chilledbear

Changed days.

THE under-20s excellent pre-season campaign hit new heights tonight following a quite stunning 5-0 demolition of Arbroath’s first team. In shocking conditions at Auchenhowie, Ian Durrant’s side completely dominated and outclassed the experienced League Two side in a display that appeared to be well beyond the side’s young average age. In keeping with all of the under-20s matches so far this pre-season, they began exceptionally well and only a terrific save from Red Lichties’ goalkeeper Allan Flemming prevented Callum Gallagher from opening the scoring inside the opening two minutes. But Gallagher wasn’t to be denied, and he got the rout underway a short while later. Having surged into the box on the left for his first chance, this time he entered the area on the right, and from a pretty acute angle, he shot across goal and saw it nestle in the back of the net after taking a deflection off the inside of the far post. Rangers’ play really was tremendous at times, and first-team star Andy Murdoch soon got in on the act with a truly fabulous goal to make it 2-0. He played a neat one-two with Lewis White before curling a wonderful effort into the top right-hand corner of the goal from the edge of the area. Murdoch’s class really shone through the entire first-half, and his exceptional vision saw him switch a 60-yard diagonal ball onto the toe of the advancing White, but his shot was straight at the goalkeeper. Into the second half, and Durrant made six changes with Craig Halkett, Tom Lang, Darren Ramsay, Josh Jeffries, Dylan Dykes and a trialist replacing Ryan Sinnamon, Max Ashmore, Ross McCrorie, Luca Gasparotto, Ross Lyon and Scott Roberts. But rather than be disrupted by the alterations, the young Gers side accelerated their performance to an even higher level by blasting another three goals past the helpless Flemming. Lewis White was a constant threat throughout the entire evening for Rangers on the left, and he had a hand in goal number three as he got to the byline before cutting a ball back for the unfortunate Graham Hay to turn into his own net. White claimed the goal for himself, and who could blame him given the excellent evening he had. Half-time substitute Tom Lang then added his name to the scoresheet, and he came close to taking the net from its rigging in the process with a quite thunderous header from a Robbie Crawford corner. Arbroath looked shell-shocked at this point, and Darren Ramsay added to their considerable misery with a tremendous fifth goal. Picking the ball up 25-yards from goal on the right-hand side, he took his time to look up, steady himself, and then send a delightful drive into the top corner to provide yet more light on this wettest, windiest July night. Ramsay should have had a sixth in the closing minutes, but when through on goal he misjudged his effort the ball rolled wide of the target. But 5-0 was still a highly impressive score for the young guns, and it sets them up perfectly for their mini-tour of Northern Ireland next week. RANGERS: Kelly, Sinnamon (Halkett, 45), White, Ashmore (Lang, 45), Ross McCrorie (Dykes, 45), Gasparotto (Ramsay, 45), Crawford, Murdoch (Stoney, 65), Gallacher (Brownlie, 65), Lyon (Jeffries, 45), Roberts (Trialist, 45). SUB NOT USED: Robby McCrorie. ARBROATH: Flemming, Wilson, Lowdon, Little, Hay, Clarke, Linn, Gold, Coult, Stewart, Reid. SUBS: Hestor, Grehan, Trialist A, Trialist B, Trialist C, Trialist D, Brodie.

Liam Kelly @liamm_kelly: What a great display that was from the boys, no long balls allowed #tikataka ⚽️

Pinch of salt time. @TransInsider: Got something more solid - Andrew Ferguson (Coach and scout for Sheffield Wednesday) has stated that Rangers have tabled £1m for May.o

I can't believe we are buying players at £200k and the troops are over the moon. Changed days, but something we have needed.

@RFC_Youth: FULL TIME: Rangers 5 Arbroath 0!

@RFC_Youth: 83' Not long left now, and Rangers still lead 5-0 in what is now a monsoon. Durrant's boys deserve praise for how they've handled conditions

Thought I would post this tweet. @Thiepvalwood: @RFC_Youth Its no coincidence that the youths now see a real path to first team. Brilliant, waited years for this set up.

@RFC_Youth: GOAL: Dear me what a goal! Ramsay takes his time to pick his spot before rifling the ball home from all of 25 yards. A peach!

I'm trying to read a book here !!

@RFC_Youth: GOAL! 67' - Darren Ramsay makes it five with another screamer!

@RangersFC: GOAL! 65' - It's 4-0! And it's Tom Lang with a thunderous header from a Crawford corner!

@RFC_Youth: GOAL! It's 3-0 thanks to a Graham Hay own-goal!

@RFC_Youth: 45' - And we're underway again, Halkett, Lang, Dykes, Ramsay and Jeffries have replaced Ashmore, McCrorie, Gasparotto, Lyon and Roberts.

Stevie May next ?

Half-Time 2-0

I'll do what I can mate. Still 2-0 approaching half-time.

From FF MATCH: Rangers under-20s host Arbroath's first-team at Auchenhowie tonight with a 7pm kick-off. RANGERS: Kelly, Sinnamon, White, Ashmore, McCrorie, Gasparotto, Crawford, Murdoch, Gallagher, Lyon, Roberts. RANGERS SUBS: McCrorie, Halkett, Lang, Dykes, Ramsay, Stoney, Brownlie, Jeffries, Brandon, Trialist. ARBROATH: Flemming, Wilson, Lowdon, Little, Hay, Clarke, Linn, Gold, Coult, Stewart, Reid. ARBROATH SUBS: Hester, Grehan, McWalter, Trialist A, Trialist B, Trialist C, Trialist D, Brodie. Updates on Twitter @RFC_Youth

2-0 so far, Gallacher and Murdoch

Tavernier and Waghorn done deals, according to poster on FF.

Thanks Ian, an excellent read. We are going from the 20th Century to the 21st Century.

According to FF We have made an improved offer for Tavernier.

Andy Halliday was one of two triallists to feature for Warburton’s side on the night, and the manager was happy with the former Bradford City man’s contribution. He said: “He did very well. He has trained with us from the outset and I was very impressed with him. Hopefully we can move that forward now.”

RANGERS are delighted to announce the signing of central-midfielder Jordan Thompson on a two-year deal. The 18-year-old from Northern Ireland has put pen to paper on a contract that will keep him at Ibrox until at least 2017. Although the youngster was initially acquired as an academy signing he has immediately impressed manager Mark Warburton and has been taking part in first-team training. He is a former Manchester United academy player, having spent four years with the English club before his release this summer. Thompson travelled to London with the first team to play in their training game with Spurs on Friday and as a lifelong Rangers fan it is a dream come true to be playing for the Glasgow club. Speaking to Rangers TV Thompson said: “It’s been brilliant so far. For the first few days I was training with the under 20s, and then I was training with the first team. “It was a brilliant feeling signing my contract - I’ve been over for a match before with my dad, but today it was just amazing to sign. “Ian Durrant and Craig Mulholland came over to have a chat with me in Belfast at the end of last season to let me know they were interested. “Then there was a scout from Northern Ireland, who got in contact with my mum about two weeks ago, then I came over on trial and I must have done well. “There were a few other clubs that I was on trial at, but when I came to Rangers I really enjoyed it. “Craig said to me that he had heard about me and had heard good things, and I did well in Ian Durrant’s team when I first arrived so I was then shown round to the first team wing and hopefully I can stay there. “I’m very creative within the middle of the park. I can tackle and make a good pass, and hopefully I can show fans that over the next few seasons. “It was brilliant to travel down to London with the first team, and I got the last half-hour and did quite well with them. “To run out at Ibrox would be a dream come true being a Rangers fan - it would leave me speechless.” http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/9613-belfast-boy-signs-up

http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/rangerstv/item/9612-highlights-rangers-6-tynecastle-0