Rangers give youth a chance in Scottish soccer

Rangers manager Walter Smith says youth will be given a chance in his side following a man-of-the-match display from John Fleck in a 3-1 defeat of Falkirk which saw both sides finish with just 10 men.

The 17-year-old was making his full debut for Rangers after he became the youngest player to play in a Scottish Cup final when he made an appearance as a substitute in last season’s defeat of Queen of the South.

The Ibrox side have been criticised for a lack of young talent breaking into the first-team since the opening of their state-of-the-art training facilities at Murray Park in 2001.

But Smith believes there will soon be a group of youth players pushing for a place in his team and singled out Fleck, who is the nephew of former Ibrox favourite Robert Fleck, for praise.

“I think anyone would have been pleased with him today (Saturday),” Smith said.

“He has taken a little bit of time to settle into the first team group. He’s been training with us for most of the season and he’s a quiet lad.

“The last six to eight weeks he’s been playing exceptionally well and he thoroughly deserves his opportunity.

“He is only 17 and I think he showed today that if everything goes the right way in his career he will be a very good player.

“We have another three or four lads who are very good players.

“We have also bought a lot of younger players as well that I think will also be very good players when they get the chance to settle in.

“In the next season or so whoever the Rangers manager is will have a group of young players with half a dozen or so of them coming direct from Murray Park which will be a pleasant change for everyone.”

Falkirk took the lead early on when Steve Lovell fired past Allan McGregor.

But SPL top-scorer Kris Boyd, whose Ibrox future is in doubt following a bid from Birmingham City, buried a spot-kick on the stroke of half-time to even things up.

Minutes after the break Patrick Clegg saw red for a two-footed challenge on Pedro Mendes. Sasa Papac followed 12 minutes from time for a lunge on Mark Stewart before Boyd’s 20th goal of the season and a late Steven Davis strike sealed the win.

Falkirk took the lead with their first shot of the game in the 12th minute.

Former Rangers winger Neil McCann threaded a lovely through ball to Lovell in the box and as McGregor rushed out to meet him the striker’s miss hit shot sailed over the keeper and into the net.

Rangers got on level terms in controversial circumstances in first-half injury time after they were awarded a soft penalty. Boyd went down in the box following what appeared a light knock in the back from Clegg.

Despite guessing the right way Boyd’s spot-kick had too much power behind it for Robert Olejnik to stop.

Rangers didn’t seem to miss Papac and Boyd had them in front with his second of the game a minute after he had been dismissed.

Davis played substitute Nacho Novo down the right and Olejnik could only palm his shot out to the feet of Boyd who tapped it in under pressure from Lee Bullen.

In the final minute Davis made sure of the points when he collected the ball on the by-line, cut in past two defenders and buried the ball past Olejnik for a superb solo goal.