After a promising start from the Light Blues, they got their reward as Arron Lyall’s strike from range gave them a deserved lead on the day.
After threatening to go further ahead the dynamic of the match changed as goalkeeper Lewis Budinauckas was shown a straight red card for a handball which was deemed to be outside the area.
Ben Quinn tapped in an equaliser just before half time before he fired the away side ahead in the second half, striker Adam Brooks made it three midday shortly after before Bailey Rice was dismissed for a second bookable offence and Adam Devine was shown a straight red himself for a challenge late on as the visitors claimed all three points.
David McCallum named five changes to his side for the clash, Lewis Budinauckas, Adam Devine, Johnly Yfeko, Bailey Rice and new signing Thompson Ishaka all coming in from the 3-0 win over Edinburgh University in their last outing.
Rangers started brightly in front of the crowd at Ibrox, captain Robbie Fraser played a delightful lofted through ball looking for Robbie Ure in behind the Celtic backline but the striker wasn’t able to take the pass in his stride as the hosts looked for a fast start.
The Light Blues started to control possession in the early stages without creating any clear cut opportunities, Johnly Yfeko got on the end of a Ross McCausland corner but the defender couldn’t divert his header on the stretch on target.
The Gers went closest to opening the scoring just short of the quarter hour mark, McCausland was again involved as he weaved his way through the away backline. Working an angle for a shot his right footed effort whistled just past the far post as the home side were starting to get some joy in an attacking sense.
The Gers got their reward for a series of early pressure and went in front just two minutes later at Ibrox. Midfielder Arron Lyall picked the ball up on the left flank, trying his luck from distance his superb right footed strike fizzed past keeper Josh Clarke at the near post to fire Rangers in front as they deservedly took the lead after a fast start.
Further confidence seemed to ease through the hosts after going ahead, a clever interchange down the right channel involving Adam Devine and Bailey Rice saw the former sent free down the outside, but his cross evaded any runners inside the area as the Gers threatened to double their lead.
That second almost arrived moments later, Ure did well to win the ball on the half way line as he robbed Bosun Lawal of possession. Carrying the ball 40 yards he worked as angle for a shot on his left side but opted for a cut back to the arriving McCausland but saw his effort kept out by Clarke who was helped out by his defence who cleared.
The Gers continued to dominate in front of the home faithful and went close to adding a second five minutes before the break. Rice was continually finding his teammates with a variety of passes in dangerous areas, this time finding forward Ure with his back to goal inside the area, the striker spun away from Mitchell Robertson and his left foot shot almost creeped in but was kept out by Clarke.
The mood inside Ibrox was dampened as Rangers were reduced to ten men, a long through ball by the away side saw Lewis Budinauckas in goal come and claim as it ran through towards the box, handing the ball close to the line on the edge of the penalty area. Referee Greg Soutar deemed it to be outside the box as he showed a straight red card to the goalkeeper just before half time.
The away side levelled the match in the last of the first half action. Bruno Davidson managed to fire across a delivery down the right side as he looked for Ben Quinn at the back post, the winger’s initial effort was blocked by Devine before he managed to bundle the ball home to level up proceedings as the two sides went in level at the break in the derby.
The Light Blues with the man disadvantage still tried to take the game to their opponents in search of the next goal at Ibrox. Ure found himself in a promising position inside the area following a second phase from a corner, opting against the shot initially his strike was blocked before McCausland fired an effort over as the Gers looked to start the second half the same way they did the first despite being down to 10.
Celtic were starting to ramp up pressure of their own and make the advantage count as they looked a threat in the final third for the first time in the match. Mackenzie Carse tried his luck from the inside right channel with substitute Jacob Pazikas doing well to tip the ball over. In the next phase of play following the corner Lawal tried his luck this time and his effort was heading for the far corner but the shot stopper did well to turn it round the post.
The away side did make the early pressure count as they went ahead in the contest. Following play down the left side the ball was played inside to Quinn who smashed the ball across goal to put the visitors ahead and double his total for the day.
Adam Brooks was on hand to add a third just moments later, a cross from the right channel found the striker inside the area, his scuffed effort looped over Pazikas and clipped the underside of the bar before bundling over the line as Celtic went further ahead.
The hosts were still creating opportunities themselves when they did get the chance to go forward at Ibrox. Devine found space down the right side before picking out Allan at the edge of the area, he used his midfielder partner Lyall who looked to provide a way back into the game but he fired his strike over.
The hosts were reduced to nine men just shortly after, Rice who was already on a yellow was late with a challenge on Matthew Anderson deep down the left channel as things got worse for the Gers at Ibrox.Celtic were keeping possession without creating any further chances to add to their lead, the nine man Gers looked to break when they could. Lyall fired a strike from the angle into the side netting as the game approached the final 10 minutes at Ibrox.
The match looked to fizzle out with Celtic not adding to their three goal lead before Adam Devine was shown a straight red card for a tackle on Daniel Cummings as the game reached its conclusion with the Light Blues ending the contest with eight men at the end.
RANGERS B: Budinauckas, Devine, Fraser, Yfeko, MacKinnon, Rice, Ishaka (Pazikas 43), Allan, Ure (Strachan 77), Lyall (Graham 77), McCausland.
SUBS NOT USED: Harkness, Ewen, Lindsay, Stevens.
CELTIC B: Clarke, McPherson, Anderson, Lawal, Robertson (Murray 62), Kelly (Murphy 30, Dobbie 80), Davidson, Carse, Brooks (Thomson 80), Letsosa, Quinn (Cummings 62).
SUBS NOT USED: Morrison, Corr.
REFEREE: Greg Soutar