The young Gers hosted Maurice Ross’ side at home today and managed to take three points in the league campaign after Charlie McCann netted a second half double followed by a last-minute winner from Connor Young.
Adam Devine stepped into the defensive backline this afternoon alongside Robbie Fraser, Connor Allan and Lewis MacKinnon with Lewis Budinauckas behind them in goals.
Charlie Lindsay joined Mackenzie Strachan and Charlie McCann in the midfield, with Alex Lowry and Zak Lovelace supporting Robbie Ure up front.
The Light Blues began the game in a calm and collected manner as Ross’ side created early pressure in the Rangers final third.
The visitors had a few early opportunities to threaten the Light Blues’ box, but Budinauckas made some crucial saves with the backline defusing any remaining danger.
Following this, McCallum’s side began to create dangerous chances to threaten Daniel Farrell in the Cowdenbeath goal. Lindsay made an excellent run down the left side to weave past several red shirts and break into the box and sent a paced effort across the face of the goal, but Ure was just unable to connect with his delivery at the back post.
Cowdenbeath were on the following this after David Struthers sent a strike from outside the Rangers box, but his effort fell just wide of the back post.
The two sides continued to battle fiercely across the pitch as they each looked to gain the opening goal and gain the advantage.
Fifteen minutes before the end of the first half, the Light Blues were close to breaking the deadlock and securing the lead.
Lowry fed a terrific ball to an on-running McCann into the box, and the midfielder then sent a sailing strike towards the goal, but Farrell made a great save to deny Rangers the opener. Ure found himself in space to collect the deflection, but his strike drifted over the crossbar.
Less than a minute later, the young Gers were awarded a penalty after Lovelace was brought down in the Cowdenbeath box. The in-form youngster stood up to execute the spot kick, but Farrell made another important save to keep the score line level as they headed into the half-time break.
As the squad returned for the second half, the young Gers began with momentum as they looked to find the opening goal, but it was the visitors that took the early lead after Aidan Gilmartin slotted the ball into the back of the net from a corner kick one minute into the second 45.
Cowdenbeath built on this momentum and found their second a few minutes later to double their advantage after Scott Sinclair collected the ball in the Rangers half and made the run towards Budinauckas in goal where he was able to slot it past the young Ger.
McCallum’s squad looked quickly to rectify this and close the gap. McCann was able to do so on the 53rd minute after he fired a low strike towards the goal, his effort then took a deflection and fell into the bottom corner of the net.
Cowdenbeath continued to pressurise Buinauckas in goals and came close to netting a third, but McCann was on hand again to gain his second of the match and make the score line level for the home side.
The youngster collected the ball a few yards from outside the box and sent a sailing strike past the keeper and into the top corner to give his side the equaliser.
The Gers looked eager to build on this and find the third to gain the important lead. Connor Young came onto replace Zak Lovelace and made an immediate impact after he netted the third and winning goal on the 88th minute.
Similar to McCann’s second goal, the young Ger found the ball several yards outside the Cowdenbeath box and sent an effort flying into the back of the net past Farrell in goal to secure the win of the afternoon.
RANGERS: Budinauckas, Devine, Fraser, Allan, MacKinnon, Strachan (McCausland, 56), Lowry (Graham, 65), Lindsay, Ure, McCann, Lovelace (Young, 79).
SUBS: Pazikas, Harkness, Ewen, Lyall.
COWDENBEATH: Farrell, Robinson, Newman, Armstrong, Lemon, Garrad, Thomson, Struthers, Sinclair, Trialist (Gilmartin, 3) (Donaldson, 73), Love.
SUBS: McCready, Weekes, Aikamhenze, Berry, Jarron.
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