THE HITMAN AND HIM

Rangers under 18’s finished their Youth Alliance Cup campaign in some style with a second successive 5-1 victory, this time the victims were Plymouth Argyle as Ricky Sappleton and James Foulkes led the line in fine style.

With qualification from the group impossible Joe Gallen made five changes to the team that took Portsmouth apart last weekend but ended up with just as good a result.

Reece Crowther replaced Liam O’Brien in goal whilst Ben Tozer slotted into the back four alongside Karl Yelland, Aaron Goode and Andrew Howell.

Matt O’Connell moved back to a more familiar midfield role after playing upfront last weekend and he was joined by Matt O’Brien,

Dean Parrett and Chris Arthur. Upfront Ricky Sappleton returned after sitting the previous match out and he partnered James Foulkes, last week’s hatrick hero.

The last couple of victories have seen the lads fall behind before fighting back into it but there was no such set back this weekend as The R’s took control of the game early on and never let go.

Matt O’Brien opened the scoring after just ten minutes, James Foulkes doubled the score ten minutes later and Ricky Sappleton sent Rangers into the break with a 3-0 advantage.

The goals continued coming in the second half, Andrew Howell headed home the fourth before the home side grabbed a consolation goal to make it 4-1 with twenty minutes to play. However Sappleton grabbed his second of the game five minutes later to wrap up a convincing scoreline.

The weekends results in this competition mean Swansea progress through from our group to the knock out stage whilst we finish in fourth spot, six points off top.

So Rangers youngsters exit the Youth Alliance Cup, however the FA Youth Cup is just around the corner, the draw for this years third round was made on Friday and the lads will travel to face the winners of Salisbury and Swindon.

In the meantime though the under 18’s are back in league action next weekend when they travel to face Southend United in the South East Conference. Can Joe Gallen make it four straight wins for November? We’ll have a report online next Monday evening.

QPR: Crowther, Yelland, Goode (Brown), Tozer (Ford), Howell, O'Connell, O'Brien, Parrett (Coyne), Arthur, Sappleton, Foulkes. Subs not used: Goodchild, Smart.