The young Gers hosted Dougie Samuel’s side for their first home fixture of the 2022/23 campaign tonight and took another important win after goals from Ross McCausland, Robbie Ure and Connor Allan.
Robbie Fraser, Connor Allan, Lewis MacKinnon, and Jack Harkness were the defending backline with Lewis Budinauckas behind them in goals.
Charlie McCann was joined in midfield by Mackenzie Strachan and Alex Lowry, with Zak Lovelace and Ross McCausland supporting Robbie Ure up front.
The Light Blues began the game with intent and a strong desire to carry their momentum from Saturday’s positive win against Cumbernauld Colts to Dumbarton.
In the first few minutes of the match, in form youngster, Lovelace, linked up well with Ure to weave a pathway past the visiting backline, but Calum Burns managed to intercept the Gers’ early threat.
Spartans were also with their early chances after Harvey Swann executed a powerful effort from outside the Rangers box, but his strike drifted just over the crossbar.
On the ten-minute mark, Spartans were awarded a free-kick from well within the Light Blues’ half after Allan brought down a Michael Allan. Rhys Armstrong delivered a dangerous ball into the congested box, but Budinauckas found himself in a good position to collect his effort.
Dougie Samuel’s side looked eager to build on their attacking threat and continued to pressurise the Gers’ defensive backline. Swann and Armstrong worked well to send two dangerous efforts towards the goal, but MacKinnon made an important initial block before Armstrong’s following strike was sent over the crossbar.
This jarred McCallum’s side as they looked to quickly regain their rhythm and find the opening goal and early lead. Lovelace was close to breaking the deadlock after he picked the ball up in a pocket of space within the Spartans box, but his low and angled strike agonisingly rattled off the back post.
The young Gers looked eager to build on this momentum as they aimed to secure the lead before the end of the first half, and they didn’t have long to wait as McCausland supplied the first goal of the evening shortly after.
After some great attacking play, Ure did well to find some space and dance his way past several defenders in the Spartans box before he switched to an on-running McCausland at the back post. The youngster took a deftly first touch and calmly slotted it past Blair Carswell to give his side the lead as they headed into the half time break.
As the squad returned for the second half, Rangers continued to carry that final third threat towards the Spartans goal as they looked to double their lead quickly. McCausland carried pace down the right flank and sent a ferocious strike at the front post, but his effort fell just wide of the net.
Following this, Ure created superb build-up play to send the ball into the back of the net to give his side a two-goal lead. Strachan threaded a fantastic through ball from within his own half to meet Fraser who was advancing down the left wing, he managed to pick out Ure in the box, but the striker was just unable to get an initial connection with the ball.
McCausland was on hand to collect the deflection, but his strike was blocked and Ure sent the fallen ball into the back of the net.
Spartans looked to rectify this and close the deficit as the pushed closer towards Budinauckas in goals, but the backline did well to intercept their challenges and defuse the danger.
Armstrong was close to pulling one back for his side after he sent a dangerous looking free-kick towards the Rangers goal, but Budinauckas made a sensational diving effort to keep the score line as it was.
In the final 15 minutes of the match, the youngsters looked hungry to add to their two-goal lead. Lovelace was, again, on hand to create threatening opportunities in the Spartans box after he made a lovely run into their final third. The young Ger fired a low effort across the face of goal, but it once again rattled off the back post.
The Light Blues were eager to find their third goal of the game with McCausland, MacKinnon and Strachan all having opportunities on goal, but Spartans did well to intercept their challenges.
However, Allan managed to give his side the third and final goal of the night after he linked up with Fraser in the box. The B team captain delivered a dangerous cross into the visitor’s box to meet the head of Allan at the back post, who then calmly slotted it past Carswell to end the score 3-0.
RANGERS: Budinauckas, Fraser (K. Ewen, 84), Allan, MacKinnon, Harkness, Lowry (Lindsay, 46), Strachan, McCann, Lovelace (Graham, 84), McCausland (Lyall, 84), Ure (Young, 65).
SUBS: Pazikas.
SPARTANS: Carswell, Woods, Allan, Burns, Tapping (Penker, 62), Armstrong, Jones, McFarland, Brown (Russell, 62), Swann, Whyte.
SUBS: Dishington, Brown, Henderson, Maxwell, Meek.
REFEREE: Steven McDonald
ASSISTANT REFEREES: Scott Douglas and Ehsan Hoseinzadeh
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