RANGERS Under-19’s got off to a winning start in their CAS Elite League Cup campaign with a 3-0 success over Motherwell at the Training Centre this afternoon.
In a first half with few clear-cut chances, the hosts improved after the restart with quickfire goals from Zebedee Lawson and a Josh Gentles double sending them on their way to three points in their first group game.
The young Gers were back on the pitch for the first time since their Old Firm derby success on the first of the month, as they got their League Cup campaign underway in the first of six group matches to be played in the competition.
Rangers looked to force the issue from the off but chances in the early stages were at a premium. Ashton Scally, who started lively at left back, was well advanced and looked to pick out Josh Gentles in the area, he won the header from the high delivery, but the attack came to nothing.
Nine minutes on the clock and the hosts had their first effort on target. A corner on the left side was taken by Alexander Smith and met at the front post by Zebedee Lawson who flicked it on, it fell to Gentles but his shot into the ground left Colbi McQuarrie untroubled between the Motherwell posts.
The Light Blues looked to keep up their momentum and they had their first shot of real intent just two minutes later. The impressive captain on the night Aiden Crilly won it high and moved it to Lawson, his shot was parried wide with the Motherwell keeper taking no chances to turn it behind for a corner.
Just 60 seconds later it was all action in a short space of time. A good strike from Max Cameron coming in off the left flank forced a smart stop from the Motherwell shot stopper, who got up and pounced on the rebound before Gentles could react.
Motherwell looked to impose themselves on the game on the break when they could. Winger Arran Clark did well to advance down the right before whipping in a dangerous cross which required an intervention from the feet of goalkeeper Rydnn McGuire between the Gers posts to turn it away on two separate occasions back-to-back in similar phases of play.
A quarter of the match gone Cameron went close for Ross’ side after cutting in off the left to fire just wide before the away side had the best opening of the game. A long ball which Oliver Hynd looked to deal with in the Rangers defence saw his back header fall short towards his goalkeeper, Nathan Lawson looked to pounce but his touch was heavy which allowed McGuire to come and claim.
After Motherwell had an opening straight after the restart it was Rangers who made them pay to break the deadlock and come out of the traps quickly. In a breakaway goal, Gentles nicked it off the Well defence before combing with Cameron. The striker got his shot away which hit the left hand post and stayed out before the arriving Cameron Fernie was also denied by the woodwork, it then fell to Lawson inside the box who made no mistake to finish into the roof of the net to fire the Gers in front and score their first goal in the competition this season.
Just shortly after it was two as the hosts pulled away. Gentles was fouled by the onrushing goalkeeper McQuarrie outside the box, the striker took the responsibility to hit the resulting free kick and via the aid of a deflection which wrong footed the shot stopper, he added a second on a wet afternoon in Milngavie.
Fernie then hit the woodwork for a second time, before quick feet from Lawson saw him brought down inside the area for a spot kick to go further in front. Gentles stepped up again and slotted it into the bottom left corner to put clear daylight between the teams and set Rangers on their way to victory.
McGuire was on hand to deny Lawson as Motherwell looked to find what would be a consolation goal before Rangers subs Coben Fergusson and Chris Condy combined to almost make it 4-0.
The away side were then denied by the woodwork themselves in the final five minutes, with the Light Blues constantly threatening on the break, as they saw out the match comfortably to round off their 2025 outings with victory.
RANGERS: McGuire, Hutton (Paton, 84), Scally, Hynd, Reid, Crilly (Young, 66), Lawson, Smith, Gentles (Condy, 57), Fernie (Hall, 84), Cameron (Fergusson, 57)
SUBS: Reid, Owen
MOTHERWELL: McQuarrie, Williamson, Thomson, Gillies, Arnott (Ngandu, 73) , Watson (Grierson, 73) , Clark, McColm, Lawson, McAllister, McLean (Weir, 60)
SUBS: Brown, Buchanan, Clarkson, Wieczorek
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