A SECOND half strike from Chris Eadie propelled Rangers Under-18s into the semi-finals of the Scottish Youth Cup in a 1-0 victory over Hearts this evening.
The triumph moves the young Gers just one step away from a fourth successive Hampden showpiece in the competition, with Eadie’s solitary strike arriving 15 minutes from time in a closely fought encounter.
The Light Blues were on the front foot straight from the off, going close inside three minutes when a neat short free-kick routine saw Blaine McClure centre for Findlay Curtis who stooped to head wide of the target from 10 yards out.
Opportunities were few and far between for both sides in the opening blows, with Hearts manufacturing a promising moment when Mason Munn was forced to be alert at his front post.
Leyton Grant then produced a terrific sliding block to deny Bobby McLuckie as the Jambos winger pulled the trigger from a dangerous pull-back.
Rangers were enjoying the lion’s share of possession as they sought a way to unpick the Hearts defence, with the trio of Zander Hutton, Calum Adamson and Archie Stevens looking particularly lively.
The game sprung into life on the stroke of the half-time interval. Stevens was first to weave his way around the Jambos defence, with his cross headed clear only as far as Findlay Curtis whose left-footed effort was collected by the grateful Hearts goalkeeper.
Josh Gentles was then released beyond the away side’s backline less than 60 seconds later, lifting his head as the Jambos defence recovered before pulling the ball back to Curtis whose strike lacked the required pace following a deflection.
The second half began with Rangers in the ascendancy. A dangerous corner from McClure was met at the front post by a clever run from Gentles, but the 16-year-old’s deft flick was thwarted by the Hearts stopper.
Steven Smith then shuffled his pack just shy of the hour-mark as Kieron Willox and Chris Eadie replaced Calum Adamson and Josh Gentles.
However, it was two players who started from the off who almost combined to break the deadlock on 64 minutes. There was clever disguise on Grant’s pass into Curtis inside the penalty area, with the 17-year-old’s finish looking destined to work the Hearts goalkeeper before it was deflected wide for a corner.
Grant, sporting the captain’s armband, was the architect moments later out of defence. His searching switch found Willox who expertly controlled on his chest and drove menacingly towards goal, but his finish was too close to the goalkeeper.
Hearts had offered very little attacking threat in the second 45 minutes, but they were almost ahead with 17 minutes remaining when Muirhead’s guided finish from the edge of the penalty area looked destined for the bottom corner if not for a terrific diving intervention at full stretch from Munn.
And it was to prove a decisive moment as the young Gers opened the scoring three minutes later. Paul Nsio collected the ball in midfield before spotting the run of substitute Eadie, with the forward displaying tremendous composure to round the Hearts goalkeeper and slot into an empty net.
Hearts upped the ante as they went in search of a leveller, with Munn once again prompted into a fantastic stop when he denied Muirhead with his feet.
The clock ticked towards 90 minutes as Cameron Bell replaced McClure, with substitute Callum Burnside denied from close range by a tremendous block.
It was to matter little, however, as the young Gers saw out the remainder of the contest to rubber stamp their passage to the last four.
RANGERS UNDER-18s: Munn, Hutton, Grant, Campbell, Scott, McClure (Bell, 89), Adamson (Willox, 59), Nsio, Curtis (Burnside, 73), Stevens, Gentles (Eadie, 59)
Subs not used: Halliwell, Kerr, Barlow
HEARTS UNDER-18s: Tas, Walker, Smutek, Nair, Crookston, Wilson (Burn, 60), Ross, McLuckie, Stevenson, Muirhead, Smith
Subs not used: Wilkie, Glasgow, Sanders, Banks, Hutchison, Robb