18’s Beat League Leaders

Rangers 3 Kilmarnock 1

Rangers Under 18’s overcame league leaders Kilmarnock for the first time in three attempts at The Rangers Training Centre this afternoon. Over the piece it was a comfortable and deserved win for the young ‘Gers side.

Rangers took the lead on three minutes, Kerr Robertson found Findlay Curtis inside the left side of the box and when he played the ball across goal it was knocked past Dylan Brown by Lewis Mackle for an Own Goal. Kilmarnock then had a bit of possession around Rangers penalty area without troubling Alfie Halliwell and were suckered when Rangers doubled their lead on twenty minutes. Kerr Robertson chipped a pass over the Kilmarnock defence for Findlay Curtis, Dylan Brown blocked his initial effort but the Rangers attacker followed up to stroke the rebound into the net.

Kilmarnock then had their first real attempt on goal from a Ben Brennan free-kick from the edge of the box that was just wide of Alfie Halliwell’s left hand post. Seven minutes before the break Connor Campbell headed Kerr Robertson’s corner from the left down at the feet of Josh Gentles but his connection wasn’t clean and Dylan Brown saved comfortably.

Half-Time:- Rangers 2 Kilmarnock 0

Rangers came close in the opening minute of the second half, Archie Stevens going past two defenders into the right side of the box but he shot across goal and wide of the far post. Two minutes later Kilmarnock pulled a goal back, Cole Burke going past Arran Kerr inside the left side of the box and shooting past Alfie Halliwell.

On the hour mark Josh Gentles won the ball on the edge of the Killie box and exchanged passes with Archie Stevens before teeing up Calum Adamson who shot over. A minute later Kerr Robertson picked out Archie Stevens inside the right side of the box but he shot wide of the far post.

With the game reaching the final quarter hour Jack Wylie rose to meet Blaine McClure’s corner from the right but headed just over. Rangers made the game save with nine minutes remaining when Findlay Curtis was brought down inside the left side of the penalty area and stepped up to convert from the spot. Kilmarnock had one final effort through a Samuel Duruh effort from the edge at the box which was straight at Alfie Halliwell.

Full-Time:- Rangers 3 Kilmarnock 1

Rangers:- Alfie Halliwell; Arran Kerr, Jack Wylie, Connor Campbell, Zander Hutton; Kerr Robertson (Blaine McClure 63 Mins); Calum Adamson (Callum Burnside 78 Mins), Paul Nsio (Lyle Wark 84 Min); Archie Stevens (Kieron Willox 84 Mins), Josh Gentles (Chris Eadie 78 Mins), Findlay Curtis.

Not Used:- Greig Thackray (Gk), Cammy Bell.

Kilmarnock:- Dylan Brown; Ben Brannan (Logan Burgess 84 Mins), Andrew Miller, Lewis Mackle, Ethan Mersey; Archie Traynor (Danny Devlin 84 Mins), Nathan Smith (Shay McKeown 85 Mins); Grant Marchant Samuel Duruh 71 Mins); Shaun Kennedy, Zander Craik, Cole Burke.

Not Used:- Ben Coutts (Gk), Euan Bowie, Codi Stark.