RANGERS B Team collected three points this afternoon with a good win against Berwick Rangers.
David McCallum’s youngsters will leave Sheilfield Park with confidence after beating Stuart Malcolm’s side 6-1 in a challenging match.
The stadium held a minute’s applause before kick-off for former Berwick Rangers player, Ian Riddell, who sadly passed away last weekend. Mr Riddell was a member of the Berwick Rangers team that beat Rangers in the 1967 Scottish Cup.
What started out as a wet a dreary day in border country was soon turned around as the Gers collected three points after beating Berwick in a seven-goal thriller.
On just three minutes, Tony Weston had a real chance to open the scoring after a lovely through ball, but David Ferguson made an excellent block on the youngster’s shot to deny the Light Blues the opening goal.
A few minutes later Berwick nearly broke the deadlock. Ryan Finnie made a darting run down the right-wing and made a lovely delivery to Lewis Baker in the Rangers box, but Jay Hogarth made a superb save to keep the score level.
In the eighth minute, Robbie Fraser put the Gers ahead with a great finish. Fraser collected a great pass from Cole McKinnon before sending the Berwick defender in the other direction and striking the ball beyond the outstretched Andrew McNeil.
The youngsters kept most of the possession and dominance following their first goal creating great build-up play and opportunities on goal.
However, it was not all one-way traffic as Graham Taylor collected the ball in an empty box before Fraser made the block and then made the clearance.
This seemed to jolt the youngsters into another gear as Leon King found the second goal for the B Team in the 21st minute. Fraser’s whipped in corner met the head of King who steered it past the keeper.
Only a minute later, Stuart Malcolm’s side hit the back of the net to get their first. Baker worked his way neatly into the Rangers box before passing to Sean Stewart who tapped it in past Hogarth.
Despite this setback, Rangers continued to maintain their momentum. Charlie Lindsay collected the ball a few yards out of the home side’s box and took a powerful strike with a sight on goal, but the ball flew just over the crossbar.
In the 29th minute, David McCallum’s side were awarded a free-kick after Lowry was brought down just outside the box. Lowry stepped up to take the shot 25 yards out from the box and delivered a superb strike straight into the net to put the Gers up by two goals.
Only a few moments later, the youngsters were awarded another free-kick in a similar position. Lowry stepped up again, this time delivering a ball into a congested box to find Kyle McClelland, but the skipper was just unable to connect with the ball.
Rangers delivered their fourth goal of the first half in the 39th minute. This time Ross McCausland netted a superb goal after he found the ball at the edge of the Berwick box and found an excellent strike into the top left corner of the goal.
Going into the second half and it wasn’t long before McClelland delivered the fifth goal for the B Team in the 49th minute. Fraser whipped another threatening corner into the Berwick box and picked out the captain whose header flew into the back of the net.
The home side did threaten as a Graham Taylor ball across the face of goal was sent flying over the Gers crossbar by Stewart.
Fraser was on the attack again after an important interception in the Berwick final third. The youngster drove down the wing to whip the ball to Weston in the box, but a defender cleared it.
Jordan Sinclair nearly got a second goal back for Malcolm’s side with a dangerous strike on the edge of the box, but Hogarth made an exceptional diving save to stop the ball crossing the line.
However, it was the Young Gers who made it six as Weston slotted another past McNeil in the 74th minute after great build up play. Adam Devine and Weston linked up well to weave between the Berwick backline and gain the last goal for the away side.
Berwick Rangers were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box in the final minutes of the match. Aidan Denholm stood up to take the shot and struck the top of the post, ending the score line 6-1.
RANGERS: Hogarth, Devine, McClelland, King, Fraser, Lindsay (67), McKinnon, McCann, McCausland (67), Lowry (60) and Weston.
SUBS: Cervantes, MacKinnon, Miller (67), Ritchie-Hosler (67) and Lyall (60).
BERWICK RANGERS: McNeil, Finnie Pyper (C), Ferguson, Ward, Denholm, Sinclair, Stewart (55), Taylor (75), Baker (55), McGrath.
SUBS: Swinton, Heeps (75), Dow (55), Nelson, Allan, Smith (55).
REFEREE: George Calder
ASSISTANTS: Vikki Allan and Gianluca Marini
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