U21 League - Rangers 1-1 Dundee United

RANGERS 1-1 DUNDEE UNITED



Owen Coyle 21



Tom Brighton 26

Att - 749

Played at Broadwood Stadium, Monday, 7pm

Dire draw as Under 21 team disappoint.

A healthy crowd of 749 came to Broadwood: a number swelled by the appearance of new signings Emerson and Ostenstad. On the basis of the entertainment offered this evening the initiative to offer season ticket holders free entry may have to extend to paying them for their troubles.

Make no mistake about it; this was a poor game and a performance that will offer little comfort to coach John Brown. The visitors were comfortably a match for Rangers in a match riddled with errors and abysmal finishing. It would be excruciating to list all of the lapses but a few choice recollections will suffice.

The home side lined up with a flat back four, with Mo Ross back at his former position of centre half and Billy Gibson asked to fill the left sided defensive role. An old friend of Rangers, Andy McLaren, gave Gibson a hard time for forty minutes before the former Killie enigma expired from injury. By which I mean he was replaced. Early exchanges saw Egil Ostenstad display some strength and directness, but unfortunately for Rangers his shooting boots appear to be in transit on the M6.

A succession of early shots from in and around the edge of the box saw United keeper Jarvie untested, as the advertising hoardings bore the brunt of the impact. The flow of the match was disturbed early by unnecessary fouls and pernickety officiating but the closest we came to a goal was in the nineteenth minute. Kenny Jarvis was put through after a mistake in judgement by Ross, but when it may have been easier to score the youngster continued the tactic of dragging the ball wide of the post.

This warning went unheeded by the home team and just two minutes later a Mclaren cross across the box was hit by McGowan and deflected past Smith by the Old Man of the Sea, Owen Coyle. Loathe him or just hate him, Coyle's effort, application and constant attempts to encourage and wind up his own team mates show a professional player who does not know how to go through the motions.

As if shocked into life Rangers, and Emerson in particular, sought to get back on equal terms. The lead held by the visitors lasted only five minutes. A foul on Emerson presented Rangers with a free kick from just over twenty yards out and Tom Brighton's crisp, if not electric, effort found its way into the net via a fumble by the United stopper. A soft goal indeed, but strangely appropriate to this particular match. Dundee United should have been in front by half time but McGowan reacted too slowly to another McLaren cross and despite the Tangerine Terrors racking up a multitude of corners the teams were all square at the interval.

The lack of fluidity displayed by the half team did not seem to have been corrected by Brown's half time words of wisdom but the second half did at least present the punters with some lovely touches by Emerson and an attempt by Burke and Brighton, amongst others, to be more direct and willing to take on a man. The increasingly bizarre display by the diminutive referee created many of the talking points of the second period, as bookings and frankly comical histrionics took over. Hutton was booked for a 1970's style hack but other offences found no similar punishment. Smith was the goalkeeper tested more directly in the second forty-five but the level of finishing remained poor.

Ostenstad began to tire up front and Hughes appeared to run out of gas, showing disappointing signs of physical weakness in the tackle.

Substitutes Adam and Conway, for Rangers and United respectively, missed good chances to settle matters but despite the attempts by Burke to walk through the visitor's rearguard a winner looked to be beyond both teams. The final effort of the match, a free kick by Adam that went high, wide and ugly, spoke volumes for the lack of quality finishing on display.

All in all, it was a night to forget for the purist. The fact that John Brown is hampered in his attempts to pick a consistent side should be noted but there was little on show tonight from the younger members of the team to inspire. Ostenstad and Emerson both showed signs of class but their fitness levels need some work yet.

The next under 21 game is on the 15th of September against Dunfermline (away).

RANGERS

1 Graeme Smith
2 Alan Hutton
3 Maurice Ross
4 Emerson Costa
5 Chris McLeod
6 Billy Gibson
7 Chris Burke
8 Steven Hughes
9 Egil Ostenstad
10 Trialist - French North African
11 Tom Brighton

12 Alex Walker
13
14 Daniele Fortunato
15 Charlie Adam
16 Richard White (gk)
17 Robert Davidson

DUNDEE UNITED

1 Paul Jarvie
2 Andrew Hunter
3 Jim Paterson
4 Mark Wilson
5 Steven Anderson
6 Gary Bollan
7 Andy McLaren
8 Craig Easton
9 Owen Coyle
10 Stephen McGowan
11 Kenny Jarvis

12 Stephen Bell
13
14 Aaron Conway
15 Graeme Holmes
16 Ross Gardiner
17 Gavin McCann (gk)

Att - 749

Played at Broadwood Stadium