Rangers youth team stormed into the next round of the Scottish Youth Cup with a devastating 9–0 dismantling of Darvel at the Rangers Training Centre.
Despite coach Stevie Smith remaining with the first team helping new head coach Danny Rohl adjust to his new role, his number two Lewis Ross and Malky Thomson guided the young Gers into the fourth round,
In a dominant display from start to finish, Zebedee Lawson claimed the match ball with a first-half hat-trick, while Chris Condy netted twice in an afternoon where the young Gers attacked at will and barely broke stride.
There was a familiar name at right-back for Rangers: Ben Hutton becoming the third Hutton to occupy that flank for the club, following Scotland international Alan (2001–08), and current prospect Zander.
From kick off, the pattern was clear. Inside the opening minute, Lawson surged down the right, swapping passes with Condy before forcing Darvel keeper Blair Samson, nephew of former Kilmarnock goalkeeper Craig Samson, into an early save.
Max Cameron dazzled with close control and trickery on the left, and Cameron Fernie saw a powerful effort tipped over as Darvel sank deeper and deeper, camped with eleven behind the ball.
The breakthrough came on 25 minutes when full-back Ashton Scally burst into the box and was tripped. Lawson stepped up and coolly chipped the penalty straight down the middle to open the scoring.
Just a minute later, another defensive lapse saw Condy intercept a loose back-pass; his initial shot was saved, but Lawson reacted sharply to drive a left foot volley on the rebound into the net for 2–0.
Rangers, now in full flow, added a third on the half-hour when Alexander Smith drove to the byline and picked out Condy, who rifled high into the net.
Three became four soon after as Smith curled a delightful free kick into the top corner from the edge of the area, leaving Samson rooted.
Lawson completed his hat-trick just before the break, meeting Scally’s clipped cross with a stunning outside-of-the-boot volley to make it 5–0 by half-time, though his earlier booking for simulation may be a note of caution in later rounds.
The second half brought fresh legs but the same intent. Lawson and Smith were replaced by Luca Rankin and Kyle Glasgow, and within moments Glasgow played Scally down the left flank, and his precise cross was met by Condy on the penalty spot, the striker guiding a firm right-footed volley into the corner for 6–0.
Cameron then saw a penalty saved after being fouled in the box, also going down the middle but this time Samson getting strong hands behind it.
The goals resumed on 71 minutes: substitute Coben Fergusson’s first touch set up Rankin, son of Hamilton Accies manager John, who swept a composed finish into the net for 7–0.
Rankin doubled his tally in style five minutes later, curling a strike in off the underside of the bar. Scally joined the scorers late on, drilling home from inside the area to round off the scoring at nine.
Glasgow nearly made it double figures from a late free kick he’d won himself, only for Samson to produce one final save to deny the Colts double figures.
For Rangers, it was a performance defined by flair on the flanks, sharp interplay, and relentless pressure. For Darvel, it was an afternoon spent chasing shadows against a side brimming with quality and confidence.
A resounding statement in the cup, the future continues to look bright at Auchenhowie with not just the quantity of goals on show, but the quality.