BILLY KIRKWOOD reckons his Rangers kids showed their mental resolve as they overcame Partick Thistle in the Youth Cup on Monday night.

The Light Blues were on course for a fourth round berth thanks to second half strikes from Zak Rudden and Andy Dallas at Ibrox.

But a Neil McLaughlin double stunned the Gers as Thistle scored twice in two minutes to send the tie to extra-time.

Read more: Ryan Hardie grateful for Graeme Murty's support as he bids to make a name for himself at Rangers

It was a comfortable outcome in the end for Rangers as Serge Atakayi and Dapo Mebude scored either side of another Rudden strike.

And Kirkwood, who stood in for Under-20s boss Graeme Murty once again, was pleased with the reaction of his side when it mattered most.

He told SportTimes: “In the first half, we were disappointed and we put a few things to them about when it is not going well. You can’t look for someone else to take responsibility, you have got to take responsibility.

“I felt too many of them in the first half were looking for someone else to make that pass or go one v one. After half time, we got the goal and got the second and were nice and bright. “We are comfortable and then we allow them back in with the penalty. Thistle got a lift from that and we didn’t defend the corner well.

Read more: Ryan Hardie: I have to start realising my potential at Rangers sooner rather than later

“Once it got to extra time and we got the third goal, I thought we were comfortable after that and scored some good goals.

“We said to them after the game that they will probably learn more about themselves after being two up and it going back to 2-2 and then having to go and win the game.

“From their point of view, I am always putting demands on them. It would have been nice for them to do that in front of 50,000 because that is the real test.

“When it is 0-0 and the fans are on your back, you have to show that character at this club to go and do something about it. I felt just after half-time they did that and then they had to go and do it again in extra-time, so credit to them.”

The Jags clash was a return to a more familiar test for the Ibrox Colts after they withdrew from the Development League this term.

Read more: Graeme Murty: Rangers must make Ibrox a 'fortress' once again

Rangers have played the likes of Feyenoord, Manchester City and Liverpool in recent weeks as part of their new games programme at Under-20 level.

The Light Blues will still bid for Youth Cup glory this season, however, and Senior Academy Manager Kirkwood was glad to see his Auchenhowie prospects pass another test at Ibrox.

He said: “It is making a difference. We have played a couple of Scottish teams.

“We have played St Mirren and we have played Dundee United so we are getting the balance.

“It was shown on Monday night that they have got good resilience and hopefully the games programme is improving that because we have had a few hard tests against better teams.

“Credit to Thistle, they made it difficult for us but we came out thoroughly deserved winners.

“Maybe that was the reason they played the way they did in the first half, because we put that extra pressure on them.

“It was a cup tie, it wasn’t a friendly, it was a game that had to be won to get through to the next round and that is part of the learning process as well.

“Sometimes they need that extra pressure put on them to show the staff that they have got the character to play at this club.

“At the bigger clubs, whether that is in Scotland or England, they need to have that mental toughness to play and I think they showed that in the second half and in extra-time.”