Saturday 16th December 2006
Rangers faced bottom of the table Kilmarnock before a crowd of 88 on a Murray Park pitch which had defied the ravages of the weeks worst weather. Killie, without a single point from their last five league matches, came to Auchenhowie as lambs to the slaughter but their first half performance defied their lowly position in the League.
It was the Light Blues who took the points in the end, but they had to work hard for them, and very hard at that.
The match started well for the home side and they almost took an early lead in the 9th minute when a speculative long range shot from Ross Perry went straight to Killie ‘keeper Peter Logan who got his body behind the ball, only for it to squirm from his grasp and spin towards the goal line, as Logan fumbled the ball back out the Rangers players appealed that it had crossed the line, as did the home fans, but the far side assistant ruled that the whole ball had not crossed the line and waved play on.
Another fine chance came on 23 minutes when a cross from the impressive Steven Kinniburgh was played across the goalmouth only to elude the in rushing Steven Lennon and Rory Loy.
With Rangers failing to find the opening goal the visitors took heart and started to push the home side back.
This was to be Kilmarnock's best period of the match as firstly Blair crossed to McKay only for the centre forward to miss what was an open goal with his headed effort.
Killie's midfield dynamo Scott Anson was covering every blade of grass on the Murray Park pitch as he tried to inspire his team mates through hard graft and his link up play with Daniel McKay resulted in a shot going just wide.
A minute later Anson was involved again when his headed back flick was met perfectly by Paul McInnes but the wingers shot went over the bar.
With the first half drawing to a close McMillan and Lennon tried to get the Light Blues back into it with some good linked play between them which saw Jordan McMillan try a shot from just inside the box only for the ball to bobble and the resultant effort to soar over the bar.
Rangers were than to receive a scare with 2 minutes to the break when Donnelly lobbed Gallacher but the alert Martin Ure was on hand to head clear on the line.
The home sides response was almost immediate as McMillan tried a shot from 25 yards only for the ball to strike the crossbar right on the stroke of half time.
Half–Time Rangers 0 Kilmarnock 0
It was to be a totally different second half with even the weather changing from bright sunshine to torrential rain and the Light Blues then took the match by the scruff of the neck and seven minutes after the restart Sam Woods picked up the ball on the edge of the box and left fly with a pile driver past Logan and into the back of the net to put the home side one up.
A minute later saw the young ‘Gers go two up when Killie defender Thomas Nolan reckoned he was fouled out on the touchline, however the opinion of the terrace side assistant was a throw - in to Rangers which saw a perfect cross from Alan Lowing (fresh from his European debut) find the head of Jordan McMillan who placed the ball into the net with ease.
To make matters worse for the Ayrshire lad he was then booked by referee Martin Cryans for continuing his protestations too long and too loud.
By now Kilmarnock were well and truly on the back foot as the Rangers continually pushed forward for more goals and on 61 minutes Sam Woods broke through, following some impressive play from Lennon and Loy, to score his second and Rangers third.
Seven minutes later Logan was picking the ball out of the back of the net for a fourth occasion, this time from the feet of Lennon after ex-Killie starlet Rory Loy tormented his former colleagues with a perfect square ball to the Rangers hit man who had the easiest of tasks to stroke the ball home.
Loy was unfortunate not to get his name on the score sheet with a late headed effort which went just wide but by the then the match was well won with the three points in the bag.
The Youths now enter their winter shutdown until the weekend of 3rd February 2007 when they head off to tackle the Under 19 team of Falkirk and resume their title challenge.
The Teams;
Rangers – Gallacher, Lowing, Kinniburgh, Perry, Ure, Furman (Little), Woods (McShea), McMillan, Lennon, Loy, Fleck (Stirling).
Subs not used – McLachlan, Van Den Broeck, Donald
Kilmarnock – Logan McGhee, Wright, Nolan, Donnelly, Blair, McInnes, Anson, McKay, Falnnigan, Noble
Subs – Dunn, Kelly, Campbell, Gibson, Brown