The quest to find meaningful competitive games for the B Team/Colts continues and last night’s stroll against a young Partick Thistle side wasn’t one of them. The Thistle youngsters barely forced Rangers into taking a goal kick.

The idea of a revamped Glasgow Cup was great in theory and looked good on paper, Rangers and Celtic would field Under 21 sides against the first teams of Partick Thistle, Queen’s Park and Clyde. In reality this was never going to happen, so much so that Clyde no longer enter the competition while Partick Thistle and Queens Park will always prioritise their league campaign.

When Rangers defeated Queens Park 4-0 in October, Queens fielded all their substitutes from their previous league game. None of Thistle’s squad from last night have been near their recent first team squads and last night’s squad was their Under 18 youth cup side with one or two slightly older players.

Rangers took the lead on six minutes, Conor Storey’s attempted pass out from his goal went straight to Arron Lyall and when he played the ball forward Josh Gentles got a touch to guide the ball past the keeper. A couple of minutes later a superb turn from Josh Gentles inside the left side of the box made space for the shot that Conor Storey diverted onto his right hand post.

Rangers next chance came when Robbie Fraser advanced on the left and Paul Nsio looked sure to score from the cross but headed wide of the far post. Rangers soon doubled their lead when Paul Nsio broke forward and played Archie Stevens through on the right side of the box where he shot past the keeper.

Midway through the half it was three, a sharp passing moving move ended with Archie Stevens going past Conor Storey and from the left hand byline his cutback presented Cole McKinnon with a simple finish. Rangers scored a fourth just before the break, Bailey Rice picked out Paul Nsio inside the left side of the box and he passed inside to Josh Gentles who shot past the keeper.

Half-Time: Rangers 4 - 0 Partick Thistle

The second half was eight minutes old when Tyler Pasnik won possession and broke into the right side of the box, from his cross to the back post Arron Lyall’s cushioned pass teed up Findlay Curtis’s volley but he was denied by a stunning Conor Storey save. Rangers fifth goal came three minutes later, the ball was switched to Robbie Fraser and his first time pass sent Josh Gentles down the left and from his centre Paul Nsio shot past the keeper.

The game was inside the final ten minutes when Tyler Pasnik broke into the right side of the box with Luis Cameron making the save. Bailey Rice then cut in from the right hand angle of the box, his shot was heading for the net until Luis Cameron got down to his right to touch the ball onto the post.

Rangers were continuing to dominate and create chances, Robbie Fraser sent Jamie Newton down the left and his centre picked out Tyler Pasnik who saw his shot deflected wide of the keeper’s right hand post. Rangers sixth goal came with five minutes remaining, from Jamie Newton’s challenge the ball broke to Josh Gentles who advanced into the left side of the box and shot across the keeper to complete his hat-trick.

Rangers ended the game with another couple of opportunities, Arron Lyall broke on the right and from his low cross Findlay Curtis shot over. Luis Cameron was then called into action saving Bailey Rice’s shot from inside the right side of the box.

Full-Time: Rangers 6 - 0 Partick Thistle

Rangers: Mason Munn; Zander Hutton (Leyton Grant 62 Mins), Connor Allan, Johnly Yfeko, Robbie Fraser; Bailey Rice; Cole McKinnon (Findlay Curtis HT), Arron Lyall; Paul Nsio (Jamie Newton 61 Mins); Archie Stevens (Tyler Pasnik HT), Josh Gentles.
Not Used: Alfie Halliwell (Gk), Greig Allen, Darren McInally.

Partick Thistle: Conor Story (Luis Cameron 66 Mins); Jamie Taggart, Matthew Monaghan, Aiden McEwan, Toby Ferrie; Matthew Falconer, Ben McKenna; Aiden McGinlay, Thomas Horn, Cieran Loney; Sallu Turey.
Not Used: Jamie Low, Ryan Gaughan, Nick Lockhart, Sean O’Donnell.