Rangers Colts' SPFL Trophy run came to an end at Cappielow tonight against an Airdrie side that included six former Rangers players in their starting XI. In a game where there were chances at both ends they were perhaps a bit unfortunate not to take the game to a penalty shoot out.

Rangers had an early chance when Joshua Rae’s poor clearance went straight to Josh Gentles, his shot from the right hand angle of the box took a nick off a defender allowing the keeper to get back and turn the ball wide of his left hand post. The corner was cleared as far as Cole McKinnon inside the left side of the box but he shot over.

Rangers took the lead on four minutes, Kieran Dowell played the ball forward and as James Graham chased towards the edge of the box Joshua Rae came from his goal, the Rangers attacker went past the keeper into the left side of the box and unselfishly squared for Josh Gentles to fire into the net. The lead lasted six minutes, Josh O’Connor attacked on the right and passed inside to Gabby McGill he moved the ball onto Callum Gallagher who shot past Mason Munn.

Airdrie took the lead just beyond the quarter hour mark, Josh O’Connor broke on the right before passing inside to Gabby McGill who fired high into the net. On twenty minutes Charlie Telfer’s long ball sent Gabby McGill racing through the inside right channel with Robbie Fraser getting back to make a fine challenge.

Nine minutes before the break a great turn and shot on the left hand angle of the box from Arron Lyall was only just wide of the far post. At the other end Elliot Dunlop crossed from the left but Josh O’Connor’s shot was weak and Mason Munn saved comfortably.

Half-Time: Rangers 1 - 2 Airdrie

Airdrie increased their lead eight minutes into the second half, Josh O’Connor raced down the right before passing inside for Gabby McGill to score his second of the match. Rangers came close around the hour mark, Arron Lyall’s cross to the back post from the left hand angle of the box was volleyed by Cole McKinnon but it was too straight and Joshua Rae kept it out.

Within a minute a neat Cole McKinnon back heel teed up Kieran Dowell inside the right side of the box to shoot past Joshua Rae. With the final quarter hour approaching Kieran Dowell had an effort from the right hand angle of the box that was straight at Joshua Rae.

Rangers couldn’t have come any closer to an equaliser with nine minutes remaining, Cole McKinnon broke forward and sent Connor Allan down the right, he received the return pass on the edge of the box and fired a shot which struck the underside of the bar and bounced down on the line. At the other end Nikolay Todorov looked sure to score when the ball broke kindly inside the box but he shot wide of Mason Munn’s right hand post.

In the final minute Rhys McCabe fired a twenty-five yard and left of centre free-kick past Mason Munn which the keeper seemed to anticipate was gong wide of his right hand post.

Full-Time: Rangers 2 - 4 Airdrie

Rangers: Mason Munn; Zander Hutton (Leyton Grant 75 Mins), Connor Allan, Johnly Yfeko, Robbie Fraser; Bailey Rice; Cole McKinnon, Arron Lyall; Kieran Dowell (Paul Nsio 75 Mins); Josh Gentles (Findlay Curtis 90+1 Mins), James Graham.
Not Used: Alfie Halliwell (Gk), Greig Allen, Jamie Newton, Darren McInally, Tyler Pasnik, Blaine McClure

Airdrie: Joshua Rae; Craig Watson, Rhys McCabe, Cammy Ballantyne (Joe Cassidy 68 Mins); Lewis McGregor, Adam Frizzell (Dean McMaster 75 Mins), Charlie Telfer, Elliot Dunlop; Gabby McGill; Josh O’Connor (Nikolay Todorov 83 Mins), Callum Gallagher (Liam McStravick 68 Mins)
Not Used: David Hutton (GK), Cade Melrose (Gk), Aaron Taylor-Sinclair, Tom Kavanagh, Alisdair Spalsing.