The Rangers B team hammered BSC Glasgow 5-1 on Saturday afternoon in an emphatic return to weekend football [Rangers Youth Updates].
This was technically the B team’s second assignment of the season, following a 4-1 defeat at the hands of the Dundee United first-team in late July.
Yet, for many of the young players involved in Saturday’s behind closed doors game, it was their first fixture in many months.
The Gers Academy enjoyed a silverware-laden 2019 but the global health crisis brought a halt to all matches not long after the turn of the year, with organised youth team training only returning recently.
There were no signs of rustiness from some of the club’s best young forwards, though, as they put BSC Glasgow to the sword.
Dapo Mebude, who made his senior team debut on the final day of the 2018/19 season at Kilmarnock, was the star of the show, with the striker netting a hat-trick.
After spending last season with the Colts team, he’ll be looking to force his way back into Steven Gerrard’s plans and an early-season treble constitutes a strong start.
Northern Ireland youth international Chris McKee also found the net, as did Arron Lyall, who signed his first professional deal with the club in July.
Head of Academy, Craig Mulholland, has placed new emphasis on the B team concept for the 2020/21 season, so this is likely to be the first of many weekend fixtures throughout the season.
Ideally, the B team will provide playing opportunities against quality opposition to the club’s best young players as well as senior men on the fringes of the first team.
