Rangers shot shy attack drew yet another blank as two defensive blunders cost us a valuable point as Ashton Gate. It would not have been a point that was deserved but at this stage of the season, a point is a point and we aren't picking up enough of them.

Andy Thomson dropped to the bench after Saturday's lacklustre performance against Cambridge. Richard Pacquette took his place in attack with Danny Murphy and Richard Langley replacing Bignot and Peacock, suspended and ill respectively. Many of the large Rangers following would have been hoping that the return of Langley to the starting line up would provide some much needed inspiration, but they could not have made a worse start.

From the word go, Bristol City launched wave after wave of attacks that the Rangers rearguard struggled to deal with. None of the back four of Forbes, Shittu, Palmer and Murphy seemed able to clear any attack long enough to get themselves set for the next one. City were exploiting the wide areas, as it was already obvious that the full backs weren't going to get much help from Griffiths or Doudou.

Indeed, it was poor defensive play from Doudou that cost us the first goal after only eight minutes. After another session of penalty box pinball, the ball fell to Doudou just inside the area. All he had to do was put his foot through it, instead he dwelled too long and gave the ball away, as he would with nearly every other touch for the rest of the night. The ball found it's way to Scott Murray who unleashed a curling left footer from twenty five yards that slammed into the bottom corner of Digby's net.

We were 1-0 down and we hadn't even got out of the blocks. Slowly Rangers managed to take some sort of foothold in the game but it never looked like a goal was going to come. Our first shot on target was a speculative long-range effort from Langley that Steve Phillips easily caught. Several more half chances followed with Rose firing wide from distance and Gallen missing what seemed to be a routine header. Doudou also fired wide after cutting in from the right.

At the other end City rarely tested Digby but that is not to say we weren't under pressure. The attacks kept coming and the defence kept making ham fisted attempts to clear them. Lee Peacock, a transfer target for Rangers a couple of years ago, was giving Shittu a real workout. Since he joined us this is the first time I have seen him beaten physically time after time. Peacock seemed to relish the challenge and the big man didn't like it. He was being brushed off the ball too easily and in combination with Tony Thorpe, Peacock was causing all sorts of problems. At the same time, Murphy was getting a lesson in off the ball running from Murray.

Murray must have covered every blade of grass on the right wing and beyond and the young full back simply had no answer. He showed that he still has a hell of a lot of learning to do and I wouldn't be surprised to see him back in the reserves for an extended spell shortly. He did of course pick up his obligatory booking for a late challenge on Murray.

Just before the break a combination of poor defending and farcical officiating led to City's second. Once again, Rangers failed to clear the ball and Griffiths' weak clearance found its way back into the box. The ball somehow dropped to Thorpe who seemed to be three yards offside. He poked the ball home past Digby and turned away in half celebration fully expecting to see the flag raised. It wasn't of course and as poor decisions go this was one of the worst I've seen in a while. The Rangers players surrounded the ref but to no avail. At half time, the linesman also came in for plenty of stick. The only reason I can offer for him not flagging is that he had his head stuck up his arse.

The second half continued in the same vein as the first with poor defending almost costing us. With an hour played Holloway took off Murphy and the ineffective Pacquette and brought on Warren and Thomson. Pacquette is starting to become a bit of a mystery to me. Every time I see him in the reserves he is full of running, shows some lovely touches on the ball and scores plenty of goals. When he gets into the first team, he seems to freeze a little. I don't know whether this is just nerves or the step up in class showing but he needs to sort it out. At the moment he is our first choice replacement striker and with Gallen and Thomson not scoring there is a lot resting on his shoulders.

Before he was replaced, he did come close with one cross shot, as did Thomson. Thomson also missed a relatively simple header and once again seemed completely out of touch. It is one thing for a striker to miss chances but quite another for him not to even offer himself up for chances. One two or three occasions balls were played into the box and Thomson just watched them roll by. Sorry Andy, not good enough. If you want to leave you won't impress anybody with an attitude like that.

Digby was called upon in the second period to turn a header from Peacock round the post and as the game neared a conclusion, Rangers had a ten minute period of dominance in which they failed to create a single opportunity. It is difficult to say whose fault this was, the people creating or the people supposedly finishing. I will let you draw your own conclusions.

The one plus point that came out of the night was the full return of Langley. He played the entire game and looked strong. He didn't shirk any tackle and his passing was a cut above anything else we had on show. It was a shame that he appeared a bit too clever for most of his teammates. He looked a little leggy at times but that is understandable after a year's absence. I can't 'see him losing his place again.

Northampton next and a smell of revenge is in the air. They have turned us over twice already and after recent results this is now a must win match. Three points here and another three against Wrexham the following week should set us back on track but some hard work will have to be done on the training pitch if we want to get anything.