Under 18’s Lift Youth Cup

Rangers 2 Aberdeen 1

Rangers Under 18’s edged out Aberdeen in a close Youth Cup Final at Hampden tonight, Rangers had the better of a first half that had little in the way of clear cut chances. Aberdeen had a strong start to the second half and took the lead, Rangers came back and got there noses in front with two big saves from Mason Munn proving decisive on the night.

Rangers had the first chance on five minutes when Archie Stevens progressed along the right hand byline inside the box with his centre knocked wide of the near post by Josh Gentles. Some good passing setup a shooting chance for Findlay Curtis from the edge of the box just before the quarter hour mark but the shot was straight at Rodrigo Vitols.

On thirty three minutes another good passing move ended with Paul Nsio being denied by a fine Kai Watson block. A couple on minutes later Paul Nsio went past two defenders inside the left side of the penalty area with Rodrigo Vitols turning the shot wide of his near post.

Six minutes before the break Fletcher Boyd broke from halfway through the inside right channel before shooting straight at Mason Munn from the edge of the box. Rangers reply saw Archie Stevens hit the byline inside the left side of the box from where he picked out Zander Hutton on the edge of the box but he shot just wide of the keeper’s left hand post.

Half-Time:- Rangers 0 Aberdeen 0

Aberdeen had the first real effort on the goal of the half, five minutes in, Brendan Hamilton’s free-kick from the left hand angle of the box was just too high. Seven minutes later only a stunning Mason Munn save kept the sides level, Findlay Marshall’s shot from the edge of the box deflected off a defender to Alfie Bavidge inside the box, his shot looked net bound until the Rangers keeper got down to his left to turn the ball wide.

Alfie Stewart’s corner from the right was missed by attackers and defenders at the near post and the ball bounced off Mason Munn’s legs and clear. Another right wing corner from Alfie Stewart had Mason Munn scrambling to claw the ball away with the Aberdeen player’s claiming the ball had crossed the line.

Aberdeen’s dangerous right wing corners paid off on sixty-five minutes, it was another Alfie Stewart delivery with Tim Akindileni getting the touch to divert the ball past Mason Munn. The lead only lasted four minutes, Archie Stevens went past Brendan Hamilton into the right side of the box and his centre was handled by Lewis Carroll for a clear penalty that Findlay Curtis converted.

With the final quarter hour approaching Blaine McClure’s pass sent Josh Gentles racing through, he got their just before Rodrigo Vitols who came from goal to take the striker out, the ball didn’t have the pace to reach the goal before being cleared by a defender but it was astonishing that the referee waved play on and didn’t punish the keeper’s challenge.

Just inside the final quarter hour Blaine McClure sent Findlay Curtis through the inside left channel, he continued into the box where he was denied by Rodrigo Vitols who turned the ball wide of his near post. Rangers then took the lead from the resultant corner, Findlay Curtis’s flag kick from the left was headed out to the edge of the box where Josh Gentles volleyed goal wards and it deflected off Tim Akindileni past Rodrigo Vitols.

With ten minutes remaining Findlay Curtis drove forward and passed to Archie Stevens who broke into the right side of the box and his driven cross was knocked wide of the near post by Paul Nsio. Aberdeen had a chance with eight minutes remaining, Alfie Stewart’s free-kick broke to Lewis Carroll inside the box but he hooked high over.

Back to the other end and when Blaine McClure delivered a free kick from outside the left side of the box to the back post Leyton Grant’s header came back off the wood work. With three minutes remaining Rangers centre of defence were hesitant and Alfie Bavidge found himself clear inside the box but Mason Munn’s second stunning save of the game, diving high to his left sealed the win for Rangers.

The question remains with eight of the squad too old for Under 18’s next season what competitive games will they have to play in if they are still at the club.

Full-Time:- Rangers 2 Aberdeen 1

Rangers:- Mason Munn; Jack Wylie (Blaine McClure 62 Mins), Leyton Grant, Connor Campbell; Zander Hutton, Kerr Robertson (Calum Adamson 71 Mins), Cammy Scott; Paul Nsio (Callum Burnside 90 Mins), Findlay Curtis; Archie Stevens, Josh Gentles (Chris Eadie 90 Mins)

Not Used:- Alfie Halliwell (Gk), Arran Kerr, Kieron Willox.

Aberdeen:- Rodrigo Vitols; Kai Watson, Lewis Carroll, Tim Akindileni, Brendan Hamilton; Findlay Marshall, Alfie Stewart, Fraser Mackie; Fletcher Boyd, Cammy Wilson (Cooper Masson 87 Mins); Alfie Bavidge.

Not Used:- Theo Simpson (Gk), Dylan Ross, Ellis Clark, Joe Teasdale, Christovie Kondolo, Tristan Stephen.