertson gave the ball away to Robbie Ure on the edge of the box then brought the Rangers striker down as he entered the penalty area, Alex Lowry confidently slotted the penalty past Josh Clarke.

Half-Time:- Rangers 1 Celtic 3

Rangers grabbed a second goal three minutes after the break, Zak Lovelace dispossessed  Bosum Lawal inside the Celtic penalty area and shot past Josh Clarke. On fifty-five minutes Alex Lowry broke forward and passed to Zak Lovelace who tried to move onto his right foot for a shot, the ball landed back at Alex Lowry who fed Ross McCausland inside the right side of the box with Josh Clarke saving with his legs.

Rangers had an incredible miss around the midpoint of the half, Alex Lowry’s corner from the left was flicked on at the near post and Robbie Ure somehow headed over the crossbar from underneath it at the back post. With eight minutes remaining James Graham saw his shot on the edge of the box blocked with the ball breaking to Ross McCausland inside the right side of the penalty area but he shot across goal.

With two minutes remaining Rangers levelled the game, when Robbie Fraser passed to Zak Lovelace on the edge of the box a superb turn and shot beat Josh Clarke all ends up but bounced off his left hand post, Tony Weston pounced to control the rebound and find the net via the underside of the bar. For the previous ten minutes Celtic had players going down with cramp at every break in play and Rangers sensed a winner.

Three minutes into injury time Tony Weston’s reverse pass released James Graham inside the right side of the penalty area with Josh Clarke making the save. The final chance came when James Graham robbed Bosun Lawal midway inside the Celtic half and the ball broke to Tony Weston who passed to Zak Lovelace on the edge of the box, he again tried to turn on to his right foot when a left foot shot might have been the better option, he was closed down and his shot was blocked.

So onto the penalty shootout which Bailey Rice started with a goal and Corey Thomson won it for Celtic fourteen penalties later.

Penalty Shootout

Bailey Rice  Scored                               Ben Summers  Shot Over

Ross McCausland  Saved                     Bosun Lawal   Scored

James Graham  Saved                          Mackenzie Carse  Scored

Tony Weston  Scored                             Bruno Davidson  Saved

Zak Lovelace Scored                             Tsoanelo Letsosa  Scored

Robbie Fraser Saved                             Dylan Corr  Hit Bar

Kelsey Ewan   Saved                             Corey Thomson Scored

Full-Time:- Rangers 3 Celtic 3 (Celtic won 4-3 on penalties)

Rangers:- Lewis Budinauckas; Jack Harkness (Kelsey Ewan 4 Mins), Lewis MacKinnon, Connor Allan, Robbie Fraser; Bailey Rice: Ross McCausland, Arron Lyall; Alex Lowry (James Graham 75 Mins); Robbie Ure (Tony Weston 82 Mins), Zak Lovelace.

Not Used:- Jacob Pazikas (Gk), Kevin Ciubotaru, Mackenzie Strachan, Charlie Lindsay.

Celtic:- Josh Clarke; Ben McPherson, Bosun Lawal, Mitchell Robertson (Dylan Corr HT), Matthew Anderson; Macknzie Carse; Tsoanelo Letsosa, Ben Summers; Rocco Vata (Bruno Davidson 73 Mins), Adam Brooks (Danny Kelly 84 Mins), Magnus Mackenzie (Corey Thomson 66 Mins).

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