Partick Thistle 0-3 Reserves

[Rangers Football Club 0]

RANGERS produced a dominant display in East Kilbride as they comfortably eased to a 3-0 victory over Partick Thistle to maintain some pressure on Reserve League leaders Morton.

 

 

Goals from Francesco Stella, Stuart Urquhart and Tom Walsh secured a win that might have been more emphatic if Rangers had taken all off their chances and also not come up against a decent keeper in James Wightman.

 

However, it was deeply satisfying win for Tommy Wilson and his young side who featured top team squad men like Kyle Hutton, Fraser Aird, Robbie Crawford and Kal Naismith.

 

Stella was in the mood early in the game showing good pace and ability on the left side producing two good crosses in the first eight minutes but there were no takers.

 

And then in 11 minutes he cut inside and hammered a right foot shot which Thistleâ??s diminutive keeper James Wightman did well to block.

 

Six minutes earlier Kal Naismith was only just wide with a cute flick from six yards after Fraser Aird and Stella had worked a short corner.

 

It was a good positive start from Wilsonâ??s side and they came close again in 14 minutes when Jags defender Aaaron Sekhon inadvertently headed Matt Clarkeâ??s ball into the path of Callum Gallagher who raced on and fired a low shot but again Wightman did well.

 

Naismith thought he should have had a penalty in 16 minutes when Wightman seemed to pull him down but a decision was not given.

 

Then a minute later the Thistle made a good smothering save to deny Stella from close range.

 

Thistle, however, forced their way into the game in 19 minutes when David Wilson broke away after a Rangers corner and set up Christie Elliott who produced a good strike but Scott Gallagher was equal to it, pushing the ball past the right post.

 

It seemed to spark the First Division side to life as Mark McGuigan then had a long-range shot saved and in 24 minutes centre back Liam Lindsay missed with a close range header from Johnny Blackâ??s corner.

 

However, Rangers roared back to life in 28 minutes when they took the lead in a move started and finished by Stella.

 

The Aussie winger worked his way cross-field and then found Aird on the right. He ran into the box and controlled a lovely floated pass from Aird before smashing the ball past Wightman.

 

Kyle Hutton increasingly became the most influential figure on the field with his control in midfield and range of passing.

 

Indeed he came so close to a second Rangers goal in 36 minutes when he worked a great one-two with Naismith but was denied by Wightmanâ??s great save.

 

Gallagher had two decent chances before halt-time. He should have done better with Naismithâ??s cut-back in 37 minutes but shot weakly then pushed a shot wide in 42 minutes.

 

Wilson made a switch at half-time bringing on Darren Ramsey for Aird but Gallagherâ??s misfortune continued. He was played in by Hutton in 61 minutes but the keeper saved his effort and then he fouled Wightman going for the rebound.

 

Gallagherâ??s match was over in 67 minutes when Jamie Burrows replaced him and Rangers remained reasonably comfortable in their lead. Thistle had had a couple of half-chances but the Light Blues were largely in control.

 

They needed a second goal, however, and they got it in 73 minutes though but centre back Stuart Urquhart.

 

The defender had stayed up following a corner and when the ball was well-worked down the left he had the simplest of chances to score at the back post from Robbie Crawfordâ??s low cross.

 

That was probably enough to seal the win but Rangers scored a special third goal through Tom Walsh.

 

The young winger had come on for Naismith and with less than four minutes remaining he produced a lovely chip shot which floated over Wightman and into the net.

 

RANGERS: 1-Gallacher; 2-Cole, 4-Urquhart, 5-Wilson, 3-Clarke; 6-Hutton, 8-Crawford; 7-Aird (12-Ramsay 45), 10-Naismith (14-Walsh 81), 11-Stella; 9-Gallagher (16-Burrows 67)

 

Subs not used: 15-Currie, 17-Telfer.

 

PARTICK THISTLE: 1-Wightman; 2-Wilson, 5-Lindsay, 6-Sekhon, 3-Keenan; 8-Rowson, 4-Halsman, 8-Gallagher; 11-Elliott, 9-McGuigan, 7-Black.

 

Subs: 14-Leyden, 16-McLean, 17-Moffat.

 

 

 

 

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