Sport
Crocked Rangers trio take huge injury step as seven first-teamers spotted
Crocked trio Ben Davies, Leon Balogun, and Zak Lovelace made their their returns to a Rangers starting XI as the B team faced Carlisle United at the club’s Training Centre.
There were seven players who’ve turned out for the Ibrox first-team this season named in the starting XI, with Robby McCrorie, Leon King, Bailey Rice, and Nicolas Raskin also playing.
The match was clearly about getting some minutes into the legs of those returning Rangers and the club’s fringe players. It appears to have been a worthwhile exercise.
Thompson Ishaka scored the Rangers goal in a 1-1 draw with the English League One side with all three of the players returning from injury having their minutes controlled.
Rangers trio in B Team starting return v Carlisle
Ben Davies and Zak Lovelace both played only 45 minutes in the match, whilst Leon Balogun played 67 minutes for the Rangers B team v Carlisle.
Davies, 28, hasn’t been seen since the 3-2 win over Real Betis on December 14th with injury badly disrupting the defender’s season overall.
Limited to just 12 matches this campaign, that 45 minutes for the B Team is a step in the right direction and we suspect it won’t be long before we see the defender back in first-team action.
Fellow centre-back Leon Balogun was named on the bench for the weekend’s table-topping win over St Johnstone but wasn’t risked at all in the match.
Suffering a facial fracture in the 3-0 win over Livingston, the 35-year-old Nigerian will be forced to wear a protective mask until the problem is fully healed.
Zak Lovelace suffered a devastating hamstring injury whilst turning out for the first-team in October, winning a penalty for a Steven Davis-led side v St Mirren before being stretchered off.
Returning from the bench in recent weeks, this start is the latest step in recovery for the talented 18-year-old striker.
Rangers quartet on squad’s periphery
As for the other names who played for the Rangers B side v Carlisle, Robby McCrorie, Leon King, and Nicolas Raskin played the full 90 minutes whilst Bailey Rice played around an hour.
The Rangers academy stars in McCrorie, King, and Rice have all found chances at a premium this season whilst Nicolas Raskin is still working his way back to form after a devastating mid-season injury.
Rangers manager Philippe Clement has been clear that the club will manage injury problems appropriately as the Gers look to turn a corner in the strength and conditioning of their players.
The Ibrox manager has been clear that he believes football is a squad game and we suspect all four of these players will have a role to play this season.
