RANGERS B continued their strong start to the Lowland League campaign with a 4-1 victory over East Stirlingshire in Dumbarton.
The visitors opened the scoring inside two minutes, but the Gers responded through Robbie Ure in the first half.
Charlie Lindsay then completed the comeback for the Light Blues early in the second period, before Ure netted twice inside 11 minutes to seal his hat-trick and all three points for Rangers.
David McCallum welcomed Alex Lowry back into the fold after an injury-enforced lay-off, naming seven changes to the team which defeated Edinburgh University ten days ago.
The Light Blues fell behind inside two minutes as Kenny Barr opened the scoring for the visitors, lifting the ball into the net from the edge of the penalty area after Jacob Pazikas had done brilliant to save from the initial effort.
Rangers quickly started to grow into the contest and had their first sighting at goal on 11 minutes. Mackenzie Strachan popped up on the right-hand side and, after picking out Robbie Ure with a cross, the Gers forward had a glancing header well saved by the East Stirlingshire goalkeeper.
Ure was among the action minutes later, testing Ross Connolly from a tight angle inside the penalty area before he was unfortunately unable to stab home the rebound through a crowd of bodies.
Lowry then found Arron Lyall in a promising position, although the East Stirlingshire stopper was once again able to thwart Rangers’ efforts after the winger released an effort at goal.
Lyall was at the heart of the action minutes later, firing narrowly over the crossbar after neat link-up play with Ross McCausland on the left-hand side.
The Light Blues were certainly in their groove midway through the opening period, with Connor Allan having a goalbound effort blocked from close range from a Charlie Lindsay corner, before Lowry curled wide from a free-kick minutes later.
Rangers continued to be denied by the heroics of the East Stirlingshire goalkeeper. Lindsay was denied initially on 33 minutes with a rasping effort before Connolly was equal to Robbie Fraser’s header after the Gers captain was picked out by Lowry.
Pazikas was called into action in the 39th minute when he was forced to claw a dangerous cross from Harvey Moyes around the post.
Rangers’ first half pressure paid off four minutes before the interval. Lindsay released Kelsey Ewen down the right before the full-back swept the ball across the penalty area for McCausland; the winger had his effort denied before Ure, at the second attempt following more smart goalkeeping, bundled the ball over the goalline.
Lowry was withdrawn at the interval after an encouraging 45 minutes on his return from injury, with Zak Lovelace introduced in his place.
The Light Blues wasted precious little time in the second half in taking the lead for the first time on the evening. Lindsay was found down the inside right from a neat McCausland pass before the Northern Irishman steadied himself and fired a low driven effort that beat Connolly at his near post.
McCallum’s side then extended their advantage six minutes later. McCausland was once again involved, driving through the heart of the East Stirlingshire defence and beating several defenders on his way, before he was halted inside the penalty area. The ball fell invitingly for Ure to strike with his left foot and the Gers forward made no mistake, planting his effort into the bottom corner.
McCausland struck the crossbar with his left foot from outside of the penalty area, before Lyall was thwarted by Connolly on the counter-attack.
Ure then sealed his hat-trick on the evening to cap off a fine performance in front of goal. Lovelace lashed a dangerous fizzing ball across goal after being released into space where Ure was lurking with intent to turn the ball home from close range.
Substitute Connor Young almost got on the scoresheet on 73 minutes as he curled an effort inches wide from the edge of the penalty area.
Lovelace threatened at goal minutes later, before James Graham produced a clever dinked finish over the goalkeeper after being sent through on goal that agonisingly bounced back off the post.
The full time whistle blew in Dumbarton as the Gers sealed victory and now look ahead to Saturday where they will host Berwick Rangers in Lowland League action.
RANGERS: Pazikas, K. Ewen, MacKinnon, Allan, Fraser (Allen, 71), Strachan, Lindsay (Ciubotaru, 71), Lowry (Lovelace, 45), Lyall, Ure (Young, 67), McCausland (Graham, 67)
UNUSED SUBS: Budinauckas, Yfeko
EAST STIRLINGSHIRE: R. Connolly, Ewing, Brown (Winton, 65), Coutts (Shirra, 78), Greene, Moyes (Honeyman, 61), Barr, Kay, Kirkpatrick (Wilson, 65), Hodge, K. Connolly (McAlpine, 61)
UNUSED SUBS: Brady, Ure
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