Rangers leapfrog Renfrew in league

Francis Kelly - scored his first hat-trick for the club.

Renfrew.................................. 2

Stagecoach West of Scotland

Super League First Division

A very convincing win for Rangers which continues their recent run of good form and takes them above Renfrew in the league table.

Everyone played their part in this victory but special mention must go to Francis Kelly with a hat-trick of goals, his first for the club.

Rangers elected to play with the stiff breeze behind them for the first 45 minutes but it was Renfrew who were first on the attack.

Rangers were not slow to respond and Dolan tried a shot from the edge of the box which cannoned of Mclaren. Then Eeles made a good run and tried a shot which O’Neill saved well. Then came a spectacular opening goal for Rangers in 21 minutes. Kerr hit a shot from almost the halfway line which with the benefit of wind assistance sailed past O’Neill.

Rangers were well on top and seven minutes later they went two up, Dolan put over a good cross ball for McLaren to stoop low and head in.

A blow for Rangers when Whiteford was shown a red card for what seemed a perfectly legal tackle on the edge of the penalty area, a free-kick was awarded but it came off the defensive wall. McLaren moved back to the centre half position but it hardly affected Rangers attacking potential. Kelly took the ball down the left and scored a third goal with a great shot from  around 25 yards.

Rangers had several more good chances to add to their total but going in three up at the interval with ten men was a well deserved reward for their first half play.

Renfrew now had the wind advantage although it had dropped in strength somewhat. They did have more of the play for the opening spell but rarely threatened the home goal. Rangers soon took over and had a few more good chances, Kelly missing a couple when he might have done better. Eventually Renfrew did pull one back when some slack defending allowed Nicholson to head in from close range. The same player was shown a red card a little later for a foul on Kelly, who scored from the resulting penalty to restore Rangers three goal advantage. A few minutes later and he completed his hat-trick, getting on the end of a cross fom Dolan to score with a 25 yard shot.

Rangers made a couple of late changes with McPeake and Watson coming on for Desmond and Kelly.

In the closing stages Barbour added a second goal for Renfrew, but it was much too late to make any difference, they were a well beaten side and they fall below Rangers into second bottom place in the league table

KILSYTH: Duke, Duncan, Carr, Doyle, Whiteford, Kerr, Dolan, Desmond, McLaren, Eeles, Kelly. Subs: McPeake, Watson, Hogg, Smith.

RENFREW: O’Neill, Mulgrew, Stobo, Nicholson, Chalk, Graham, Forbes, Gilmour, Barbour, Chang, Mort. Subs: Dempsey, Docherty, Benton, McDonald, Black.

Rangers play Kirkcaldy YM in the third round of the Scottish Junior cup this coming saturday at Denfield Park, Kirkcaldy with a 1-45pm kick- off. This will be a first ever meeting between the clubs. They currently play in  the East region first division and have had a mixed season to date, but must be treated with respect although if  Rangers can maintain their form of recent weeks must be favourites to go through to the fourth round. A decent following is expected to  travel to Fife to support Rangers and if the weather is inclement they should wrap up well as facilities are very limited at  this venue.