Goals from Juan Alegria, Ross McCausland and Alex Lowry saw the Gers take their well-deserved win against Ricky Waddell’s side.
B Team boss, David McCallum, named six changes to his starting line-up this afternoon following their second-leg match against Hammarby on Wednesday in the UEFA Youth League. Juan Alegria made his first start for the young Gers today after returning from injury, whilst Lewis Budinauckas replaced Jay Hogarth in goals.
That meant that it was a back four of Adam Devine, Lewis MacKinnon, Greig Allen and Robbie Fraser. Murray Miller, Charlie Lindsay, and Cole McKinnon were in midfield with Charlie McCann, Juan Alegria and Kane Ricthie-Hosler up front.
The youngsters pressurised the Braves final third regularly in the early minutes of the match with the visitors also gaining moments to challenge the Gers backline.
The first sight of goal came in the 10th-minute mark of the game with Alegria intercepting the ball within the Braves half. The youngster drove the ball forward with Ricthie-Hosler alongside him for support, but Jack Brown was on hand to challenge the Colombian and clear the opportunity.
Braves were on the counter-attack following this, with Cameron Breadner being delivered the ball to the left of the goal but his strike was hit low, and Budinauckas was able to safely collect.
The Gers began to press the game and enjoyed holding possession whilst making forward playing opportunities.
Rangers were awarded a penalty in the 19th minute after Lindsay was brought down within the box by a pink shirt. Alegria stood up to the penalty spot to take the shot and fired it hard and low past Chris Hendry to open the scoring for the home side.
Waddell’s side were awarded a free kick in the 25th minute after MacKinnon brought down Marc Kelly at the side of the box. Rhys Armstrong took the free-kick, but Budinauckas was able to deflect it.
The Gers looked hungry to build on this lead and momentum and in 31 minutes, Alegria and McCann played a great one-two to weave in between the visitor’s backline but the resultant cross to Lindsay at the back post was cleared away.
The Braves found an opening to press into the Rangers final third, Jamie Walker drove down the right-wing towards the Rangers box, but Fraser was excellent in continually pressing him and was able to deny him a delivery into a threatening area.
The visitors were reduced to ten men at the end of the first half after Cameron Breadner made a dangerous late challenge on McCann.
In the opening minutes of the second half, Caledonian Braves found the equaliser. Armstrong took the corner kick for the visiting side and found the head of Jack Duncan at the back post who managed to put it past Budinauckas.
The Light Blues gained pace following their equaliser, Ritchie-Hosler collected the ball within the middle of the Braves half. He picked out Ross McCausland at the edge of the box who sent the ball low and hard across the face of the goal just inches away from giving the Gers their lead again.
Both teams continued to battle it out in all areas of the pitch looking for their second goal. Ricthie-Hosler almost saw the back of the net for the B Team after dancing his way through the middle of the Braves’ final third past several pink shirts. He managed to find some space within the box to get a shot away, but the ball bobbled up and sent his shot wide of the post.
McCallum’s side continued to move forward into dangerous areas to pressure within the box. Ricthie-Hosler had two threatening attempts on goal, but Hendry made the important saves to deny the youngsters the lead.
The second goal was coming for the Gers, and it came from McCausland in the 84th minute. The youngster drove down the edge of the congested box towards the post and fired the ball into a tight space across the face of the goal past the backline to hit the back it the net.
Rangers were awarded another penalty in the final minutes of the match after Ricthie-Hosler was brought down within the box. Lowry took the penalty and slotted it calmly past Hendry to give the Gers their third and final goal of the 90 minutes.
RANGERS: Budinauckas, Devine, Fraser, Allen, MacKinnon, Miller (Lowry, 57), Lindsay (McCausland 46), McKinnon, Alegria (Weston 67), McCann, Ritchie-Hosler.
SUBS NOT USED: Cervantes, Ewen, Harkness, Lyall.
CALEDONIAN BRAVES: Hendry, Brown, Henderson (McLear 46), McDowall, Duncan, Armstrong, Butterworth, Main (Lindsey 81), Kelly (Testa 65), Breadner, Walker.
SUBS NOT USED: Duffy, Forrester, Lachlan, Boualem.
REFEREE: Andrew Craven
ASSISTANT REFEREE: Matthew Catterson and Matthew Denne
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