Rangers’ U18’s side bowed out of the FA Youth Cup this evening at the hands of Aston Villa. Goals early and late in the game did for Joe Gallen’s youngsters although they have every reason to be pleased with how they performed.

Sean Thomas started in goals behind a back four of Karl Yelland, Jon Munday, Sheldon Hussey and Andrew Howell. Adam Bernard, Scott Donnelly, skipper Stefan Bailey and Harry Smart were in midfield with Shabazz Baidoo partnering Giant Ray Jones up front.

Rangers started the game slowly and Villa scored with almost their first attack. Good interplay through midfield saw the ball laid off into the path of Tobias Mikaelsson and the young Swede slotted the ball calmly past Thomas.

It was an awful start and it could have been worse minutes later when Thomas was forced to save a Mikaelsson header after terrible marking at a corner. For Rangers, Adam Bernard hammered an effort over the bar before they levelled the tie after twenty minutes.

A hopeful ball from back to front looked to be meat and drink to the Villa defence but Shane Lowry’s header was a weak one and it allowed the livewire Baidoo to nip in front of Henderson and he hooked home. The finish was reminiscent of Michael Owen’s goal against Brazil in the 2002 World Cup!

Rangers were in the mood now and good link up play between Baidoo and Jones saw the latter drop the ball into the path of Donnelly. The little midfield maestro sent an effort just off target as Villa began to wobble under some decent pressure from the young R’s.

On the stroke of halftime Baidoo should have given Rangers the lead when he missed the simplest of chances from just six yards. Andrew Howell had got forward well from left back and sent in a beautiful cross. The defenders and keeper were helpless as Baidoo advanced but he somehow contrived to head wide with the goal at his mercy.

At the break Gallen threw Matt O’Connell into the fray in place of Bernard to try and liven things up from the off. Baidoo came close again when he beat his marker with a tight turn only to shoot straight at the grateful Henderson.

Neither side were creating anything clear cut and Villa had several efforts from range with varying degrees of success. Some went wide; some were on target and one almost landed in the back row up the upper tier of the School End!

Injuries and tiredness seemed to play their parts for both sides and there were a couple of very lengthy stoppages for injury. Hussey was forced off through injury to be replaced by Alex Sethi. Sethi slotted in at left back with Howell moving in to the middle alongside Munday.

In the last minute of normal time Rangers were dealt a hammer blow when Villa snatched a second. Philip Green sent an inviting centre into the box and Adam McGurk stole a march on Munday and Howell to head past Thomas. The keeper was left exposed by the makeshift central pairing.

In a last attempt to get back into the match Ricky Sappleton replaced Harry Smart as Gallen went to a three pronged attack. It so nearly paid dividends when the fourth official held up the board showing an incredible nine minutes of injury time! Halfway through this period Rangers thought they had levelled yet again.

A cross into the box from the right found its way to the far stick where Baidoo and Munday were advancing. Baidoo set himself and struck a sweet volley inside the far post only to see the linesman flagging. Shabazz looked ok so I think it may have been Munday that had perhaps strayed offside, although others have said that there may have been a foul in the build up.

At the final whistle the decent sized crowd showed their appreciation for the efforts of the youngsters despite their defeat. The sides were fairly evenly matched with Villa missing a couple of their big hitters. In truth Rangers probably didn’t impose themselves on the game as they would have wanted. I am sure it doesn’t help that their two most influential players in Baidoo and Donnelly don’t get to play with these guys too often. 

QPR: Thomas, Yelland, Munday, Hussey (Sethi), Howell, Bernard (O’Connell), Bailey, Donnelly, Smart (Sappleton), Baidoo, Jones. Subs not used: Sandercombe, Luz.