Rangers B saw their SPFL Trust Trophy campaign come to an end with a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Queen's Park.

David McCallum's team scored first and were well on top until a Clinton Nsiala red card 35 minutes into the match changed the course and complexion of the tie. After keeping a lead into the break goals from three goals in the second-half sealed the hosts' progression to the semi-final. 

Bailey Rice, Clinton Nsiala, Robbie Fraser, Findlay Curtis and Mason Munn all started against the Spiders. The Rangers Review reports on the big talking points from Lesser Hampden below.

A night of what might have been

After an uneventful opening 10 minutes in Glasgow’s Southside Rangers started to gain control of a game that they were far more dangerous in before the interval. Mason Munn, aside from tipping a Sean Welsh drive over the woodwork, had little to do bar collecting crosses and starting more than one dangerous transition with a well-aimed throw. McCallum’s side carried a threat on either wing through Findlay Curtis and Archie Stevens, while Bailey Rice patrolled the centre and Robbie Fraser raced forward from left-back. 

Stevens had generated two good chances, for Rice and Chris Eadie, inside 15 minutes but it would be Cole McKinnon who opened the scoring. The midfielder, a regular feature in Philippe Clement’s squad earlier this year, arrived onto a Paul Nsio cross late in the box to head home a deserved opener. Fraser almost made it two minutes later when another quick, slick attack ended in a shot from all of 20 yards that crashed off the woodwork. It could’ve been a very different outcome had that shot hit the net.

Nsiala’s red card, issued just after the half-hour mark, changed the flow of this fixture. While Rangers survived well until the break they conceded a Dom Thomas strike just after the restart making their second-half task an uphill battle. McCallum’s men to their credit kept composure on the ball and retained an intention to play out where possible but before the hour, Jack Turner converted a whipped cross from the right to establish a lead Callum Davidson’s side would not lose. A comical and unfortunate own goal 20 minutes from time, with the ball kicked onto Zander Hutton by Munn, sealed the tie and Rangers’ fate.

Nsiala starts well then sees red 

Clinton Nsiala, who moved to Glasgow from AC Milan this summer, is yet to make a competitive first-team appearance for Clement’s side but started well at the City Stadium. The 20-year-old was composed in possession, defending on the front foot and keeping an experienced front line quiet alongside the rest of his defence. 

Indeed, if any side looked likely to add a second goal following McKinnon’s opener it was David McCallum’s men who generated the better chances until a red card issued to Nsiala just after the half-hour changed the game’s complexion. Issued for what appeared to be an off-ball incident called by the linesman, the Frenchman was sent for an early bath by referee Peter Stewart just after he’d done well to defend a dangerous attack down the Queen’s right. 

From there, the Ibrox youngsters moved to a 4-4-1 shape with Eadie making way for Leyton Grant. Their line had to drop and numbers in the attack were reduced with the home side’s experience showing in the circumstance. Understandably the young Rangers' side saw their grip on the game disappear.  

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Rice and Curtis impress

Queen’s may well have been the favourites as a Championship outfit heading into this one although you wouldn’t have thought it based on the early exchanges. Standing out for Rangers were Rice, Curtis and Fraser while the rangey McKinnon did very well to head in the opener after breaking into the box. Rice came on away in Nice towards the end of last week’s 4-1 win in the Europa League and shouldn’t be far away from more minutes under Clement.

If Rangers are serious about a youth pathway they can’t keep their most talented asset playing semi-regular competitive football in the second team - especially when No.6 options remain limited. Although Rice lacks the engine of Nico Raskin and that could be exposed in Clement’s transitional system, his technique and ability on the ball can’t be questioned. Here, without being spectacular before the break, the midfielder provided a constant secure pass and never stopped demanding the ball. 

Curtis has also caught attention in recent months with impressive goalscoring efforts. It was, it must be said, refreshing to watch a Rangers team fielding two pacey wingers and the system benefitted as a result. Curtis created three good chances before the break and, in an area of the pitch where the first-team remain light, can’t be far from consideration.

Who else caught the eye?

McCallum will rue a first-half dismissal which took away the level playing field his team were dominating in Mount Florida. It must be said that Rangers showed some naivety, to be expected at this level, with two quick concessions after the interval that saw them guilty of falling too deep and failing to deal with central runners. 

In that sense, while not a game of two halves, this was a tale of two very different periods of football. Before the Nsiala red, the aforementioned individuals impressed while Fraser, up and down the left with energy all night, reminded Clement of his abilities as Ridvan Yilmaz returns from injury to compete with Jefte. Handed a new contract this summer the 21-year-old will hope the Turkish left-back’s return doesn’t close the door to first-team opportunities. 

Munn, a player that the club retain high hopes for, could do little for the first two goals before a mix-up for the third and showed good composure with the ball at his feet.