Academy 15s v Rangers 15s
Ayr United 15s entertained Rangers at Prestwick Academy on Sunday afternoon and it was the visitors who were first to threaten but Louis Kerr palmed away the shot from the edge of the box for a corner. After 10 minutes Louis made another smart save when he pulled off a good stop from a header close in but the opener was coming and duly arrived for Rangers when a good delivery from the left was nodded in by their number 4 at the near post area.
Rangers then added a second from close in and shortly after a third after good midfield play slipped in the striker to cooly finish past the keeper low into the corner of the Ayr net. Ayr almost got back into the game in the 30th minute when a good pass by Kieran Balfour (who had stepped up a level from the 14s) put through Jai Holland but uncharacteristically Jai fired wide. This miss was to prove costly as 5 minutes later the Ayr defence went to sleep claiming the ball had gone out for a goal kick but the Gers player played to the whistle and squared it for his team mate to fire home. The half drew to a close and it had been Rangers who had dominated and had been sharper than the Ayr boys.
Ayr started to get a toehold in the match in the second half with Callum Smith and David Richardson in the middle of the park starting to put their foot on it and play some passes. Chrissie Campbell out wide right also started to cause the Gers problems as he started to get some service. It was Rangers however who stretched the lead when Ayr tried to play out from the back, the full back was robbed of the ball and the resultant cut back was slammed home. Rangers then won a free kick which was driven through the wall, unfortunately Louis Kerr couldn’t hold the shot and the Rangers player reacted first to tap home the rebound.
However Ayr opened their account which their play in this half deserved when Lee Davidson flighted in a free kick for Lee Williamson to rise high above the Gers defence and fire home. This seemed to give the Ayr boys greater confidence and they started to really get a grip of the game with David Richardson (pictured) in the middle of the park most influential. A good move by Ayr then saw the ball worked out to Chrissie Campbell who cut in to hit a strike which spun up off the outstretched Gers defenders leg and over the head of the Rangers goalkeeper into the net. This completed the scoring for the day and Ayr will rue their slow start but the last 30 minutes of this game proves that these boys can match the best.
They now have to play at this tempo and move the ball as they can from the start of each match. It’s up to Tranent for the 15s next week for another tough match against Hibernian.
