CENTRAL LEAGUE CUP ROUND 2 29/3/08
KILSYTH RANGERS 1 BENBURB 2
For the first time in a very long time Rangers went into this match as
odds on favourites; and not without good reason, they were showing some
signs of coming out of their spell of poor form and their opponents
were from two divisions below them. Yet somehow they again managed to
throw away a game which should have been well within their grasp and
now exit the last cup competition in which they retained an interest.
Can things get any worse?
Right from the start Benburb looked the more eager to impress and
Ritchie had a header just clear the bar from a corner kick. Only ten
minutes in and a freekick award let GIBSON fire a great shot in from
twenty five yards to put the visitors into a deserved lead. Barely
five minutes later and the misery was compounded when chaotic defending
let the same player in to score his second and Rangers were back in the
now familiar position of being a couple of goals down to a supposedly
inferior side.
They did make attempts to get back into the game but attacks
repeatedly broke down and finishing was dire. Chances fell to several
Kilsyth players but all were wasted with Donnelly being a particular
sinner in this respect, two down at halftime was about what they
deserved for their first half performance.
Benburb started where they had left off with Mitchell this time making
a good save from another well taken freekick. Rangers brought on
Watson for Baird early in the half and eventually began to make some
impression on the Benburb defence. It was almost three though when
another freekick award on the edge of the Rangers penalty area gave
Bens two good chances but they failed to cash in. In seventy minutes
though Rangers did eventually make a breakthrough and WATSON was
credited with getting the finishing touch to net following a scramble
in the Benburb goalmouth. This gave them some hope and they now had
their best spell of the match. A very bad piece of refereeing saw
Whitelaw receiving a second yellow card and Rangers were again reduced
to ten men. Deep into added time and Bens keeper conceded a penalty
kick when he fouled a Kilsyth man in the box, he went from villian to
hero though when he guessed correctly and saved Docherty's effort from
the spot. It was all over and Rangers still have to record their first
win of 2008.
KILSYTH; Mitchell, Gary Meechan, Gibb, Doyle, Ferguson, Docherty,
Galloway, Whitelaw, Baird, Daly, Donnelly.
Subs. Graeme Meechan, McLuskey, Watson.
BENBURB; Ghatis, Sinclair, Thomson, McInnes, Ritchie, McGlinchey,
Boyle, Williamson, O'Neill, Rodger, Gibson,
Subs. Lyons, Weir, Healey
Game next Saturday. Away to Glenafton, K.O. 2pm
WHYTE & MACKAY WEST OF SCOTLAND CUP RD 1 10/10/07
TROON
JUNIORS 3 KILSYTH RANGERS 2
Rangers run of poor form continues with a
defeat at the hands of First division strugglers, Troon Juniors. On paper
it should have been a fairly easy passage to the second round of a
competition in which Rangers have a very poor record in recent years but
again they scorned chances to secure a victory and allowed Troon to dominate
the game.
Rangers had slightly the better of the early exchanges but in
what was almost their first foray upfield Troon went ahead when McDONALD got
his head to a good cross ball from the left touchline after only eight
minutes. Bouyed up with this early goal Troon began to dominate the
mid-field and rangers were finding it difficult to get through to
trouble Johnson in the home goal. Goodwin had a long range effort just
slip wide but twenty one minutes in a freekick found McGuinness on the
edge of the Troon penalty area, his onward pass foind the head of
FERGUSON whose header beat Johnson to pull Rangers level. It was a much
better looking Rangers side now and they began to enjoy much more of the
ball and create some real chances. a claim for a penalty was dismissed then
Donnelly miskicked when in a very good position. Near halftime Ferguson was
close with another good header and McLaughlin had a shot cleared off the
line, all square at halftime was about right.
Troon restarted well and
only four minutes into the second half were awarded a penalty when Sloan
went down in the box although it looked suspiously like a dive to some.
STEWART sent the ball to the corner of the net although Colquohoun made a
good effort to save. Troon were now well on top and could have gone further
ahead on more than one occasion. A stramash involving six or seven players
saw Galloway and McCormack both being yellow carded and lucky to remain on
the park. Rangers were struggling to get back into the game altrhough they
failed to take advantage when the Troon keeper was stranded outside his area
on one occasion. Then with just six minutes remaining Troon looked to
have secured victory when Colquohoun knocked a ball out only to be
picked up by RUSSELL who shot in a third goal. A minute later and
Rangers got another chance when GOODWIN ran in and netted a second goal.
they tried hard in the last few minutes to secure a third goal which would
have taken the game to a penaalty shoot-out but again it was too little, too
late and they exit the tournament again.
Rangers have no game
next Saturday as their scheduled opponents, Pollok, play in the Scottish
cup. Rangers have been drawn to meet Royal Albert away in the 2nd round of
the Scottish junior cup, played 4th November
