IT WAS A DIFFICULT match for the Rangers B Team as East Stirlingshire beat the Gers 2-0 in the Lowland League this afternoon at Dumbarton.
A goal in each half for the Falkirk side saw the Gers suffer a loss today in the league campaign after challenging weather and pitch conditions.
The Young Gers welcomed East Stirlingshire to a rainy Dumbarton this afternoon for their next match in the league.
McCallum named six changes to his squad following their UEFA Youth League game against Sevilla on Tuesday afternoon.
Jay Hogarth started in goals with a backline of Kane Ritchie-Hosler, Robbie Fraser, Greig Allen, and Connor Allan.
Murray Miller, Tony Weston and Darren McInally were in the midfield with Juan Alegria, Charlie Lindsay and Ross McCausland up front for the Light Blues.
Rangers maintained most of the possession in the opening moments of the game as they tried to find their rhythm in the challenging weather conditions.
However, the backline had to defend well in the early minutes after East Stirlingshire worked their way into the B team box, with the visitors sending a shot towards the goal, but Jay Hogarth was alert and made a diving effort to get the ball.
Juan Alegria had two opportunities to net the opening goal in the first ten minutes of the match. The first came after Kane Ritchie-Hosler found a pocket of space to play a superb through ball to the on running Colombian. He managed to push towards the front post past a defender, but Ross Connelly deflected his shot out of danger.
Moments later, Robbie Fraser delivered a great ball into the East Stirlingshire box, his cross found Alegria who headed the ball towards the back of the net, but Connelly again made a crucial goal-line clearance.
The two sides continued to battle it out with the Young Gers finding some dominance on the ball to push into the visitors final third. Ross McCausland made an excellent run past the visiting backline. He pushed his way towards the back post and cut the ball into Alegria, but the youngster was unable to connect with the ball.
On 33 minutes, the visitors were awarded a free-kick 36 yards from the Rangers goal after a late challenge from Murray Miller. Andy Rodden sent a curling effort towards the Rangers goal, but Hogarth made an excellent save, getting a hand to the ball and denied East Stirlingshire the opening goal.
Shortly after this, Dean Watson broke the deadlock after scoring in the 37th minute. Watson managed to push past Ritchie-Hosler down the left side towards the Rangers goal, his initial strike was well blocked by Hogarth, but the deflection allowed him some space to back heel the ball into the back of the net.
Both teams began the second half with pace as the Light Blues looked to close the deficit. Kieran Offord nearly found the second for his side after a threatening ball was crossed into the Rangers box, he managed to get a foot to it to put it past the line, but Hogarth made another superb block.
A few minutes later, Jamie Hamilton doubled the lead for his side. Hamilton picked the ball up on the edge of the Gers box and sent a powerful effort towards the goal, but Hogarth was unable to get an arm to his shot.
East Stirlingshire still pressurised in the final third, but the defending backline and Hogarth did well to prevent any danger.
Tony Weston and Rory Wilson linked up well to push into the visitor’s box. Weston found some space to weave between the defence within the box, but his shot was blocked and then cleared.
RANGERS: Hogarth, Ritchie-Hosler, Fraser, Allen (Yfeko, 46), Allan, Miller, Weston, McInally (Wilson, 51), Alegria, Lindsay, McCausland.
SUBS: Pazikas, Strachan, Dunlop, Ure.
EAST STIRLINGSHIRE: Connelly, MacDonald, Rodden, Greene, Fulton, Gibbons, Barr (Sneddon, 60), Kay, Offord, Hamilton, Watson (Henderson, 80).
SUBS: MacDonald, Crooks, Shirra, Mansouri, Turner.
REFEREE: Peter Stuart
ASSISTANT REFEREES: George Allan and Andrew McWilliam
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