Billy Too Sharp For Glasgow Giants

SCORERS
Scuthorpe - Hayes (2 - 1, 27), Sharp (74)
Rangers - Brighton (54)

Att- 1,948

The game was played in torrential rain, Rangers got off to the worst possible start, losing a goal inside 50 seconds when home goalkeeper Paul Musclewhite launched a huge kick upfield that was flicked on by Steven Torpey, releasing Paul Hayes to outpace the struggling central defenders and slot the ball home.

Peter Beagrie: Former Blade in action for Iron last season against Sheffield Wednesday.

Rangers took a while to settle against much more experienced opponents yet Tom Brighton was unlucky to see his fine strike disallowed for offside in 15 minutes.

Scunthorpe had by far the better of the play and went two up in 27 minutes when Hayes again netted from a Cleveland Taylor cross.

Eight minutes later Hayes was denied his hat trick when his 20-yard effort struck and upright. But Rangers finished the half strongly with Bob Davidson testing Musclewhite with a fine drive that the goalkeeper turned wide.

The Ibrox youngster finally reduced the deficit in 54 minutes when Brighton moved onto a Brian Gilmour pass and curled the ball home from the edge of the box.

Rangers took heart from that success but were unable to draw level and the Irons secured victory in 74 minutes through a superb solo run from Billy Sharp who took possession of the ball near the half-way line - beating Gary McKenzie as he drove forward and finished with a shot low into the corner of the net.

There was no further scoring but the game would certainly have been a useful experience for many of the young players who will be hoping to make an impression on the first team squad in the coming campaign.

In particular Tom Brighton, so desperately unlucky with injury last season, demonstrated tonight that he is certainly worthy of a run in the first team, having made his debut at Dunfermline fully two years ago.

SCUNTHORPE:- Musclewhite; Stanton, Crosbie, Butler, Ridley; Taylor, Baraclough, Kell, Beagrie; Hayes, Torpey. SUBS - Barwick, Parton, Evans, Graves, Jackson, Byrne, Featehrstone, Hunt, Sparrow, Sharp. - Scunny used ten subs!

RANGERS - Robinson, Jacmott, Campbell, Trialist (tall blonde not too impressive!), McKenzie, Kalenga, McLean, Gilmour, Davidson, Fetai (Johnstone 69), Brighton.

UNUSED SUBS - Reidford, Agnew, McColl, Emslie, Lowing.

We would like to thank Glasgow Rangers site FollowFollow.Com for letting us use their match report.