Stephen Dobbie was the five-goal hero as Rangers overwhelmed Partick Thistle 8-0 in tonight’s SPL Under-21 League fixture at Firhill.
Rangers fielded very much a young side against a Jags’ side that was much more experienced, including the likes of Chic Charnley, Jamie Dolan and Derek Fleming.
Dobbie it was who opened the scoring in the tenth minute when he took possession of a Steven McLean lay-off to rifle home a twenty-yard drive.
Thistle goalkeeper Kevin Budinauckas was at fault when Goal Number Two arrived in twenty minutes when he fumbled a Charlie Adam free-kick, enabling McLean to net from close range.
The Ibrox men were proving to be devastating on the counter-attack, and it was a long pass by Andy Dowie that dissected the home defence in 32 minutes, releasing Dobbie who superbly chipped Budinauckas from the edge of the box to make it 3-0.
It was Dobbie again three minutes later when the Rangers’ striker completed his hat-trick by sweeping home a Chris Burke cutback.
Perhaps the goal of the night was Number Five – a magnificent effort by Burke who seized on Stephen Hughes’ crossfield pass to control the ball with his chest before advancing on the Thistle goal and chipping the ball into the net in 63 minutes.
Thistle were being torn to shreds by some devastating football – but had only themselves to blame for the loss of a sixth goal in 72 minutes, Jamie Dolan losing possessing to Steven McLean who stuck the ball away.
Not to be outdone, Stephen Dobbie scored his fourth of the night with nine minutes remaining when he converted a McLean pass, and fittingly with the last kick of the game Dobbie made it 8-0 and a personal five when he headed home a Burke cross.
Team: McGregor; Reid, Walker; Dowie, Hughes, W. Gibson; C. Adam (Gebbie 72), McHale, McLean, Dobbie, Burke