Despite a sustained period of pressure in the second half, it was Rangers who came away with all three points yesterday in CAS Under 18 Elite League at Lochinch.
Rangers kicked off and pushed the wee Spiders back from the off. Their speedy wingers, Lewis Stewart and Oliver Goodbrand, were attempting to stretch the home defence to find gaps.
In the eighth minute Milosz Sliwinski was called into action to block a shot after the Ibrox side intercepted a pass out from the Queen’s defence.
Rangers piled on the pressure and three minutes later Calum Burnside had a shot from the edge of the box, which narrowly missed the target.
After an opening twenty minutes of Rangers pressure, Queen’s started to make inroads into the Rangers defence. Sam MacLachlan and Matthew Murray-Smith were combing well down the left to deliver balls into the box.
In the 21st minute Aidan McGinlay had a superb strike when he picked up the ball wide right, cut inside, raced past two defenders before hitting a shot from the edge of the box which Rydnn McGuire, in goal for Rangers, had to move fast to block.
Queen’s continued to press and were unlucky in the 30th minute when William Thomson has a shot from 20 yards out which skimmed the bar.
In the 39th minute Rangers opened the scoring. A slack clearance out from the Queen’s defence, was intercepted. The ball was squared to CALLUM BURNSIDE, who slotted the ball over the advancing Milosz Sliwinski into the empty net.
Half-time: Queen’s Park 18s 0 Rangers 18s 1
Rangers started the second half strongly and should have increased their lead in the 54th minute when Lewis Stewart was through on goal, only to see his effort miss the target.
As in the first half, Queen’s absorbed a lot of pressure before starting to push up. About the 65th minute mark the wee Spiders took control of the game with Daniel Matheson and Aiden McGinlay controlling the midfield.
In the 72nd minute Queen’s went close, when after controlled build up play Nathan Lees fired off a shot from just inside the box only to see the Rangers keeper pull off yet another excellent save.
Queen’s continued to dominate the ball but always had to be conscious of the speed of the ‘Gers forward in any fast break situation. An example of which was in the 82nd minute Cole Burke produced an outstanding interception to prevent the ball reaching Lyle Wark, who was free inside the Queen’s box.
Just when it looked like perhaps Queen’s would get something out of all the pressure they have been applying for most of the final 25 minutes, it was Rangers who doubled their lead a minute later when JACK WYLIE rose above the Queen’s defence to head home a cross from wide left.
Full-time: Queen’s Park 18s 0 Rangers 18s 2
Queen’s Park: Milosz Sliwinski, Leo Clark, Finn Morrow, Leo Fisher, Cole Burke, Daniel Matheson, Aiden McGinlay, William Thomson, Godspower Oguama, Sam MacLachlan, Matthew Murray-Smith. Subs: Rory Campbell, Kyle Murray, Jaden Riddell, Nathan Lees, Jamie Shields, Kai Williamson, Alfie Lunsden.
Rangers: Rydnn McGuire, Arran Kerr, Cameron Scott, Jack Wylie, Connor Campbell, Blaine McClure, Lewis Stewart, Aiden McCallion, Christopher Eadie, Callum Burnside, Oliver Goodbrand. Subs: Sam Reid, Grant Leitch, Cameron Fernie, Aiden Crilly, Lyle Wark, Alexander Smith, Alfie Hutchison.