High Scoring Draw For 18’s

Aberdeen 4 Rangers 4

Rangers and Aberdeen Under 18’s shared eight goals in an entertaining game at a wet and windy Cormack Park, The continuous rain made taking note and providing updates difficult. Aberdeen looked likely winners with a two goal lead at the break, the momentum was then with Rangers when they levelled the game. A penalty restored the home side’s lead before Rangers grabbed a late leveller with a draw probably being a fair result.

Rangers had a chance on the opening minute when Connor Campbell broke on the left and passed to Paul Nsio who shot over from the edge of the box. Rangers were having the better of the early exchanges but Aberdeen scored with their first attack on six minutes. Joe Teasdale switched play from the right to Cammy Wilson on the left and his pass inside setup Fraser Mackie to shoot past Alfie Halliwell.

Brendan Hamilton then tried his luck from a thirty yard free kick that was narrowly wide of the keeper’s right hand post. Rangers drew level just beyond the twenty minute mark, Alfie Stewart lost possession to Paul Nsio and the edge of his own box and one pass later Findlay Curtis shot past the keeper.

A Blaine McClure corner from the right six minutes later found Paul Nsio who volleyed over at the near post. Just beyond half hour there was danger at each end. Alfie Halliwell did well to gather a low dangerous Brendan Hamilton cross from the left. At the other end Conner Campbell’s cross from the left broke to Archie Stevens deep inside the right side of the box but was denied by a Rodrigo Vitols point blank save.

Two minutes later Rangers were behind, Calum Adamson left a pass short trying to play out from his own penalty area and Alfie Stewart pounced to shoot past Alfie Halliwell. That lead was extended five minutes before the break, Rangers were again caught playing out from the back, Alfie Stewart’s initial effort was deflected onto a post but he was first to react and nod in the rebound.

Half-Time:- Aberdeen 3 Rangers 1

Ten minutes after the break Rangers came close when the ball broke to Chris Eadie inside the right side of the box with Rodrigo Vitols again producing a fine point blank save to divert the ball for a corner. At the other end Brendan Hamilton forced a save from Alfie Halliwell with a shot from the left side of the box.

Rangers pulled a goal back a couple of minutes shy of the hour, Archie Stevens fed Josh Gentles inside the right side of the box, he worked along the byline and squeezed a shot past the keeper from a tight angle. Two minutes later Findlay Curtis’s cushioned pass found Chris Eadie inside the left side of the box and from his centre Josh Gentles hooked wide of the keeper’s right hand post.

Rangers levelled with twenty-five minutes to go, Kerr Robertson passed to Josh Gentles on the edge of the box and right of centre from where he shot across the keeper into the far corner. It would seem the momentum would be with Rangers but it was the young Aberdeen side who grabbed the next goal. In the initial attack Fraser Mackie passed to Cammy Wilson on the right side of the box with his effort coming back off the crossbar. The ball landed at the feet of Fraser Mackie on the edge of the box and from his shot Alfie Halliwell parried, the keeper challenged for the loose ball with Cammy Wilson but brought the attacker down who stepped up to convert from the spot.

Rangers pushed for another equaliser and when Archie Stevens fed Zander Hutton inside the right side of the box Rodrigo Vitols dived full length to his right to parry, Chris Eadie looked favourite to reach the loose ball but a brilliant Kai Watson challenge cleared for a corner. The equaliser soon came when Findlay Curtis chested a clearance forward to break through an Aberdeen defence hopefully claiming hand ball to shoot past Rodrigo Vitols.

Full Time:- Aberdeen 4 Rangers 4

Aberdeen:- Rodrigo Vitols, Kai Watson, Lewis Carroll, Tim Akindileni; Joe Teasdale (Cooper Masson 78 Mins), Ellis Clark, Alfie Stewart, Brendan Hamilton;  Fletcher Boyd: Fraser Mackie, Cammy Wilson.

Not Used:- Rueben Smillie (Gk), Christovie Kondolo, Dylan Ross, Oliver Green, Tristan Stephen

Rangers:- Alfie Halliwell; Zander Hutton, Jack Wylie, Leyton Grant, Connor Campbell; Blaine McClure (Kerr Robertson HT), Calum Adamson (Josh Gentles HT), Paul Nsio; Archie Stevens, Chris Eadie, Findlay Curtis.

Not Used:- Greig Thackray (Gk), Arran Kerr, Cammy Bell, Lyle Wark, Callum Burnside.