U20: Rangers 3-0 Dundee; Swifts in control throughout, Burt stands out, Billy Gilmour makes first start

Rangers took on an experienced Dundee side this evening at Forthbank running out comfortable 3-0 winners though a Zak Rudden double and a goal from Liam Burt. Highly-rated Billy Gilmour came into the starting XI alongside Jack Thomson to make his first start for Graeme Murty’s U20s.

Rangers had much of the early play with Liam Burt the driving force behind many of the young Gers’ attacks. Linking well with Gilmour on a number of occasions the midfielder was a constant thorn in Dundee’s side and caused all sorts of problems for Dundee captain James McPake as he continued his return from injury. Zak Rudden’s constant running regularly created opportunites for his team-mates to penetrate the Dee’s defence and on another day Rudden would have had a couple of goals before the break.

As the first period went on Rangers looked more and more threatening and really should have taken the lead were it not for some dogged defending by Dundee and the odd bit of luck now and then too.

Rangers finally broke the deadlock less than five minutes after the break when Liam Burt played a pinpoint accurate through ball to Zak Rudden that split the Dundee defence before the in-form Rudden cooly curled a right-footed shot beyond Ferrie in the Dundee goal.

Just eight minutes later Liam Burt made it 2-0 with a well deserved goal. Ross Lyon done fantastically well to carry to ball some thirty wards before it fell to Burt who cut inside before unleashing a goal-bound strike which cannoned off a defender and over Ferrie in the Dundee goal.

In the aftermatch of Burt’s goal Billy Gilmour made way for Finnish winger Serge Atayaki. The boy’s not too bad at all.

Rangers continued to push for more goals and Serge Atayaki will feel he could have done better with the opportunites he had. Particularly his first chance when he sclaffed his shot when it was easier to score.

Zak Rudden made it 3-0 right at the death when his exquiste side step left the defender sailing off hopelessly in the wrong direction as the young striker cooly buried his strike beyond Ferrie to seal the three points for Graeme Murty’s side.

Rangers: Robby McCrorie, Ross McCrorie, Beerman, Thomson, Wilson, Bates, Burt, Barjonas, Rudden, Gilmour, Lyon

Subs: Wright, Atayaki, Abaradan, Jeffries, Mouanda

Goals: Rudden 49’ 89’, Burt 57’,

Dundee: Ferrie, Clark, Quigley, Smyth, McPake, Waddell, Duffy, Low, M. Smith, Teijsse, I. Smith

Subs: Gourlay, Coupe, Berry, Rice