Ewan McPherson put the away side ahead after the Gers had made a lively start in the contest before Zak Lovelace tapped in an equaliser as the two teams went in level at half time. The visitors retook the lead through Cole McIntyre’s finish on the rebound before Ross McCausland’s right-footed reply levelled up the match for a second time as the Light Blues had to settle for a point.
David McCallum named two changes to his Rangers side that lost 3-0 to Berwick Rangers in their last outing. Leon King started at the heart of the defence as he came in for Kelsey Ewen with Connor Allan moving to right-back. Zak Lovelace returned to the lineup after missing the last two games, coming in for James Graham in the front three.
Rangers started in promising fashion in Dumbarton. Ross McCausland did well to carry the ball over 30 yards as he rode a couple of chances and made his way into the box. Following the initial tackle from Callum Home in the visitors’ backline, the ball broke for Charlie Lindsay to strike at goal but the early opening was well defended and cleared.
The first effort on the goal in the contest came from Zak Lovelace, receiving a ball down the outside he worked the ball onto his right side but his strike was comfortable for Ryan Adamson in the Cumbernauld goal to gather.
The hosts had a great opportunity to go ahead through Ross McCausland, a flick round the corner from Lovelace set the winger in on goal but his placed shot was saved by Adamson to stop the Gers going in front before Robbie Ure’s shot on the rebound was deflected wide.
From the following corner, Arron Lyall had a long-range strike deflect onto the roof of the net with the keeper scrambling as the Light Blues ramped-up the pressure just past the 10-minute mark.
The home side again went close to going ahead five minutes later. Connor Allan was played in-behind after a clever interchange with Lyall, his cut-back found Ure inside the area but again Adamson was on hand to deny the forward and stop the Gers going in front.
The away side went ahead in the contest when a Budinauckas clearance landed at the feet of Ewan McPherson. The striker swiveled and rolled the ball into the empty net to give Cumbernauld the lead in a game they had a rarely threatened in the opening 20 minutes.
The Gers responded in impressive fashion and got themselves on level terms. A one-two on the right side involving Lyall and McCausland saw the latter get himself in behind the Cumbernauld backline, cutting the ball across goal it allowed Lovelace to tap the ball into the empty net as Rangers levelled up the contest.
The ever-lively McCausland again went close, this time his left footed shot from inside the area was heading for the far post but for the outstretching leg of Adamson which denied him what would have been a two minute turnaround in Dumbarton.
It was again Rangers who were continuing to pile on the pressure. A fantastic cross-field pass from Charlie Lindsay found the advancing Allan again in space down the right flank. The first ball was cleared but it fell to Lyall on the edge of the area and his well struck right footed effort was kept out by the Colts keeper following a slight deflection.
An opportunity fell the way of Lindsay inside the area with five minutes until the break. Lyall found his midfielder partner with a through ball and Rangers’ number eight took the bouncing ball on the half volley but it just drifted wide in what was the last of the action in the opening half in Dumbarton.
After little play at either end at the start of the second half, Rangers burst into life and almost went ahead for the first time. A clever piece of skill allowed his fellow winger McCausland to burst in behind, using his pace he latched onto the ball but the keeper managed to rush the forward before he could it past him as the chance was cleared.
The best piece of play all afternoon came from the Light Blues just short of the hour mark. A team move involving several players down the left side was almost finished off expertly by Lindsay inside the area but his left footed shot was claimed by Adamson as the Gers continued to go in search of that decisive second in the game.
The away side had an opportunity themselves after a changeover in possession. A ball over the top saw William Mortimer latch onto it and close in on goal, Budinauckas made a good initial save and did brilliantly to latch onto the second goal to stop any rebound coming his way.
Cumbernauld went in front for a second time in the contest with 20 minutes remaining. Mortimer’s strike from the edge of the area stung the palms of the Rangers goalkeeper, Cole McIntyre was on hand to tap in the rebound as the visitors regained the lead.
However, Rangers responded quickly to the set back. McCausland did superbly to carry the ball and roll in his captain Robbie Fraser down the left flank, finding the winger again he struck the ball first time as it hit the inside of the near post and rolled into the back on the net to level up proceedings for a second time on the day.
Ure went close on two back to back occasions to finding a third for the Gers, firstly his left footed effort came back off the near post and stayed out. The striker then got on the end of a Lindsay free kick delivery but turned his effort over.
The Gers were unable to find a late winner as they had to settle for a point in the contest after coming from behind twice, they face Celtic B next in the Glasgow Cup on Tuesday afternoon.
RANGERS B: Budinauckas, Allan, MacKinnon (Yfeko 75), King, Fraser, Strachan (Graham 65), Lyall, Lindsay, Lovelace, McCausland, Ure.
Subs not used: Pazikas, K. Ewen, Ciubotaru.
CUMBERNAULD COLTS: Adamson, McIntyre, Dickson, Home, Holmes (Tade 79), Hunter (Munro 63), McPherson, Mortimer, Holmes (Tennent 88), McKnight (Ballam 88), Ewen.
Subs not used: McLellan, Comerford.
REFEREE: Ross Birrell