The Rangers B team have crashed out of the SPFL Trust Trophy after succumbing to a 3-1 quarter final defeat to Queen’s Park at Lesser Hampden.
The Ibrox second string had hoped to progress after a bright start in the tournament in this match, with the Gers taking the lead in the first-half of the game through Cole McKinnon.
But after the Rangers B team were reduced to 10 men in the first half, Championship outfit Queen’s Park roared back with three goals in the second period.
The result means Rangers crash out of the competition and it’s particularly sore for Clinton Nsiala, who was sent packing in the first half for an off the ball incident.
Rangers B defeated by Queen’s Park
Rangers had started with a strong team of young players for the SPFL Trust Trophy clash with Queen’s Park.
The line-up included several youngsters who are on the fringes of the Ibrox first-team, including Robbie Fraser, Bailey Rice and goalscorer Cole McKinnon.
Mason Munn, Paul Nsio, Finlay Curtis and Archie Stevens – who have all made headlines with the academy in recent months – also started the game.
And things were going to plan against Championship opposition when Cole McKinnon nodded Rangers B in front in Mount Florida.
But the game swung on that Clinton Nsiala red card ten minutes before half-time, with Queen’s Park revitalised in the second period and just too strong for the young Gers.
Dom Thomas, Jack Turner and a Kristian Webster own goal had the game out of sight for Rangers by the 68th minute.
Queen’s Park star guts Clinton Nsiala
Rangers signed Nsiala at the end of his contract from AC Milan in the summer but the 20-year-old defender is yet to make a professional appearance for the club.
The centre-back was shown red for an off-the-ball incident with former Rangers striker Zak Rudden, which had been flagged by the game’s linesman.
Speaking after the match, Queen’s Park goalscorer Dom Thomas reacted to the decision and claims the young Rangers defender ‘killed his team’ by getting involved.
”The sending off obviously kind of just before half time changes things,” Thomas told QPTV.
“It’s poor from the boy, it kills his team.
“The first goal calms the nerves and then you can play. When you get the second and third, against 10 men you can really dominate and control the game.”
Rangers B manager David McCallum also reacted to the sending off and admitted the red card ’made the game more challenging’.
”I think in the first half we had some really good moments that could have put us in a slightly more comfortable position,” McCallum told RangersTV.
”Then obviously a couple of things happen that make the game more challenging from what it was in the opening 30 minutes.
”Football, or nice, easy, passing football doesn’t always win you games.
“You have to find different ways to win football, especially when we he’d towards the men’s environment.
”Out of possession we need to be good and for the most part we were. Obviously we can talk about the goals we lost, which does becomes more difficult with 10 men.
”So sitting 1-0 at half time, we had to try to find a way at half time to make sure we understood it was going to be difficult without the ball but we need to be dogged and really determined to stay in the fight.”
