U19 report - Rangers 5 Kilmarnock 1

The match was slow in starting as both sides struggled to find any goal scoring opportunities in the first half hour before Andy Shinney had a shot which curled narrowly round the post. That signalled Ranges to up the tempo and after 33 minutes the breakthrough came when a cross in from the left was met by John Johnston whose header found the target and broke the deadlock. It took Rangers 10 minutes after the break to double their lead when Brian Gilmour swerved a 23 yard free kick over the Kilmarnock defensive wall and past Logan into the corner of the net. Only a minute later Stevie Lennon ran clear onto a through ball into the 18 yard box and slid his shot passed the despairing Logan to put the match beyond the Ayrshire side. Finding the match slipping beyond them, Kilmarnock started to show signs of improvement and increased the pressure on the Rangers defence for the first considerable time in the match. Their determination paid off when good wing play by Kyle Wright out on the left wing saw his perfect cross met by the head of Steven Noble and his accurately placed effort evaded Reidford to pull one back on 62 minutes. That sparked a revival of spirit from Rangers as Kilmarnock threatened to bring the match back within their reach and a skilful and determined run from Scotland Under 17 Internationalist Andy Shinney saw him take on and dribble past four opponents as he made his way into the box to give himself a shot at goal but disappointingly his shot just went wide. As the play started to swing back in favour of Rangers, John Johnston found himself in space and the ball at his feet just outside the box, he composed himself before shooting past Logan to reopen ‘Gers 3 goal advantage over Killie and end the Rugby Park sides fight back. 7 minutes from time saw Stevie Lennon get his second goal of the morning when slack play at the back caught out the Kilmarnock defence and allowed him to be played through with just the keeper to beat, which he did to round off a very convincing win for Rangers. Rangers – Reidford, McMillan, Ure, Frizzell, Smith, Emslie (Crooks 72), Lennon, Gilmour, Johnston, Shinney, Agnew. Kilmarnock – Logan, McGhee, Wright, Campbell, Wilde, Noble, Flannagan, Bryson, Cox, Coyne, Loy