A terrific glancing header from 2007-born Josh Gentles separated the sides at the interval following a closely-fought opening spell, with Rangers motoring through the gears in the second half via goals from Bailey Rice, James Graham and Tyler Pasnik to put the scoreline beyond doubt.
It took until the 11th minute mark in the match for the young Gers to carve out their first promising moment, cutting through the Spiders backline with an incisive move when Arron Lyall’s slide rule pass found Archie Stevens inside the penalty area only for the Englishman to be flagged offside.
Queen’s Park were resolute in their defending in the opening exchanges, although the home side almost found a breakthrough on 14 minutes when Lyall worked the ball invitingly onto his favoured side on the edge of the penalty area and unleashed an effort at goal which Sam Kane thwarted at full stretch.
The visitors, to their credit, were carrying an attacking threat of their own in the opening exchanges with Johnly Yfeko required to produce an impressive block as Lucas McCormick took aim at Mason Munn’s goal.
Rangers then pieced together a sweeping move moments later to turn the Spiders’ backline towards their own goal after Lyall did tremendously in midfield to outplay his opponent. Lifting his head, he swept the ball wide to Cole McKinnon whose first-time delivery was guided goalwards by Paul Nsio but the linesman swiftly raised his offside flag.
However, the Gers found the all-important breakthrough with ten minutes remaining in the first half. Substitute Josh Gentles was on the pitch only a matter of minutes when he produced a terrific glancing header into the bottom corner from McKinnon’s dangerous delivery from the right.
The hosts, buoyed by a dominant spell in the match, could have doubled their lead five minutes later as Bailey Rice struck the outside of the post following a move initiated by the 17-year-old and involving Zander Hutton and Nsio.
The half-time whistle was duly blown by the referee, but not before Rice curled a free-kick that looked destined to nestle into the bottom corner before Kane got down smartly to his left to deny the teenager.
Rangers picked up where they left off to open the second period as James Graham tested his luck from 25 yards out with a low, driven effort that Kane collected.
Opportunity then knocked for the Spiders on the break as Alex Fairlie broke free of the Gers backline, squaring the ball across to McCormick who contrived to steer his finish off target with only Munn to beat.
The Light Blues were ruthless in punishing the visitors for their profligacy moments later as they doubled their advantage in the contest on the hour-mark. Lyall was quick to latch onto a pass in midfield as he robbed a Queen’s Park midfielder of possession on the edge of the penalty area where he was initially smothered by Kane as he attempted to round the Spiders goalkeeper. Picking up the loose ball, Graham teed up Rice lurking on the edge of the area and the midfielder made no mistake in curling into the bottom corner as the visitors’ goalkeeper attempted to scramble back into position.
The scoreline was then put beyond doubt three minutes later as the floodgates threatened to open at the Rangers Training Centre. A slaloming run from Nsio on the left-hand side of the penalty area allowed the Englishman to pick out Graham at the edge of the penalty area, with the 19-year-old jinking past his marker before curling a terrific finish into the far corner.
Darren McInally could have marked his return from injury with a fitting goal as he jinked his way into the penalty area and drew a smart stop from Kane at his near post.
The Gers continued to push forward in search of a fourth goal as darkness began to creep in; McKinnon lashing a dangerous delivery across the face of goal that cleared all those in blue inside the penalty area.
And a fourth goal of the match arrived three minutes from time when substitute Tyler Pasnik collected the ball 20 yards from goal and planted an unstoppable finish into the bottom corner.
Despite global celebrations of Halloween, there would be no late scare for those in a Rangers persuasion as Munn celebrated a clean sheet between the posts to bring the contest to a conclusion.
The young Gers will now shift their attention to SPFL Trust Trophy action in seven days’ time as they face Scottish Championship outfit Airdrieonians at Cappielow Park, kick-off 7:45pm, with tickets available to purchase via the Fanbase app now!
RANGERS B: Munn, Hutton, Allan, Yfeko (Grant, 74), Fraser, Rice, McKinnon, Nsio (McInally, 69), Lyall, Stevens (Gentles, 34), Graham (Pasnik, 74)
Subs not used: Halliwell, Newton, Curtis
QUEEN’S PARK: Kane, Mauchin, Bruce, Tizzard, Ferguson, Waugh, Hickey-Fugaccia, Connolly, Fairlie, Healy, McCormick
SUBS: Lind, Smith, Graham, McLean, Bradley, McVey, Russell
REFEREE: Sean Murdoch