RANGERS were crowned 2023/24 Scottish Youth Cup winners this evening as they ran out 2-1 winners over Aberdeen at Hampden Stadium.
The young Gers fell behind shortly into the second period, but they displayed character and resilience in abundance to turn the game on its head through a Findlay Curtis spot-kick and a Josh Gentles strike.
In doing so, Steven Smith’s side added an eighth Youth Cup crown in the Academy’s history and a third success in the last four editions of the competition.
Indeed, the Gers controlled the opening proceedings at the national stadium, with Cameron Scott almost nodding his side ahead when he met a cross at the back post but he could only pop his header into the air before the Aberdeen goalkeeper collected.
Prior to that Archie Stevens had shown tremendous skill to hit the byline and centre for Gentles, but the 16-year-old forward could not sort his feet out in time to fashion an attempt at goal.
Mason Munn had been reduced to a virtual spectator given the paucity of Aberdeen attacks, and the Rangers No.1 was almost celebrating down the opposite end when Paul Nsio danced his way past several Aberdeen defenders and was denied an opener by the feet of Rodrigo Vitols as he looked to sneak his finish in at the near post.
Rangers continued to push for an opener before the interval and they were inches away when Zander Hutton collected possession from 20 yards out and arrowed a powerful effort off target.
The message from the Gers head coach at half-time ought to have been more of the same, but his side seemed to loosen their grip on the contest to open the second period as the Dons enjoyed their best spell of the match.
Munn had to be at full stretch to deny Alfie Bavidge when the Aberdeen forward looked to curl into the far corner before the Northern Irish goalkeeper was forced to claw away a corner kick delivery from Alfie Stewart that looked destined to sail all the way in.
However, Aberdeen made their pressure tell moments later when Rangers failed to clear their lines from another set-piece delivery and Timothy Akindileni flung a loose leg in the direction of the ball which wrongfooted Munn from point-blank range.
It left Rangers with it all to do, but, as has been the resilience of the side throughout their cup run, they responded immediately when Stevens showed nimble footwork to manufacture space for a cross which deflected off the arm of Lewis Carrol.
Findlay Curtis assumed penalty duties and, like he did 12 months ago, he showed immense poise to dispatch into the bottom corner and level proceedings for the Light Blues.
The momentum was certainly with Rangers, and they completed the turnaround with 14 minutes remaining with the aid of an Aberdeen deflection.
Take nothing away from Gentles, however, who volleyed goalwards from the edge of the penalty area following a corner and had his strike take a nick off Akindileni and beyond Vitols in the Aberdeen goal.
It was time for the young Gers to show their mettle, and they were indebted to goalkeeper Munn in the dying embers of the contest when he sprung to his left deny Bavidge what looked a certain equaliser as the forward arrowed an effort towards the top corner.
From there, Smith’s side showed their composure to see out the game and crown a momentous evening in the young careers of all those in Rangers colours.
RANGERS: Munn, Hutton, Scott, Grant, Wyllie (McClure, 61), Campbell, Nsio (Burnside, 89), Robertson (Adamson, 70), Gentles (Eadie, 89), Curtis, Stevens
Subs not used: Halliwell, Kerr, Willox
ABERDEEN: Vitols, Hamilton, Carrol, Watson, Wilson, Stewart, Bavidge, Boyd, Marshall, Akindileni, Mackie (Masson, 86)
Subs not used: Simpson, Ross, Clark, Teasdale, Stephen, Kondolo