Aberdeen Under 18s 1 Rangers Under 18s 6 CAS Elite U18 League Cormack Park Friday 12th April 2024
A very young Aberdeen Under 18’s suffered a disappointing defeat at the hands of Rangers at Cormack Park on Friday afternoon. With so many regular starters not available it was always going to be a tough challenge against a strong Rangers side.
Cammy Wilson won and converted a penalty in the second half, but any hope of an Aberdeen comeback was short lived as Rangers added a few more late on.
There was one change to the team that came from behind to defeat Celtic at Lennoxtown last week: Christovie Kondolo came back into the XI after an impressive showing off the bench, he replaced the suspended Kai Watson. With Watson not involved, Lewis Caroll took the armband.
Rangers named a similar looking team that visited Cormack Park to play out an exciting 4-4 draw just last week – Josh Gentles, whose impact was notable from the bench seven days ago, was in from the start as the sides met once again.
It was a difficult half from start to finish for the young Dons and they had to go in at the interval with a three-goal deficit to attempt to overturn in the second half.
Aberdeen chances going forward were limited with Halliwell kept relatively quiet in the Rangers goal – Dylan Ross had a free-kick pushed over the bar, and Fletcher Boyd dragged a shot wide from a good position. From a corner, Timothy Akindileni had a chance to push the ball over the line from close range, but it was marshalled to safety by the ‘Gers defence.
Two goals in a three-minute spell left Aberdeen with it all to do. The first from came back off the frame of the goal and eventually bounced over the line courtesy of Nsio, before Zander Hutton worked his way into the box and fired an effort high into Rodrigo Viols near post.
There was time for one more for Rangers: from a Dons corner the visitors broke up the park and worked a ball through to Adamson who added a third.
Rangers could have gone in at the break with an even more generous lead, but Eadie fired over the bar when he was through on goal, and Vitols was out quickly to the feet of Gentles to smother any chance of a goal via their number eleven.
HT. Aberdeen 0 Rangers 3.
During the interval Oliver Green was introduced, he replaced Joseph Teasdale.
It didn’t take long for Rangers to find a fourth goal of the game, Eadie put the game beyond doubt in the 49th minute, grabbing his 2nd of the game.
On the hour mark Wilson burst through on goal and done well to lift the ball over Halliwell, he was clattered in the process and after it became apparent Fraser Mackie wouldn’t get on the end of the loose ball the referee pointed to the spot. Wilson took the spot-kick and sent the keeper the wrong way.
Unfortunately, Lyle Wark, introduced from the bench hit back with another Rangers goal after Aberdeen gave away possession in the middle of the park just a few minutes after Wilson’s got his side on the scoreboard.
With twenty minutes to go, Wark’s low cross was swept in by Eadie from close range to finish off the scoring for the afternoon.
Two late changes meant Kondolo and Clark both made way for the closing stages, Zak To and Joel Wiseman on for the final few minutes. Vitols was on hand to make a good save at the death to deny Stewart.
STATS
Aberdeen: Vitols, Carrol, Kondolo (To 82’), Masson, Clark (Wiseman 82’), Akindileni, Ross, Boyd, Mackie, Wilson, Teasdale (Green 46’) Subs not used: Payne, Searle, Smillie GOAL: Wilson 64’ (pen) Rangers: Halliwell, Hutton, Scott, Campbell, Wyllie, Robertson, Adamson, McClure, Eadie, Nsio, Gentles Subs: Kerr, Leitch, Curtis, Wark, Weir, Stewart, Thackray
