Rangers B Suffers Defeat against Celtic B in Glasgow Cup

RANGERS B fell to a disappointing defeat at the hands of Celtic B in the Glasgow Cup at Lennoxtown this afternoon.

Despite starting on the front foot, the young Gers fell two goals behind in quickfire fashion, passing up a host of opportunities to reduce the deficit before the half-time interval.

The home side then stretched their advantage in the second 45 minutes when Jude Bonnar stroked home from close range.

The young Gers were buoyed pre-match when Zak Lovelace was named among the substitutes, marking his return to the matchday squad for the first time since being struck down by injury while starring for the first-team in a victory over St. Mirren back in October.

And the 18-year-old was a second half substitute in the clash as the Gers looked to haul themselves back in the contest, although it was too little, too late for David McCallum‘s side.

Indeed, the Gers began the brighter of the two sides and had the ball in the net when Darren McInally stabbed home from point-blank range after Cole McKinnon flashed a delivery across the face of goal, but the linesman immediately raised his flag to curb the away side’s celebrations.

The hosts duly opened the scoring six minutes later as Daniel Cummings lashed home from close range after the Gers failed to deal with a cross inside the penalty area.

Three minutes later, Celtic doubled their advantage as Ben Quinn swept home from a Magnus MacKenzie low delivery from the left-hand side.

Rangers looked to halve the deficit when Johnly Yfeko rose highest from a Bailey Rice corner, but the 20-year-old could not power his header on target.

Opportunity then knocked with the final action of the first half when Archie Stevens popped up at the far post from close range, although his left-footed effort was denied by Josh Clarke in the Celtic goal.

The hosts stretched their advantage nine minutes into the second period when a cutting move down the left allowed MacKenzie to centre for Bonnar who fired beyond Mason Munn from a central position.

Yfeko went close for a second time in the afternoon from a similar set-piece, before Rice almost caught out Clarke at his near post with a smart free-kick.

The introduction of Lovelace certainly pinned Celtic deeper than they would have liked, with the away side rueing their misfortune when the ball fell invitingly to substitute Paul Nsio on the edge of the danger area and he spooned his finish over the crossbar.

Rangers continued to push forward in search of a goal to crack the contest open, but the final action of the contest arrived to James Graham when the 19-year-old popped up in a good position from a delivery into the penalty area, only for his resulting effort to sail wide.

CELTIC B: Clarke, Donovan, Agbaire, Robertson, MacKenzie, Ure, Thomson (McArdle, 8), Bonnar (Turley, 77), Davidson (Kyle, 65), Quinn, Cummings (Dobbie, 65)Subs not used: Morrison, Osagie, BonetigRANGERS B: Munn, Hutton, Allan, Yfeko, Fraser, Rice, McKinnon, McInally (Nsio, 38), Ishaka (Graham, 29), Stevens, Gentles (Lovelace, 58)Subs not used: Halliwell, Grant, Strachan, Adamson