ALEX IS BLUE EYED BOY
Lowry steals the show with a stunning performance to help brush aside Hearts
THIS shaped up as one last audition for Aaron Ramsey ahead of the Europa League final. It ended up being the Alex Lowry Show.
Of the 11 starters in a young and much-changed Rangers side, Ramsey was surely the only one with a realistic chance of using this deadrubber visit to Tynecastle as an opportunity to give manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst some late headaches over his selection for Wednesday’s date with destiny against Eintracht Frankfurt.
In truth, while not exactly playing badly, the Welshman failed to shine. As is so often the case. The touches are there, the technique is clear, but there is just a general lack of zip about his play, a sense that all those injuries and all those spells out of action have taken their toll.
Put simply, he just doesn’t stand out in these matches in the way you would expect from a 72-times capped former Arsenal and Juventus regular. He was given an hour against Robbie Neilson’s side before making way for young Cole McKinnon.
Did he do enough to put his name on the teamsheet for Seville? You would doubt it.
It is hard to see past John Lundstram, Ryan Jack and Glen Kamara in midfield with Joe Aribo just that little bit further up the pitch providing Kemar Roofe doesn’t make it.
Who makes up Rangers’ middle-to-front options for next season is just as interesting — if a little less immediate — but there will be something badly wrong if Lowry is not in the thick of the mix.
This wavy-haired 18-year-old, who has just signed a contract extension until 2025, is a delight to watch — and has been since he came into the first-team picture in an impressive scoring debut against Stirling Albion in the Scottish Cup in January.
He started this match the way he meant to go on, coming in off the left flank on six minutes to latch onto a pass and playing in Amad Diallo, only for the Manchester United loan player to miscontrol the ball and allow Michael Smith to clear the danger.
Lowry’s match-defining goal on the stroke of half-time showed so much of what he is about: direct, confident and possessing both quick feet and outstanding technical gifts. With the lesser-spotted Cedric Itten having cancelled out an opening goal from Hearts’ Peter Haring, Steven Davis, potentially making his last appearance in light blue, fired a diagonal ball out left that Lowry collected in his stride. The sense of purpose was almost tangible.
Lowry moved towards the area, had Smith square-on and produced the most remarkable little feint — some kind of Ali Shuffle — to provoke a reaction and open up a space. With that job done, his low finish gave home goalkeeper Craig Gordon little chance.
Lowry looks so comfortable on the ball, so in control of it that his mind can focus on other things. Even when a squad of his B-team chums had entered the field to see things out, he was still prodding and probing and played a part in the excellent passing move that led to Rangers’ third.
Drifting in to pick up the ball in a more central position, he played a smart and ambitious ball forward to leave Hearts stretched. Ramsey’s replacement McKinnon then fed it out wide to Ross McCausland and drifted into space in the centre to pick up the return ball and convert with some style.
For Hearts, this was a mixed afternoon. The sight of John Souttar and Craig Halkett getting some action in the second half ahead of next Saturday’s Scottish Cup final was a sight for sore eyes. Cammy Devlin was also given the first 45 minutes as he builds up his fitness.
However, while Van Bronckhorst picked a shadow squad, Neilson’s starting line-up included a surprising number of influential figures. One of which was Liam Boyce. Seeing him limp off after just 12 minutes, holding the left side of his groin, was a major worry before the Hampden return with the Ibrox club — even though Neilson remains optimistic he will be fit.
The Northern Irishman started as chief support to Ellis Simms, whose key contribution saw Hearts take the lead midway through the opening period. He held off James Sands, an unexpected selection at centre-back, and laid the ball into the path of Haring, who released an unstoppable grasscutting shot that whizzed into the net past visiting goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin.
Nine minutes later, though, Rangers were level. Itten had an effort deflected over and, from Lowry’s corner, the Swiss forward was left with the simple task of heading home from a position of glorious isolation just a matter of yards out.
It was that moment when Lowry turned from provider to punisher that this game, perfectly entertaining despite there being little at stake, turned on its head.
That Rangers eventually cruised to victory with a team of kids, including three debutants in Tony Weston, McKinnon and McCausland, will have given cheer to a visiting support — and an away bench — surely challenged throughout to focus their attentions on the issues of the day rather than
the promise of a truly legendary occasion in midweek.
Of many things that still have to improve dramatically at Rangers, including an established player-trading model, raising and promoting talent from the academy remains high on the to-do list.
This was a tantalising look at what the future might hold, though. With Lowry, no doubt, the flagbearer for a generation hoping to benefit from the legacy of what lies ahead in the Ramon-Pizjuan Stadium in 72 hours’ time.