Burke the star as early goals help Gers to comprehensive victory.
They say class will always tell, and Aberdeen found that to their cost
tonight as Rangers Under 21's threatened to obliterate the young Dons within the first ten minutes, running out 4-1 victors at a windy Broadwood.
The decent crowd gathered at the Cumbernauld Riviera to witness the first
home game of the under 21 season had barely time to blink as Rangers took the game to Aberdeen. The attacking formation chosen by coach John Brown paid dividends as within six and a half minutes his team had amassed a three goal cushion. Chris Burke had a role in all of them: the first resulting
from a cross from the right that was expertly flicked home by Shota
Arveladze.
Within a minute of the restart Rangers doubled their advantage,
when a corner from Burke was blocked and the subsequent cross ball headed into the net by Nuno Capucho. Aberdeen then had one of their rare first half attacks and were only denied by a keen stop by Jepser Christiansen (remember him?). Stung by this impudence the incisive front three of Rangers conspired for goal number three, Capucho playing a lovely pass through to Burke who was fouled inside the box. Arveladze, so keen to take penalties toward the end of last season, slotted home the ball and it was three nil and goodnight. The wind howled and the gap in quality between the teams threatened to initiate a score of Tsunami proportions.
The game was already over as a contest by this early mark so it became
interesting to study the performances of those hoping to move up to the
first team in the immediate future. Capucho and Vanoli, for all the nice
touches, did not seem to be either 100% interested or 100% fit. Indeed it
was the much maligned Shota Arveladze who impressed most of the supposed star names; tracking back for the ball, looking sharp in possession and showing a high level of appetite and professionalism. Even then, he
committed a Shotaesque sin in the 34th minute, as he made room in the box
for a shot (flicking the ball impressively over an Aberdeen player) only to
despatch the leather mass towards Stirling. Bob Malcolm was booked for a
stupid tackle and found time for a rugby punt that breached the protective
cover of the floodlights - one nameless chap at half time remarked that
"It's nice tae see Boab here. He's found his level'.
Despite Rangers continuing to dominate, Aberdeen were next to threaten. A
corner from the right saw Kevin McNaughton's aerial effort come back off the bar and earn him a sore knock into the bargain. Rangers took until the 24th minute before increasing the lead. Capucho flicked the ball on for Burke who, at the second time of trying to control the ball in the wind, flashed home an impressive shot from 15 yards. Burke almost added to the tally on 37 minutes, single-handedly toying with the Aberdeen rearguard before putting the ball through the legs of Souter and seeing his resultant lob over Hutton hit the woodwork.
Half time brought no changes in personnel but heralded a huge change in the
entertainment levels. Stereotypes are based in truth and this game of two
halfs bored the collective arse off the paying punters as the second period
descended into drudgery.
The second half was only punctuated and elevated by the wondrous tricks and direct running of Chris Burke, who, with better finishing and a bit of luck, could have added a couple more goals. Aberdeen came back into the game more but few attempts on target troubled either goalie. A rasping shot by Alan 'Len' Hutton on 69 minutes roused the watching punters from their Siberian lethargy and seemed to inspire one last attempt by Burke to walk the ball past another few defenders. The player certainly deserves his chance in the first team squad this season, and, reservations over height and strengt aside, certainly seems the most well equipped of the youth contingent.
The central midfield duo of Walker and Gibson were effective, if lacking in
flair. Defensively there was little to trouble, and thus little to base a judgement on.
The final few moments saw consolation for Aberdeen, as Lee Hinds capped a performance redolent of senior fixtures between these teams (bleating and
moaning, kicking and pulling) with an excellent low drive from outside the
box which left Christiansen helpless and nestled in the back of the pen.
Five players were booked (Malcolm and McLeod for Rangers) for a mixture of mistimed and daft challenges, in a match low on malice and bereft of the poison found at senior level. All in all tonight's game was a big improvement on last week, in terms of both performance and result.
Rangers Under 21's play Hibernian next Monday and are at home to Dundee United on Monday the 1st of September.
MDC
RANGERS
1 Jesper Christiansen
2 Alan Hutton
3 Steven Smith
4 Bob Malcolm
5 Chris McLeod
6 Billy Gibson, capt
7 Chris Burke
8 Alexander Walker
9 Nuno Capucho
10 Shota Arveladze
11 Paolo Vanoli
12 Tom Brighton
13 No-one!
14 Darryl Duffy
15 Robert Davidson
16 Callum Reidford (Goalie)
17 Charlie Adam
ABERDEEN
1 David Hutton
2 Stephen Payne
3 Murray McCulloch
4 Kevin Souter
5 Craig Higgins
6 Kevin McNaughton, capt
7 Darren Mackie
8 Christopher Clark
9 Laurent D’Jaffo
10 Leigh Hinds
11 Scott Muirhead
12 Duncan Jones
13 Greg Kelly, goalie
14 Richard Foster
15 Richard Buckley
16 Stephen Tarditi