RANGERS B played out a 1-1 draw with Carlisle United at the Rangers Training Centre this afternoon.
After a lively first half with no goals the English League One side took the lead from the penalty spot through Taylor Charters. The hosts responded well as they found an equaliser through substitute Thompson Ishaka as they inevitably shared the spoils with the Gers.
Head coach David McCallum named a side which included a mixture of both youth and experience. Robby McCrorie, Leon King, Leon Balogun, Ben Davies and Nico Raskin were all in the lineup as they continued to build up their minutes, whilst there was a first start for Zak Lovelace since picking up an injury back in October.
After a fast start at the Training Centre it was the Gers shot stopper McCrorie that was called into early action. The away side worked the ball from the right flank before it fell to Alfie McCalmont, the midfielder’s cross come shot forced the goalkeeper into an early stop as he turned it behind.
Despite a fast opening 10 minutes from both sides, there were no clear-cut chances at either end. The Gers won the ball high on multiple occasions and should have made the most of a change over when Josh Gentles won it off the Carlisle defence, but his pass looking for Zak Lovelace lacked the desired pace.
The Gers had settled well into the contest after the quarter-hour mark. Keeping safe possession through midfield through the likes of Bailey Rice and Raskin but were unable to manoeuvre any openings. The Belgian midfielder had their first shot of the contest just moments later but was denied by the visiting backline from the edge of the area.
The away side went close to an opening goal in the next phase of play. Fin Back’s delivery from the right side was met inside the area by Anton Dudik on the volley, but his effort went narrowly wide of the target from close range.
The hosts created an opening themselves after some clever play on the right flank by Lovelace. The winger rolled his man as he travelled into the space before sending the ball across. Looking for James Graham initially it eventually fell at the feet of Rice who tried his luck from range, but it flew wide of the near post.
Dan Butterworth was next to try his luck for the away side as chances started appearing more on the regular. The winger cut inside from the right flank and rode several challenges, but his left footed shot flew over McCrorie’s crossbar.
Raskin won possession high for McCallum’s men just a minute later as they looked to profit from the changeover. The Belgian carried the ball forward and sensed an opening as he tried a shot from range, but it was too central as Gabe Breeze gathered.
The Light Blues should have opened the scoring with a chance round the back for Graham. Lovelace and Cole McKinnon combined on the right with the former sending a ball across the box, but the winger was unable to turn the ball home on his left side before Robbie Fraser fired over when the ball broke afterwards.
Fraser did well down the left flank to carve out a chance with the game remaining goalless after the half-hour mark. The captain carried the ball well before combining with McKinnon. Eventually it was worked to the edge for Rice to try his luck again, but his shot found the hands of the Carlisle goalkeeper.
Rice had a free kick effort turned around the post as the hosts looked for a goal before the half time interval. Left footed he tried to catch out the goalkeeper at the near post but Breeze was alert to make the stop.
The away side started fast from the restart after a goalless 45 minutes. Taylor Charters combined with Jack Robinson with the left-back forcing McCrorie into an early stop, with the Gers settling back into comfortable possession for a period shortly after.
McCallum introduced Thompson Ishaka and Connor Allan from the bench as they replaced Davies and Lovelace, with the winger getting another 45 minutes under his belt as he continues to get back to full fitness following his long injury lay-off.
After reaching the hour-mark whilst remaining goalless, the away side had a chance from the penalty spot to take the lead. Taylor Charters was played through inside the area before he was taken down by Robbie Fraser after getting to the ball first. The winger dispatched the spot kick into the bottom right hand corner to give the League One side the lead at the Training Centre.
The Gers did take a lift from falling behind as they had their best spell of the second half thereafter. The hosts didn’t manage to test Breeze in the Carlisle goal but were enjoying possession in the final third more regularly as they went in search of an equaliser.
Rangers found their response moments later with a well-taken finish from Thompson Ishaka. After working the ball from the right flank Josh Gentles teed up the winger who converted expertly into the bottom left corner after drifting in from the channel as the hosts got back on terms.
Butterworth pulled out a clever stop from McCrorie after a changeover in possession inside the Gers half. Ishaka and substitute Mackenzie Strachan weren’t on the same wavelength as the away side broke. The midfielder picked his spot which looked to be heading for the bottom corner but for a smart save from the goalkeeper.
Anton Dudik almost won it for the away side in the last of the action. After timing his run well he spun in behind the Rangers defence, hesitating initially he then worked the ball onto his right side and tested McCrorie with an effort but the goalkeeper made the stop with the referee then bringing the match to an end just shortly afterwards.
RANGERS: McCrorie, King, Fraser, Davies (Allan 45), Balogun (Grant 67), Rice (Strachan 57), Lovelace (Ishaka 45), Raskin, Gentles (Eadie 77), McKinnon, Graham
SUBS: Munn
CARLISLE UNITED: Breeze, Back, Robinson (Fitzpatrick 62), McCalmont, Huntington, Grehan, Butterworth, McGeouch, Dudik, Harris, Charters
SUBS: Barry, O’Brien, Hetherington, Swinburn, Allan