U20s: Rangers 0-1 Celtic

Graeme Murty's young side fell to a third consecutive defeat after losing 1-0 to Celtic at Auchenhowie this afternoon. Both sides could have won the game but it was the young Hoops who took advantage of some defensive slackness to take the three points.

The opening 15 minutes were interrupted by a series of fouls from Celtic, stopping either side from building any sort of momentum and looking for an opener. Despite the attempts to stop the game from flowing Rangers looked to get the ball down and attack. Liam Burt and Ross McCrorie linked to good effect down the right hand side, regularly putting the Celtic defence under pressure and Jamie Barjonas, Jack Thomson and Billy Gilmour combined well in the midfield, controlling possession and limiting Celtic's attack to long shots and hopeful balls over the top.

As the first half went on Celtic began to trouble Rangers a bit more and Calvin Miller had a few half chances coming down the right but Ross McCrorie and David Bates were more than a match for the Celtic winger. Liam Burt had Rangers' best chance of the first 45 when he broke through the Celtic defence but couldn't get his shot on target.

The deadlock was finally broken just before the break when Miller capitalised on acres of space down the Rangers right to cut inside before firing beyond Robby McCrorie and give Tommy McIntyre's side the lead.

Celtic began the second half much brighter and had Rangers pinned inside their own half for long periods of time. After all the good work in the first 45, Rangers suddenly struggled to string more than a few passes together and looked a shadow that had started the game so well.

With time running out for Rangers to equalise, Graeme Murty made a number of attacking changes and the Young Gers started to get more of a foothold on the game but the time was against them and the visitors held out for a 1-0 win.

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

Subs: Wright, Atakayi, Jeffries, Houston, Abaradan, Ashmore, Bradley.

Goals:

Celtic: Ralston, Kelleher, McCart, McIlduff, McManus, Hill, Archibald, Donnelly, Miller, Aitchison

Subs: McAdams, Crossan, Wardrop, Hendry, Duffy, Johnston, Kerr

Goals: Miller 44'