Reserves Keep Title Alive

[ian1964 10,720]

TOMMY WILSON'S reserve side earned a vital 2-1 win over Aberdeen that keeps their league title hopes alive after Celtic lost away to Hearts.

 

With three games remaining Wilson's side are seven points behind their Old Firm rivals with the pair set to meet at Ibrox on April 28.

 

A victory for Celtic at Forthbank would have ended the Gers' league challenge this afternoon but news of their defeat came just as the light blues secured victory.

 

It was a hard fought but thoroughly deserved win for Wilson's side as a penalty from Stevie Smith and a John Fleck strike midway through the second half put them in control.

 

A late Michael Paton penalty for the visitors made it a nervy final five minutes but the Gers had enough to hold on for three important points.

 

They had dominated the opening 45 minutes, hitting the woodwork on three separate ocassions, despite losing Alan Lowing to injury after just 10 minutes.

 

The right back came off worst in a 50/50 challenge and was replaced by Scott Durie who had only been included in the squad after a warm up injury to Ross Perry.

 

John FleckIt didn't disrupt the flow for the home side though and they peppered the Dons' goal with long range efforts as Andrew Little and Stevie Lennon both tested Bertrand Bossu from the edge of the area.

 

Little's rising left foot effort looked bound for the top corner until the giant keeper tipped it away at full stretch.

 

And Lennon cam just as close when his strike from a similar spot was deflected behind after he had collected the ball following some wonderful movement by John Fleck.

 

But the best chance of the first half came a little over ten minutes before the interval when a sweeping move ended with Little laying the ball in to the path of Lennon, but the forward could only fire his effort off the bar as Rangers hit the woodwork for the third time.

 

With the match unfolding as though it may not to be Rangers' day there was relief when the deadlock was broken four minutes in to the second half.

 

Andrius Velicka went down under the challenge of Samuel Stewart and left penalty duties to his first team colleague Smith, who duly despatched the ball low to the Dons keeper's left.

 

Stevie SmithSmith was then replaced by Steph Stirling on the hour mark, perhaps with Sunday's visit to Easter Road in mind.

 

And it took Rangers just five more minutes to secure the points when Velicka picked out John Fleck with a pinpoint pass and the 17-year-old made no mistake from just inside the box.

 

Stirling came close to increasing that lead with eight minutes remaining as he rattled the Dons' woodwork for the fourth time in the match with a powerful drive from the edge of the area.

 

However it was the visitors that would complete the scoring when Scott Gallacher was judged to have fouled Paton in the six yard box and the match's second penalty was awarded.

 

Paton converted, but Rangers held out for the final few minutes to keep alive a slim hope of reserve league success.

 

Rangers: Gallacher; Lowing (Durie 10), Webster, Wilson, Wylde; Lennon, Hemdani, Little, S.Smith (Stirling 60); Velicka (Miller 72), Fleck.

Subs: Vaiculis.

[Super_Ally 0]

Interesting that Smith played just an hour. Hopefully a sign he will retain his place against Hibs with the match not til Sunday. The same may be true for Velicka who I see came off before FT too.