Rangers Youths Reach Cup Final

[ian1964 10,416]

Rangers Youth ‏@RFC_Youth 1m

 

FT' - There's no doubt the Light Blues merited a hard-fought win and now they'll play Hearts for the trophy. It's finished 1-0 in Paisley!

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Rangers Youth ‏@RFC_Youth 1m

 

FT' - It's all over! Rangers' game of patience pays off and they're into the SFA Youth Cup final, with Ramsay's goal winning it for them

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Rangers Youth ‏@RFC_Youth 18m

 

105' - It's Ramsay's last contribution too as he is then subbed for Scott Roberts. Rangers are 15 minutes from the final, come on!

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Rangers Youth ‏@RFC_Youth 18m

 

105' - In the last action before the half-time whistle, he collects from Sinnamon and lifts over the keeper from the edge of the area. 1-0!

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Rangers Youth ‏@RFC_Youth 19m

 

105' - At last, right on the stroke of half-time in extra time, Rangers make a breakthrough and it's richly deserved as Darren Ramsay nets!

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Rangers Youth ‏@RFC_Youth 20m

 

105' - GOOOOOOOOOOOAL RANGERS!

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Rangers Youth ‏@RFC_Youth 27m

 

98' - Rangers make their second change, with Ryan Hardie replacing Jamie Burrows in attack. Still 0-0 against St Mirren in Paisley

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Rangers Youth ‏@RFC_Youth 34m

 

91' - And extra-time is underway. With the game still goalless, Hearts await the winners in the final after they beat Kilmarnock yesterday

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Rangers Youth ‏@RFC_Youth 39m

 

FT' - It's still 0-0 here at St Mirren Park which means we're heading for extra-time in today's SFA Youth Cup semi-final. Come on Rangers!

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Rangers Youth ‏@RFC_Youth 1h

 

72' - Rangers make their first change as they push for a winner, with striker Danny Stoney coming on in place of defender Greg Pascazio

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Rangers Youth ‏@RFC_Youth 1h

 

57' - Midfielder Charlie Telfer drills the resulting free kick into the wall as the hosts hang on to parity. It's still 0-0 here in Paisley

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Rangers Youth ‏@RFC_Youth 1h

 

57' - RED CARD! Saints' Barry Caddihy takes down Darren Ramsay just outside the area and is dismissed for denying a goalscoring opportunity

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Rangers Youth ‏@RFC_Youth 1h

 

46' - The Light Blues had the better chances in a first half played in windy conditions but so far haven't been able to make a breakthrough

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Rangers Youth ‏@RFC_Youth 1h

 

46' - The second half is underway as #Rangers look to make a breakthrough here in Paisley against the Buddies in the SFA Youth Cup semis

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Rangers Youth ‏@RFC_Youth 1h

 

HT' - The opening 45 minutes have come and gone without any goals here at windy St Mirren Park and it's 0-0 at the halfway point of the game

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Rangers Youth ‏@RFC_Youth 2h

 

We'll have live updates from St Mirren Park right here as the goals and major incidents comes. Kick-off is a little over 15 minutes away!

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Rangers Youth ‏@RFC_Youth 2h

 

St Mirren sit second bottom of the league but have won three of their last six games. Gers are third but are without a win in three outings

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Rangers Youth ‏@RFC_Youth 2h

 

#Rangers have met St Mirren twice in the SPFL U20 League this season, winning 2-1 in Paisley in September then 4-0 at Murray Park in January

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Rangers Youth ‏@RFC_Youth 2h

 

Here's today's team sheet. Gers make two changes from Tuesday, with Pascazio and Burrows replacing Gibson and Walsh pic.twitter.com/bP6p4m1ZHQ

 

https://twitter.com/RFC_Youth

[ian1964 10,416]

[ian1964 10,416]

U20: St Mirren 0-1 Rangers

 

 

 

DARREN RAMSAY’S goal in extra-time gave Rangers a narrow but deserved win over St Mirren to seal a place in the SFA Youth Cup final against Hearts.

 

The Light Blues dominated for large spells against the Buddies in Paisley but found a stubborn home rearguard in no mood to make life easy for them.

 

That meant a game of patience ensued and it eventually paid off for Gers as they went in front midway through the additional half hour of play.

 

Ramsay’s stunning effort from 18 yards was enough to separate the sides and that means they’ll play the Jambos in the competition’s deciding match.

 

A date for that fixture is yet to be announced but it’s a just reward for Gordon Durie’s kids after they showed great battling qualities to grind this one out.

 

Rangers were looking for a victory which would take them into the final of the competition for the first time in three years as they bid to win it for the first time since 2009.

 

They came up against a Saints side which they had already beaten in both SPFL Under-20 League fixtures this season.

 

Having won 2-1 in Paisley back in September, they followed that up with a 4-0 rout of the Buddies in January at Murray Park.

 

For all that, the second-bottom hosts went into this one having won three of their last six matches, while Gers were without a victory in a trio of fixtures.

 

Played in windy, wet conditions, the first half was one which swung to and fro, with the visitors starting and ending strongly but dipping in the middle.

 

Jamie Burrows was one of two players who came into the side along with Greg Pascazio and his pace was a useful weapon in the early stages.

 

Charlie Telfer’s long ball upfield gave him something to chase and the Jersey-born striker made his way into the box but his final touch was too heavy and Chris Dilo gathered.

 

Burrows then chased down a passback to keeper Dilo and the clearance only went as far as Ramsay, whose low shot from 25 yards took a touch as it deflected wide.

 

Pascazio won another corner which Luca Gasparotto almost headed in when it was delivered before Pascazio put the rebound just over the bar.

 

Saints had to respond and did with their best spell of the opening period as former Auchenhowie kid Lewis Morgan drove goalwards and Liam Kelly held.

 

Lewis Mclear had a go as well but his attempt ran behind for a corner and when Adam Brown centred it from the right, Mark Barrowman’s header was also stopped on the line.

 

Back came Rangers through Burrows, whose header from a Ramsay corner went past as the referee blew for a foul in any case.

 

Gallagher then set up Burrows and although he hit the target this time, Dilo was in the right place to keep him out.

 

Having provided moments earlier, Gallagher almost had a chance to shoot himself when Dykes found him in the area but the ball was nicked off his toe as he shaped to shoot.

 

And when he eventually did get one away, the striker’s header was pawed away on the line before Burrows’ follow up was somehow scrambled clear meaning it stayed 0-0 at the break.

 

Rangers kept applying pressure after the restart, with Gallagher getting a lucky bounce and releasing Burrows.

 

He steamed in on Dilo’s goal but placed just wide of the mark while the keeper got down comfortably to smother Ramsay’s drive from distance.

 

Gers were really stretching their opponents and things soon got harder for Saints when they had a man sent off just before the hour mark.

 

Gallagher had just been flagged offside with the away bench claiming he was a couple of yards on as he moved in on goal.

 

Seconds later, Ramsay was taken out by Barry Caddihy as he raced in on goal and the full-back was shown a straight red card for denying a goalscoring opportunity.

 

Once again, however, there were furious protests from the visiting technical area as they felt the foul had taken place in the penalty box.

 

The referee ruled it had happened outside instead and Telfer driven free kick was kept out before Gallagher’s shot was also blocked.

 

That wasn’t the last controversial call made by the match official, with Gallagher denied what seemed to be a stonewall spot kick with 20 minutes to go.

 

A ball broke loose on the left edge of the area and he got to it first before appearing to have his feet taken from under him.

 

The referee even stretched an arm out to point for a penalty but then pulled it back in again as he changed his mind and decided to continue play.

 

Regardless of that, the Light Blues were in the ascendancy and they threw on Danny Stoney for Pascazio as they tried to make their one-man advantage count.

 

As they did that, Saints dragged every player back and the game began to follow a repetitive pattern as most people were camped inside the home team’s half.

 

Gers pressed forward time and time again but St Mirren’s resistance was strong and it remained goalless long enough for the game to go to extra-time.

 

As the additional half hour got underway, it began with Gasparotto forcing an excellent stop by Dilo from Ramsay’s teasing free kick.

 

Gallagher was also kept out from similar range as the Ibrox side continued to have the best of the action without breaking through.

 

It wasn’t to be long though before that would change and seconds before the midway point, the visitors finally took the lead their play deserved.

 

Ryan Sinnamon fell on the edge of the box as he tried to cut inside but not before he slipped the ball inside to Ramsay.

 

He took a touch to control before hitting a swerving drive which looped over Dilo and into the top corner from the edge of the area to make it 1-0.

 

Going behind visibly affected Saints and it took them a while to react but with fatigue setting in on both sides, that suited Rangers far more.

 

Substitute Ryan Hardie had the best chance in the closing minutes as he latched on to Kelly’s long punt upfield but his grasscutter was saved.

 

It ultimately didn’t matter, however, as Ramsay’s intervention had been enough to set up a meeting with Hearts for the trophy.

 

RANGERS: Kelly; Pascazio (Stoney 72), Halkett, Gasparotto, Sinnamon; Burrows (Hardie 98), Dykes, Murdoch, Telfer, Ramsay (Roberts 105); Gallagher.

 

SUBS NOT USED: McCrorie, Gibson.

 

http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/academy-news/item/6750-u20-st-mirren-0-1-rangers

[Zappa 0]

Well done to the young lads!

[ian1964 10,416]

Gallery: U20 v St Mirren

 

http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/galleries/item/6751-gallery-u20-v-st-mirren

[BrahimHemdani 1]

Roby McRory, now that's a name legends are made of, come on McRory!

[elfideldo 409]

Report on today's Youth Cup plus U15's game

 

http://rfcyouths.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/extra-time-win-for-youths/

[andy steel 0]

Surely I'm not the only one outraged that the SFA allowed this game to take place at what was essentially a home venue for St Mirren?