If a point had been offered before the game then I am sure most associated with Rangers would have taken it. The fact that we only got a point in a game we could so easily have won may prove costly. However, let's take nothing away from what was an excellent battling performance.

Unsurprisingly, Holloway decided to stick with the same starting eleven that had blown Blackpool away on Saturday. The only change came on the bench where Wes Daly replaced fellow youth teamer Dennis Oli. The pattern of the game was set early on with Cardiff having the lion's share of the possession with Rangers seemingly happy to soak it up and play on the break.

Indeed the first goal came about when Danny Shittu broke up a Cardiff attack and launched a hopeful punt upfield. The ball seemed to deceive the Cardiff rearguard and Richard Pacquette bore down on goal. He calmly carried the ball into the box before shooting under the advancing Alexander into the far corner. It was a great run and a fantastic finish from a player that has come in for some stick from Rangers fans in recent weeks.

At the other end, the pace of Middlesbrough loanee Andy Campbell was a constant threat but he found Shittu and Ben-Askar at their imperious best. Any time he did manage to free himself his finishing showed why 'Boro have hardly played him this year. The wide play of Andy Legg was also menacing and his long throw is a potent weapon. Fortunately, Rhys Evans seemed to have the throw well scouted and in the first half, he managed to come and claim the majority of them.

Rangers nearly made it two when Langley's left wing corner found its way back to him. He sent over an exquisite cross that Pacquette headed just wide when he should have made the keeper work. Just before the break Pacquette again managed to wriggle free in the box but dragged his shot just wide. Langley also fired wide with another twenty-five yarder on the left foot.

At the start of the second half The Bluebirds introduced Leo Fortune-West and switched to three up front. To give Rangers credit they did not feel the need to change their own formation and seemed perfectly happy to let the back four of Forbes, Shittu, Ben-Askar and Bignot cope with it. The match up between Fortune-West and our middle pair was great stuff to watch as the three of them knocked the crap out of each other.

The equaliser when it came was contentious to say the least. Griffiths and Low challenged for a ball out wide and the Cardiff man seemed to get the final touch. Rangers throw you'd have thought. Well it seems referee Cain and his lineman thought different. Legg came over to hurl another scud into the box and Thorne met it at the far post with a combination of hand and head. The ball fell to Scott Young to head home from three yards. The protests of the Rangers players fell on deaf ears, as Cain seemed oblivious to the infringement.

Rangers' response was excellent. Despite flying in the face of an almost constant barrage of Cardiff pressure, we were creating the better chances. Gallen should have scored when Pacquette's cross found him eight yards out but he headed well wide. Hopeful shots from Bignot and Griffiths were also well off target.

Richard Pacquette came close on two further occasions when he showed the shooting power that has made him such a threat at reserve level. Firstly he picked up the ball in midfield and sent in a screamer from just outside the box. Alexander was well behind it but the power seemed to deceive him and he nearly dropped the ball in his own net. Later in the game, he cracked a twenty-five yard volley that the City stopper did well to tip round the post.

With twelve minutes left Pacquette was to fall victim to the referees inadequacies. Having been cautioned in the first half for a nothing challenge he dared to engage in a battle for the ball on the Cardiff right. Cain deemed that he had pulled his marker and he showed him his second yellow of the game. The young striker tore off his shirt in disgust as he left the field and the ref; lineman and fourth official were met with a typically passionate response from Ian Holloway. It seems that it was a bit too passionate for Cain and Holloway found himself banished to the stands.

George Cain was at best woeful; at worst, he was an absolute fucking disgrace. He allowed himself to be swayed by an admittedly partisan Ninian Park crowd and every decision seemed to go the way of the Welsh. He also booked Matthew Rose for nothing and when he ventured back to our bench a second time we were probably lucky not to have another of our coaching team dismissed. If we never get this guy again I will be a happy man. His bias against Rangers was of Rob Styles proportions.

The final ten minutes was an all out onslaught from Cardiff as they tried to make the extra man count. As they all poured forward, Rangers so nearly hit them with the sucker punch. The ball was cleared from the box and brilliantly controlled by Gallen on halfway. He carried the ball five yards and looked up to see Matthew Rose going like Ben Johnson on speed up the centre. He picked him out and Rose was left one on one with Alexander. The keeper rushed out to meet him and Rose attempted to lift it over him, this he did but he also managed to clear the bar at the same time. If it had been the other way round all three points would surely have been ours.

This was a tremendous performance from Rangers and a very well earned point. Palmer, Rose, Shittu and in particular Ben-Askar were rocks in the middle. ABA seems to be back to the form he showed against Chelsea pre-season and his partnership with Shittu could now flourish.

Gallen and Pacquette were always a threat up front and on another day, Pacquette could have had a hatrick. Langley was solid on the right and Forbes, Bignot and Evans can all be pleased with how they played. That only leaves one man, Leroy Griffiths. He was poor again tonight and he seems to have a problem playing away from home. He only managed to give away a succession of free kicks all night, although his tête-à-tête with Fortune-West was good to watch. I know Holloway doesn't rate him but I would like to see Ben Walshe given a chance on the left, as he surely can't do any worse.

A victory against Chesterfield on Saturday will keep us in the play-off hunt all be it as outsiders. An unchanged side except for the left wing should be the go and if we perform with as much passion and effort as we did here then victory shouldn't be too hard to come by.