Rangers on full points

Surridge Sectional League Cup Section 8

RANGERS’ very first match against West Region newcomers, Rossvale, proved to be a decisive victory which leaves them as clear leaders of the cup section after two games.

Although based in Bishopbriggs, Rossvale are currently playing their home matches at Petershill Park.

They had a mix of young players with two ex-Rangers in their side, Connor O’Boyle in goal and old Duncansfield favourite, Paul Campbell.

Rangers got off to a flyer with a rather soft penalty award within two minutes – an accidental handling of the ball by a Rossvale defender saw the referee give the penalty and Joe Barclay converted it well.

It was all Rangers and in 15 minutes Barclay picked up a loose ball and ran in to pick his spot.

A few minutes later he had the chance to make it a hat-trick but sent the ball wide from four yards.

It was all Rangers. Rossvale were barely visible in attack and there could easily have been at least another couple of goals added before half-time.

Five minutes into the second half Dalrymple made a great run in and supplied a perfect pass for Kyle Dempsey to make it three.

The floodgates had opened and it was not long before Francis Kelly had added a fourth with a 25-yard shot and McLelland made it five.

Rossvale did manage to pull one back when Alan Sime got the break of the ball and ran in to slip the ball home.

It was not the end of the scoring though. late in the game Nimmo got Rangers’ sixth with a header from around six yards.

A very easy win it has to be said, but Rangers are playing some very attractive football and the prospects for the coming season look good with several players still to come back in to the squad.

KILSYTH: Stewart, Scott, Carr, Doyle, Hughes, McLellan, Dolan, Waters, Dempsey, Barclay, Dalrymple. Subs: Nimo, McAteer, McEwan, Kelly, Reid, Kidd.

Rangers visit Cumbernauld United tonight in the League Cup and on Saturday host Petershill for a friendly fixture, at 2pm.

Next Wednesday, Rob Roy come to Kilsyth for the final match in the qualifying section, before the league season gets underway on Saturday, August 13, with Shotts Bon Accord visiting Duncansfield for a 2pm kick-off.

Dunipace 1 Kilsyth Rangers 2

Surridge Sectional League Cup Section 8

RANGERS took the points in their opening match of the Sectional League Cup, but not without getting a little scare along the way.

Dunipace scored first and held on to the lead until very late in the game, indeed the winning goal only came deep in added time.

Still Rangers were clearly the better side for most of the match but found a goal elusive until Joe Barclay came on as a late substitute.

Rangers opened brightly and for the first quarter of an hour it looked like it might be a fairly easy win.

Dunipace had other ideas and gradually came back into it. On the half-hour mark when McIlduff got onto a long ball and took it into the box before knocking it past goalkeeper Kidd.

Not much changed in the early part of the second half and just on the hour mark manager Eric Sinclair made a couple of changes bringing on Darren Dalrymple and James McAteer and very soon the pattern of the game was completely altered.

Dunipace were pinned right back into their own half and chances were coming thick and fast; shots were going in from all angles and only bad luck, the posts and some good goalkeeping were keeping the ball from the net. With just over ten minutes remaining and still no goals forthcoming another change was made with Joe Barclay being brought on.

The effect was almost immediate, within a minute he bundled the ball in after an assault on the ‘Pace goal. Rangers kept up the pressure and made numerous further chances but it was at least two minutes into added time when they eventually got the winner, and a cracking goal it was – Callum Scott hitting a great 30-yard shot to the net.

Very late, but a well deserved win in the end, a good start to the competition.

KILSYTH: Kidd, Scott, Waters, Doyle, Hughes, McLellan, Dolan, Nimmo, Dempsey, McEwan, Kelly. Subs: McAteer, Barclay, Dalrymple, Reid, Stewart (GK).