U23 REPORT: RANGERS B 4-2 BURNLEY

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Harker at the double as Clarets suffer defeat in pre-season opener

2021-07-14T15:36:43.278Z

U23 REPORT: RANGERS B 4-2 BURNLEY

Harker at the double as Clarets suffer defeat in pre-season opener

2021-07-14T15:36:43.278Z

Skipper Rob Harker struck twice as the U23s kicked off their pre-season programme with a battling defeat to a Rangers B side at the Scottish champions' training ground.

It was a fairly youthful Burnley side with their squad in Scotland containing six trialists and five first-year professionals, with a number of more established players back at Barnfield working with the first-team group.

Rangers were three goals to the good with just 26 minutes played, thanks to Jake Hastie's opener and a Robbie Ure brace.

But Michael Jackson's side showed character to respond as a Harker penalty just before the break and a second strike just seven minutes into the second-half gave the visitors hope of a succcessful comeback before Charlie Lindsay added a fourth for the home side.

It was an even start at Rangers' HQ, with no real chances for either side in the opening 15 minutes on a sunny afternoon on the outskirts of Glasgow.

U23 REPORT: RANGERS B 4-2 BURNLEY - Image 1

But with 17 minutes played the hosts opened the scoring as Hastie broke into the area and fired home past the Clarets' trialist goalkeeper.

And just two minutes later Rangers doubled their lead as Ure rifled in from close range to put the hosts on the front foot.

Ure then grabbed his second and the home side's third just before the half-hour mark to cap a tough start for the Clarets.

But just before the break the visitors were given a glimmer of hope as one of the trialists was brought down inside the area and Harker stepped up and slotted home from the spot.

HARKER LOOKING TO LEAD THE WAY - Image 2

Jackson's side regrouped at the break and made five changes, with Finlay Armstrong, Sam Unwin, Mark Helm, Ne-Jai Tucker and a trialist replacing Owen Dodgson, Joe McGlynn and three trialists.

And the Clarets started the second period strongly and pushed to claw themselves back into the game.

With just seven minutes gone Harker found the net once again, this time with a cool finish past Jay Hogarth in the hosts' goal.

The Clarets then created a flurry of chances to try and force an equaliser but it was Rangers who struck again as they snatched a fourth of the afternoon through wideman Lindsay.

U23 REPORT: RANGERS B 4-2 BURNLEY - Image 3

That gave the Gers some breathing space as they survived another late penalty shot from the Clarets when Harker went down in the box but was denied the chance of a possible hat-trick when nothing was given.

But it was still a useful workout, with the whole Burnley squad getting minutes before continuing their training camp at Stirling University and preparing for a second friendly on Saturday.

First-half: Trialist, Trialist, Bedeau, Williams, Dodgson, Costelloe, Gomez Mancini, Trialist, Trialist, Harker McGlynn.

Second-half: Trialist, Trialist, Williams (Dodgson 70), Bedeau (Trialist), Armstrong, Tucker, Gomez Mancini (Trialist 70), Helm, Trialist, Unwin, Harker (McGlynn 70)