This was a fairly typical mid-table clash with both sides showing why they are so evenly matched. Periods of domination could not be taken advantage of and all too often the game descended into scrappy, nothing football. The defensive shortcomings were there for all to see and against a better side, either team would have been beaten. Holloway only made one change from the team that had earned a creditable draw at Brentford the previous week.

Andy Thomson was restored in attack in place of Doudou and we were finally given an opportunity to see how our two premier strikers would gel. The current injury situation meant that we were forced into playing an ultra-defensive midfield again. With Ollie Burgess succumbing to yet another cruciate ligament injury (that is now three players since February) we were left with a total lack of creativity. It was the sort of opportunity that Fernando De Ornelas may have revelled in, but if rumours are to be believed he has been sacrificed to allow the return of Gallen.

With little ability in the middle of the field, Rangers slipped back into the old routine of hoofing the ball from back to front in the minimum time. Shittu and Rose were obviously under instructions to look for Gallen with the long ball whenever possible and this made for pretty average viewing. Big Kev was working manfully to try and bring others into play but with such a limited midfield, options were few and far between. Marcus Bignot tried in the first half to get into the box whenever possible but only served to highlight his shortcomings. It is becoming clear that the bloke is a right back and nothing more. When he is played on the right wing, he has no idea what he is doing and gives the ball away for too often. There is no doubt that he is trying but effort can not disguise his poor ability.

He was not helped by the piss poor efforts of Palmer and Bonnot in the middle. For the third game in a row Palmer was exposed by smaller, more mobile players and Bonnot as usual either played the ball square or gave it away. The fourth member of the midfield was the ever weary Karl Connolly. I don't think there can be many players as unfit as him. He is blowing in the warm up and apart from the odd burst of skill and close control during games, he is largely anonymous. Today though he did provide the through ball that allowed Gallen to open the scoring.

After 22 minutes, the Colchester defence was caught very square and Connolly slipped a ball through from the left. Gallen took the ball in his stride, chugged toward the Loft end goal and then fired low past Andy Woodman. It was a great finish from a player who is obviously revelling in his homecoming. Up until that point Rangers had been in control of a scrappy game but all of a sudden we seemed to switch off and allowed Colchester an equaliser within five minutes.

Colchester attacked down the right and as the ball was swung into the box the marking went to shit. Scott McGleish was left unmarked by Shittu and he headed against Digby's left hand upright. The ball rolled invitingly into the path of 74-year-old Mickey Stockwell and he duly converted the chance. Another ten minutes and Rangers were suddenly behind.

Colchester left back Joe Keith, easily there best attacking player, made a typical surging run upfield. Again, the ball was fed to the right and this time Stockwell turned provider. His cross was deflected and looped into the air, Keith met it with a full-blooded volley from six yards that bulged the net at the School End. We were now behind in a game that we had controlled in its early stages. Half time came and we all waited eagerly to see if Holloway would actually make any changes. He did but it was a little surprising to say the least.

Christer Warren was replaced by Doudou and we switched to the much fabled 3-4-1-2 formation. Up to this point Warren had done ok and had provided several good attacking thrusts down the left. The most important switch though was that of Palmer from midfield to defence. He immediately looked more at home and the midfield managed to get far more involved in the game. Having the insurance policy of another centre back also allowed the manbeast, Danny Shittu two opportunities to cut loose in an attacking sense. Twice he carved through Colchester with jinking runs that you just don't expect from a man of his stature.

Nine minutes into the half the change paid dividends as Gallen grabbed his second of the game and third in three. He picked up the ball just inside the right edge of the penalty area. As he shaped to curl the ball into the far corner he dragged his right foot across it and fired it low into the near side bottom corner. Yet another great finish from Big Kev. With Thomo is subdued mood at the moment the onus is on Gallen to carry the attack and on this form he seems well capable of doing it.

Rangers did have the ball in the net again when Connolly's right wing cross flew into the empty net. The ref had already stopped play due to Colchester keeper Woodman knocking the crap out of his player on the near post. That was the closest we came to snatching the game but Colchester had a far better opportunity.

Bonnot gave away a freekick twenty-five yards from goal. Rangers proceeded to build a wall that Mr O'Reilly from Fawlty Towers would have been ashamed of. There was a huge gap in the centre of the goal and everybody could tell what was coning. Danny Shittu got in the gap at one point but Digby moved him again! I am not sure who hit it but it flew at Digby like a tracer bullet. As he plunged to his left the ball swerved wickedly in the air and he threw out his right hand to tip the ball onto the bar. The save was simply breathtaking but I find myself unconvinced that Digby is the right option for us. On the bench, we have an England U-21 keeper in Rhys Evans and I would like to see him given a chance to shine. Digby's kicking is a liability and he scares the life out of me when he comes roaring out for crosses.

Overall we didn't play well, neither did Colchester and a draw was about right. We even managed to sneak up a place in the table. If we want to sneak a few more the midfield must be put right. As I said earlier no midfield ability means long ball football and we are not really equipped to play it. I am not sure whether we are allowed another loan at the moment but a short-term deal for a creative player is needed. Langley will be back soon but nobody really knows what he will be like and it is not fair to put this much pressure on him straight away. Time for the thinking cap Mr Holloway.