The Rangers Development squad defeated Clyde 3-2 in a thriller on Tuesday night, with a familiar face lining up for the opposition in Gregg Wylde.
Graeme Murty named a very youthful side for the Glasgow Cup contest at the Hummel Training Centre, with Dapo Mebude the only squad member with competitive first-team experience.
As it happened, it was the 18-year-old who got the Young Gers off to a flying start [Rangers Youth Academy Twitter].
Picked out by a Ciaran Dickson cross, the striker finished from close range in the second minute.
In the 19th minute, it was 2-0, courtesy of James Maxwell, the teenage left-back who took part in the senior squad’s mid-season camp in Dubai.
He showed his prowess from set-pieces on this occasion, with his whipped delivery from wide right making its way through a host of bodies and finding the far corner.
The visitors weren’t going to admit defeat, though, and got themselves back in the game in the 33rd minute, with Darren Smith converting after being sent clean through on Gers stopper Kinnear.
After chances for both teams early in the second half, John Balde restored the Gers’ two-goal advantage with a nice run and finish.
However, Clyde were still very much in the game and after Smith was denied a second by the crossbar, Chris McStay scored in the 83rd minute to set up a tense finale.
Murty’s men were able to see it through though, picking up another win in the cup with a 3-2 scoreline.
This was a good test for a youthful Rangers side against stubborn senior opposition.
Wylde played the full 90 minutes for the visitors, as he seeks to build up his fitness after struggling with injuries and a lack of opportunities in recent seasons.
