18’s Lose In Tranent

Hibernian 3 Rangers 2

Rangers Under 18’s lost their league game away to Hibernian at The Hibernian Training Centre in Tranent this afternoon. Two poor goals in two minutes early in the second half turned the game against them not long after they had levelled the match.

Rangers had the first chance on seven minutes when Callum Burnside was sent through but he shot wide of the keeper’s right hand post. Two minutes later when the ball was cleared from Hibs box it landed at the feet of Lyle Wark who shot wide of the keeper’s left hand post.

Rangers were having the better of the early stages and the next effort came from a Jack Wylie twenty five yarder that was straight at Ryan Mallon. The home side came close on seventeen minutes, Harry Wright hit the left hand byline and picked out Dean Cleland with his cutback and Greig Thackray was forced to turn the shot wide of his near post.

On the half hour mark Reuben McAllister burst into the left side of the Rangers box but shot wide of the far post. Straight to the other end and Calum Adamson won a challenge and passed to Lyle Wark on the right side of the box but a deflection on the shot took it straight to Ryan Mallon.

The home side took the lead four minutes before the break, Rory Whittaker provided the cross from the right and Rudi Molotnikov headed past Greig Thackray.

Half-Time:-Hibernian 1 Rangers 0

Rangers were back on level terms five minutes after the break, Callum Burnside providing the pass to send Chris Eadie through to continue into the box and shoot past Ryan Mallon. They were level for three minutes then two poor goals put the up against it. Rueben McAllister found the net from a free-kick on the right side of the box but Greig Thackray’s positioning appeared to give the midfielder a big target to aim at.

A minute later Jack Wylie lost possession inside the right side of his own box and the ball broke for Dean Cleland to shoot past the keeper. Just before the hour Lewis Stewart advanced on the right and played the ball forward to Callum Burnside  his low cross from the byline was cut out by the diving Ryan Mallon.

Back to the other end and Jacob McIntyre broke into the right side of Rangers box but he poked his shot wide of the far post. Kieron Willox then sent Cammy Scott down the left and his dangerous cross from the byline was cleared over his own crossbar by Jamie Bulloch.

With just under twenty minutes remaining a ball over the Hibs defence sent Arian Allen through, he continued into the box but shot over. At the other end Rueben McAllister’s free-kick from wide left was headed narrowly over by Joe McGrath.

With five minutes remaining a ball into the box broke to Harry Weir on the right side of the penalty area, his initial shot was blocked but he followed up to fire past Ryan Mallon. Two minutes into injury time Rangers missed a great chance to secure a point, Cammy Scott picked out Callum Burnside from the left hand byline but the midfielder screwed his shot just wide of the far post.

Full-Time:- Hibernian 3 Rangers 2

Hibernian:- Ryan Mallon; Joe McGrath, Jamie Bulloch, Owen Hastie; Rory Whittaker, Reuben McAllister, Owen Calder; Jacob McIntyre, Harry Wright (Jamie McMurdo); Dean Cleland, Rudi Molotnikov.

Rangers:- Greig Thackray; Arran Kerr, Jack Wylie, Connor Campbell, Cammy Scott; Calum Adamson (Grant Leitch 80 Mins), Blaine McClure (Kerr Robertson 80 Mins); Lyle Wark (Harry Weir 66 Mins), Chris Eadie (Arian Allen 66 Mins),Lewis Stewart (Kieron Willox 60 Mins).

Not Used:- Alfie Halliwell (Gk)