RANGERS B Team collect three points this afternoon in the Lowland League after defeating Spartans FC 7-1 at Dumbarton Stadium.
Seven goals from six different goal scorers sees the Light Blues display their strength in development through their league campaign venture.
The Young Gers returned to league action this afternoon to continue their Lowland League journey against Dougie Samuel’s side.
Five changes were made for today’s fixture, with Jay Hogarth returning to goals to replace Lewis Budinauckas.
Adam Devine, Robbie Fraser, Kyle McClelland and Leon King were the defending backline. Murray Miller, Charlie McCann, Ross McCausland, Alex Lowry and Kane Ritchie-Hosler were in the middle of the park, with Juan Alegria up front for the young Gers.
The youngsters started positively straight from kick-off and comfortably controlled in the early stages of the game. This paid off with the opening goal for the Gers less than a minute from the first whistle. Alex Lowry crossed a lovely ball from the middle of the park to meet an on running Adam Devine down the right side. Devine cut the ball into the congested box to find Kane Ritchie-Hosler at the front post who was able to calmly slot it past Blair Carswell.
The game became fairly even in the following minutes, but the Light Blues remained patient on the ball to create several chances against the visitors. Devine played a dangerous ball from the Rangers third to McCausland pushing forward past the Spartans backline. The youngster collected the ball and advanced forward towards goal to put it past the keeper, however his goal was ruled offside.
Juan Alegria secured the second goal of the afternoon for McCallum’s side. After picking the ball up within the box, the Colombian found some space to chip the ball over the head of Carswell. Euan Smith was able to make a goal line clearance, but the linesman ruled the goal in favour for the home side.
Spartans showed that they were carrying a threat as they began to push into the Rangers third to pressurise the goal line, but the backline remained composed and defused any dangerous opportunities the visitors had.
The youngsters kept up their patient endeavours as they entered the last ten minutes of the first half, and it resulted in Charlie McCann netting the third for the B team. It started with an effective run down the right wing from McCausland who delivered the ball to the back post to link up with Lowry. The youngster controlled the ball and switched to McCann waiting in the box who calmly slotted it away.
Only a few moments later in the 40th minute, Devine picked the ball up on the edge of the Spartans box and advanced forward towards goal. The youngster put some power behind his strike and gained the fourth for the Rangers side.
The youngsters continued to showcase their hunger to maintain dominance in the second half, as they immediately began to pressurise the Spartans final third. McCausland made a fantastic run down the left side towards goal, he took a powerful strike, but Carswell made a critical save. The ball then fell to Alegria in the box, the youngster managed to pick out an unmarked McCausland at the edge of the 18-yard line. McCausland struck the ball with power and sent it flying into the back of the net.
The Gers continued to pressurise the Spartans final third by pushing into the backline. Arron Lyall found the ball at the back post after a lovely cross from the right side. The Light Blue was able to take one touch and fire a low shot into the back of the net.
Only a few minutes later, Lyall netted another for the home side. Devine crossed a lovely ball from the halfway line to an on running Lyall down the right side. The youngster immediately linked up with the ball and struck the ball on his first touch to hit the back of the net.
In the last few minutes of the match, Cameron Russell closed the deficit after challenging Jay Hogarth in the box and managed to put it past him.
RANGERS: Hogarth, Devine, (Lindsay, 69) Fraser, King, McClelland, Miller, Ritchie-Hosler, McCann, Alegria, Lowry (Lyall, 51), McCausland (McKee, 51).
UNUSED SUBS: Budinauckas, MacKinnon, Weston.
SPARTANS: Carswell, Finnie, Allan, Waugh, Smith, Brown, Dishington, McFarland, Henderson, Russell, Jones.
UNUSED SUBS: Komocki, Walker, Robson, Herd, Maxwell, Brown, Woods.
REFEREE: Alan Newlands
ASSISTANT REFEREE: Scott Bunting and Christopher Costello