Wanderers’ B team played out a keenly fought friendly against Rangers’ B Team at Lostock on Tuesday afternoon.
With several of the B Team squad currently playing out on loan gaining valuable first team experience, Andy Taylor had the chance to give opportunities across the team as well as the inclusion of a handful of U18 players.
And despite eventually losing the fixture, there was plenty of promising signs against a high calibre of opposition in a tight contest.
It was Wanderers who started the game the brighter of the two sides and created the first sighting of goal. Trialist One, leading the line for Wanderers, manged to create space for himself inside the box before dragging his left-footed shot wide of the far post.
The forward was nearly in on the action again after good work from Finlay Lockett, his cross evaded the outstretched foot of the trialist before the Rangers ‘keeper collected it.
The away side were growing into the game and tested Jack Flint between the Wanderers’ sticks for the first time. Fraser collected the ball on the left edge of the box and looked to curl into the far corner, but Flint clawed it out of the top corner with a brilliant save.
Flint was called into action again moments later when Stevens got in behind the Wanderers’ defence and just had the ‘keeper to beat but the Whites’ stopper denied him with an outstretched leg.
Wes Frimpong was a threat all afternoon for Wanderers and produced a half-chance for Lockett inside the box when he drove forward and cut it back inside the box but Lockett’s shot was well blocked by a sea of blue shirts.
As half-time approached, Jack Flint was showing his ability to keep the game goalless after a flurry of Rangers chances and they all came via the Gers’ number 11 James Graham.
Firstly, he got in between two Wanderers defenders on the edge of the box and poked the ball past Flint but it dribbled wide of the far post. Graham was then the beneficiary of good wing play to get on the end of a cut back, but Flint spread himself well to save from close range to get Wanderers into the break on level terms.
It wasn’t the ideal start to the second half for Andy Taylor’s side when they conceded from a set piece at the beginning of the half. An in-swinging corner from the left found its way to Kristian Webster who was unmarked, and he swept the ball into the back of the net to give the Scottish side the advantage.
Wanderers didn’t beat themselves up though and went in search of an instant equaliser and nearly had it through Matthew Tweedley. Finlay Lockett played a pass in behind for the run of Tweedley who just had the goalkeeper to beat but his placed effort landed just past the far post.
That missed chance was rued moments later when the visitors doubled their lead. The dangerman James Graham eventually got his goal when he controlled a cross from the left, turned and fired a half volley onto the underside of the bar and into the back of the net, giving Flint no chance to react.
U18s player Conor Lewis came off the bench and had a positive influence on the game when he linked up nicely with Frimpong on the left but the wing-back could only fire his shot low and past the far post.
Wanderers were still deploying their high-pressing style in the later stages of the match when the Whites’ midfield swarmed a Rangers man on the edge of the box which led to Lockett curling just wide.
Rangers nearly made it three with a free kick from 20 yards out but Flint got down sharply to tip the effort around the post to cap off a quality performance from the Wanderers stopper despite the result.
The full time whistle went and despite the scoreline not being in favour of Wanderers, Andy Taylor’s young side displayed their capabilities as a team in spells throughout the match.
Wanderers’ Team: Flint, Matheson, Halford, Trialist, Inwood, Frimpong (Westwood 80’), Tweedley, Sharples-Ahmed (Fleury 75’), Loureiro (Lewis 60’), Lockett, Trialist (Abimbola 75’)
Subs: Dallimore, Westwood, Tutte