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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Andy McGilvray

Plenty of changes as Wishaw draw with Cambuslang Rangers

Cambuslang Rangers clashing with Wishaw at Dalziel Park this afternoon was a situation that benefited all parties.

Wishaw were due to play local rivals Shotts Bon Accord, but a Covid outbreak put paid to that, and they appealed for somebody else to take the slot.

Cambuslang, meanwhile, were desperate for a game but struggled to find opponents, so when they heard of Wishaw's plight, they immediately stepped in.

It still wasn't as simple as that, though, and Wishaw's booking at the grass pitch was changed to the Astro.

Just when everybody thought that was everything settled, referee Michael McCart turned up in black, only to find that Wishaw had matching outfits, so a quick change was needed, while he also sorted out some apparent issues with Rangers' team.

When we did kick-off 10 minutes later, we were treated to a decent game between two relatively well-matched teams.

Cambuslang seemed the more attacking side from the start, but Wishaw worked their socks off and came storming into the game in both halves.

When the dust had settled on a fine June afternoon, it was 2-2, with strikes by Rangers' John Gemmell and Scott Anson cancelled out in both halves by Steph McDonald and David Dunn.

Wishaw boss Mark Daly said: "I thought it went well, that was our first game, we were trying a new shape and formation, and the boys applied it very well.

Wishaw boss Mark Daly was pleased with his side (Lanarkshire Live Sport)

"Cambuslang are a good team with some good, very experienced pros in there, but I thought the boys did well and I'm delighted.

"I'm very impressed with their fitness levels, and match fitness will come, so I'm not worried about that."

Rangers co- boss Billy Campbell said: "It was our first game back and the first some of these guys have played in literally 14 months, so they're going to be a bit ring-rusty.

"I thought we started the first half well, but we then started giving the ball away cheaply and allowed Wishaw back into the game.

"I think a fair overview of the first half was that we could have come in behind.

"However, the work-rate was there, we made seven changes which is going to unsettle them, and we're trying to integrate four young boys with the more mature players, so I think overall we're relatively happy with the first game back."

Wishaw could have gone in ahead at the interval, with Kieran Brannan's penalty well saved by Andy Wilson, before the hosts did find the net through McDonald two minutes before the break.

Rangers, decked out in their red and black change strip, took the lead in 11 minutes when a corner from the right was knocked down and Gemmell lashed the ball into the net.

Tony Stevenson went close for Rangers shortly after that as they tried to turn the screw.

Cambuslang Rangers co-boss Billy Campbell said that was the first game in 14 months for a lot of his players (Lanarkshire Live Sport)

Wishaw came roaring into the game and McDonald was sent through on goal, but saw his shot parried by Wilson.

The second half was much the same, with Wishaw's Dunn seeing a shot well saved by Wilson.

But Rangers regained their lead when Anson headed in a cross from the right.

A good Wishaw move ended with Brannan just failing to connect, and with 20 minutes to go, an Andy Duffy shot was deflected onto the left post by a Rangers defender when it was probably going in.

But Wishaw drew level when from a good move in 79 minutes, Dunn blasted a shot high into the top left corner.

The game kind of fizzled out after that, but a draw was probably fair.

While Rangers started both halves better, Wishaw came right back into it with two good equalisers, and were unlucky not to net that penalty.

Follow Lanarkshire Live Sport on Twitter via @LanLiveSport, like us on Facebook or find us on Instagram for the latest sports news, pictures and video

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