The Light Blues raced out of the traps and broke the deadlock inside ten minutes as Robbie Ure turned home from point-blank range.
However, they suffered a setback midway through the second half as Lewis Turner dispatched from the penalty spot for the visitors, before Ure found the all-important winning goal deep into stoppage time to deliver a deserved victory for the young Gers.
David McCallum named two changes to his Gers side for the visit of Gretna 2008, welcoming Alex Kpakpe into the defence for his first start as James Graham replaced the suspended Zak Lovelace.
There was a minute’s silence prior to kick-off to remember former Rangers goalkeeper Billy Thomson who passed away earlier this week aged 64.
There was early encouragement from a Gers perspective inside four minutes. Bailey Rice picked out James Graham inside the penalty area and, after the winger knocked the ball down to Charlie Lindsay, the Northern Irishman arrowed an effort only inches wide of the far post.
Gretna offered a brief moment of danger down the opposite end as Kieran Moyles rose highest from a corner and crashed a header off the underside of the crossbar.
The opener for Rangers arrived in the 10th minute as Rice and Graham linked up once again to good effect. The 16-year-old showed tremendous vision to feed a slide rule pass into Graham, allowing the winger to take the ball in his stride to tee up Robbie Ure who tapped home from close range.
There was a vibrant intensity and quality to the Light Blues’ attacking endeavour in the early exchanges, with the lively Graham going close to doubling his side’s lead on 21 minutes after Robbie Fraser was released down the left and centred for the 18-year-old inside the penalty area.
Rangers cut through the visitors once again as the first half ticked into its final ten minutes. Arron Lyall thread a pass through to Graham after a sharp exchange of passes in midfield, with only a smart stop from Jack Main in the Gretna goal preventing the Gers from going two goals ahead.
Lindsay then went close to finding the back of the net four minutes before the interval, meeting Jack Harkness’ cut-back after the full-back did excellently to motor to the byline, but he failed to connect properly with his finish.
Harkness was the architect just minutes into the second half, pulling the ball back to Graham who controlled impeccably and unleashed a powerful effort that looked destined for the bottom corner. However, Max Condie backtracked onto the goalline to clear the ball to safety for the away side.
Ross McCausland was inches away from a spectacular goal only moments later, flicking the ball over a defender before catching the ball first-time from 35 yards that required Main to intervene in the visitors’ goal.
A promising Gers attack ended with Lyall shooting off target on 58 minutes, before Jacob Pazikas was called into action minutes later as Lewis Bell unleashed a powerful effort at goal.
The away side were then awarded the chance to level from the penalty spot in the 63rd minute after an apparent collision in the penalty area. Lewis Turner stepped up for Gretna and dispatched his penalty into the bottom corner to restore parity.
Harkness was unfortunate not to restore the Gers’ lead when he collected a loose ball and worked Main in the Gretna goal from a narrow angle.
Rangers had their opponents pinned back as the clocked ticked into the final 20 minutes. Ure sprung the offside trap before squaring the ball to Lindsay as he Northern Irishman saw his finish crash off the post.
The midfielder turned provider moments later, carrying the ball forward menacingly in attacking transition before picking out McCausland to his left. The winger set himself for a curling effort but he could only steer his finish off target.
The Light Blues continued to go in search of a late winning goal as substitute Connor Young went agonisingly close to making an instant impact, meeting Fraser’s delivery on the volley and drawing a smart diving stop from Main.
Rangers’ persistence was rewarded deep into stoppage time as Ure grabbed his second of the net to find the winning goal for the Light Blues. Fraser’s delivery from the left drifted all the way to McCausland at the far post whose driven cross was turned home by Ure from point-blank range to seal all three points.
RANGERS B: Pazikas, Harkness, Allan, Kpakpe (MacKinnon, 63), Fraser, Rice, Lindsay (Young, 82), Lyall, McCausland, Graham (Strachan, 68), Ure
Subs not used: Budinauckas, K. Ewen, Yfeko, Ciubotaru
GRETNA 2008: Main, Short, Condie, Dickinson, Moyles, Turner, Bell, Muir, Carmichael, Wilson, Caves (Munro, 75)
Subs not used: Patterson, Duffy, Osbourne, Higgins
REFEREE: Christopher Gentles