Rangers 6 Bradford City 0 - Under 19 Friendly

Last updated : 28 July 2006 By Iain McKee
Thursday 27th July 2006 - Auchenhowie



Boyd's inclusion in the Youth Team starting line up came as a great surprise to the Rangers fans in the 50 strong crowd who turned up to watch the match in glorious sunshine.

Bradford City, who had two days earlier lost 0-4 to St. Mirren at Balgray Playing Fields, started the match brightly and both teams soon got into an early rhythm showing a willingness for attacking football.

There were only 4 minutes gone when Boyd played a through ball to the on running Danny N'Guessan who found himself one on one with Bantams goalkeeper Ben Saynor and on this occasion Saynor made a great save to deny the 'Gers forward.

Rangers were starting to create more and more chances as the experienced Boyd led the forward line with N'Guessan alongside and Fleck and McLachlan operating on the left and right wings respectively.

After a quarter of an hour it looked like the breakthrough as N'Guessan played in Fleck on the left but as the winger fired in his curling shot past Saynor the ball struck the bottom of the post.

The opening goal was to come a minute later when the same combination of N'Guessan and Fleck led to the wingers low hard cross being squeezed home at the near post by the under pressure Boyd as the Bradford defence tried to close him down.

It was Boyd's turn to create on 26 minutes when his headed lay off found Stevie Lennon unmarked 10 yards out but the midfielders shot hit the post.

It looked like Rangers would rue the missed opportunity to extend their lead when a minute later a cross from Exton found Sean Taylforth with an open goal but Callum Reidford came to the rescue for Rangers and pulled off a great save to deny the Yorkshire lad.

It was then the turn of Bradford to rue their missed chance as Rangers went back up the park and forced an error from a throw in which saw N'Guessan pick up the ball and play in Boyd who slid home his second of the afternoon.

The young Bradford side didn't give up and to their credit continued to attack their older and more experienced hosts with the creative and hard working Luke Morgan doing his best in midfield to push his side forward, just after the 1/2 hour mark Osbourne played a through ball to Exton who closed in on Reidford but the 'Gers keeper had narrowed the angle and Exton saw his shot go just wide.

John Fleck was in fine form and clearly enjoying himself as he toyed with the visitors defence before setting up N'Guessan with a glorious chance but unfortunately Danny blasted over.

Half Time - Rangers 2 Bradford City 0

It was the Yorkshire lads who started the second half the brighter and Callum Riedford was called into action on a number times in the opening minutes of the second half including scrambling one chance off the goal line.

Rangers started to get back into it and forced the Bradford players back into defence as they pressurised with N'Guessan leading the charge and being unceremoniously dumped by the uncompromising Bellamy at Centre Half.

It took thirteen minutes of the second half before Boyd got his hat trick, a perfect cross from Lennon put Boyd clear of the Bradford defence to steer the ball home and put the Young 'Gers in the clear.

Again City kept plugging away and Reidford was called on again in the Rangers goals as the visitors put pressure on the Rangers defence to try and claw back a goal.

On 64 minutes Kris Boyd scored the pick of the bunch when clever work from Fleck took him to the bye line and his cut back to Boyd was perfect for the striker to pick his spot in the postage stamp corner and give Saynor no chance as the fourth went in.

With Boyd grabbing all the goals it spurred on the rest of the forwards to try and add their names to the score sheet and on 71 minutes John Fleck broke through but again his shot hit the post.

Trialist Danny Kiki showed some nice touches when he came on to replace Lennon in midfield and his build up play led to a good chance for N'Guessan but the shot was blocked by stern defending.

As the young Bantams tired Rangers created more and more chances with Saynor pulling off a double save with 12 minutes left before being substituted a minute later.

Substitute Goalkeeper Convery was only on the park for a minute before he was collecting is first touch from the back of the net. Scott Hadden broke down the right and rounded the substitute keeper but his touch took him too far to the bye line, good vision by Hadden spotted Boyd coming in support and the pass was perfect for Boyd to score the fifth with ease.

By now Rangers were starting to exploit gaps in the young Bantams defence as the Yorkshire lads were punching above the weight, the English having reverted back to an Under 18 Youth set up as opposed to Scotland who increased their Youth set up to Under 19.

Three minutes later saw the scoring wrapped up and Boyd hit a double hat trick as the first team striker played a neat one-two with N'Guessan to beat Convery on a one to one.

The Teams;

Rangers - Reidford, Ure, Kinniburgh, Gallagher (Hadden 75), Vital, Emslie (Stirling 58), McLachlan (Van den Broeck 60), Lennon (Kiki 58), Boyd, N'Guessan, Fleck.

Not used - Sagar.

Bradford City - Saynor (Convery 79), Mitchell (Hopkins 55), O'Brien, Sharry (Playthorth 72), Bellamy, Smith, Harper, Morgan, Exton (Butorins 72), Osbounre, Taylforth (Horne 79).

Not Used - Sheridan, Gorringe