Rangers B opened their Glasgow Cup campaign with a comfortable win over what was essentially a Queen's Park B team at The Rangers Training Centre on Tuesday afternoon.
The visitors started the game brightly without really threatening Mason Munn’s goal and the first real chance came at the other end just before the quarter hour mark. Cole McKinnon in possession on the right passed inside to Archie Stevens who moved the ball on to Aaron Lyall, he cut back on to his right foot but was denied by a fine save from Sam Kane. Within a minute Cammy Bruce broke on the left before passing inside to Aaron Healy who’s shot was diverted over by Johnly Yfeko’s block.
The half had just passed the twenty-five minute mark when Lucas McCormick outpaced Zander Hutton to a long ball on the left into the box but shot straight at Mason Munn. Rangers were forced into a change on thirty four minutes Josh Gentles replacing Archie Stevens and within sixty seconds the sixteen year old had given Rangers the lead. Paul Nsio on the right hand byline laid the ball back for Cole McKinnon to cross and Josh Gentles glanced a header past the keeper.
Five minutes before the break Bailey Rice switched play to Zander Hutton on the right, he passed inside to Paul Nsio who moved the ball on to Bailey Rice and his left foot shot bounced back off the keeper’s right hand post. On the stroke of half-time Bailey Rice fired in a free-kick on the edge of the box and right of centre which Sam Kane saved at his left hand post.
Half-Time: Rangers 1 - 0 Queen's Park
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In the opening minute of the second half James Graham tried his luck from around twenty-five yards that Sam Kane saved comfortably. Five minutes later Queens looked sure to draw level, Alex Fairlie raced clear into the right side of Rangers box and squared to the unmarked Lucas McCormick but shot wide of Mason Munn’s left hand post.
On fifty-seven minutes Arron Lyall pinched possession from keeper Sam Kane inside the penalty area and the ball broke to James Graham but his effort went weakly across goal. Rangers doubled their lead just after the hour mark, Arron Lyall intercepted an attempted pass out from Sam Kane, the keeper redeemed himself saving at the attacker’s feet but James Graham pounced on the loose ball to tee up Bailey Rice who netted from just inside the box.
Rangers increased their lead a couple of minutes later, Paul Nsio on the right side of the box passed inside to James Graham who dribbled into the box and beat the keeper with a cool finish. A good Rangers passing moved ended with Paul Nsio on the left hand byline, his centre deflected to Arron Lyall who was denied by a Sam Kane diving to his left.
The next chance came when Darren McInally went past a defender and deep into the right side of the box but Sam Kane managed to divert his shot wide of the far post. With two minutes remaining Zander Hutton controlled Bailey Rice’s switch of play to tee up Tyler Pasnik who beat Sam Kane from the edge of the box to complete the scoring.
The final chance came at the other end, Joe Smith sent Rocco Hickey-Fugaccia to the right hand byline and his ball across the face of goal just evaded the in rushing Ross McLean.
Full-Time: Rangers 4 - 0 Queen's Park
Rangers: Mason Munn; Zander Hutton, Connor Allan, Johnly Yfeko (Leyton Grant 75 Mins), Robbie Fraser; Bailey Rice; Cole McKinnon, Arron Lyall; Archie Stevens (Josh Gentles 34 Mins), Paul Nsio (Darren McInally 69 Mins), James Graham (Tyler Pasnik 75 Mins) Not Used: Alfie Halliwell (Gk), Jamie Newton, Findlay Curtis.
Queen's Park: Sam Kane; Zach Mauchin (Joe Smith), William Tizzard, Ben Ferguson, Cammy Bruce; Ricky Waugh (Andy Lind 61 Mins): Arron Healy (Jamie Bradley 75 Mins), Lennon Connolly (Ross McLean 75 Mins); Rocco Hickey-Fugaccia, Alex Fairlie, Lucas McCormick.
Not Used: Archie Graham, Liam McVey, Liam Russell
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