RANGERS B fought back to secure a 2-2 draw against League Two Stirling Albion at the Rangers Training Centre this evening.
The young Gers came from behind twice against the Binos with both goals coming courtesy of Alex Lowry in a match which proved the perfect tune-up for next week’s SPFL Trust Trophy clash against Stenhousemuir.
Indeed, the Light Blues will need to be at their best to overcome what could prove a step up in opposition in seven days’ time, but there will be plenty of learnings to take from a stern test this evening.
Zander Hutton was first to test the Stirling Albion goalkeeper in the contest when the 18-year-old’s long-range fizzing effort was well-saved.
Opportunity then beckoned for Archie Stevens when the winger danced his way into the penalty area, but the Englishman’s effort was deflected wide at the last moment.
However, the Gers fell behind in the contest on 27 minutes when a pass in-behind the defence unsettled the backline and the Binos opened the scoring.
But to Rangers’ credit they found an immediate response when Stevens was brought down inside the penalty area and Lowry stepped up from 12 yards and dispatched his spot-kick confidently into the bottom corner.
It was a back-and-forth encounter and, with three minutes remaining until the interval, the visitors restored their advantage from close-range after Rangers failed to clear their lines inside the penalty area.
Indeed, it left the home side with it all to do in the second period, with Adam Devine going close shortly after the restart when the full-back ghosted in at the far post and fired towards goal.
Rangers upped the intensity in search of a leveller and they ought to have restored parity with 13 minutes remaining when Paul Nsio combined smartly with Lowry but the Englishman spurned his effort wide of the target with only the goalkeeper to beat.
David McCallum then turned to his substitutes bench as his side sought a leveller, introducing the youthful trio of Blaine McClure, Callum Burnside and Lewis Stewart.
And it was left until the 88th minute for the Light Blues to find an equaliser when Lowry strode onto a loose ball on the edge of the penalty area and the midfielder smashed an unstoppable effort high into the top corner to ensure a share of the spoils at full-time.
RANGERS: Munn, Hutton, Webster, Grant, Devine, Robertson (McClure, 68), Nsio, Gentles, Stevens (Burnside, 83), Lowry, Eadie (Stewart, 83)
Subs not used: Thackray, Wyllie, Kerr, Trialist