What can you say after tonight’s performance? No really, if anybody has anything to say I am more than willing to listen. As a game, it was not up to much, but as a non-event it was definitely the real deal. 

Eleven changes from the starting line up against Chelsea. Did anybody mention that this was going to be a reserve team game? This was a question that must have been heard a hundred times during the course of the game. A fair few of the sizeable Rangers faithful were a little pissed off to say the least. However, I am of the view that you have to give the younger members of the squad a chance to prove themselves against some half decent opposition.

Tonight the two who really seemed to want to grab the opportunity were Lyndon Duncan and the real Danny Murphy. The two young full backs set about their task with enthusiasm. Murphy was ably assisted by the comedy stylings of Luton’s number seven. It was worth the £10 just to watch him make a complete arse of himself.

I would like to see Murphy given a chance in the game against Birmingham. He certainly seems to have a lot more about him than Paul Bruce. Bruce showed against Chelsea that whilst steady he is a bit of a one trick pony. The trick being smash the ball seventy yards up the line at any opportunity. Murphy brings a touch of class to the full back role, something we have been missing since Willo and then Rufus departed.

The good work of the two full backs was undermined however by the performances of Matthew Rose and Christer Warren. A strange pairing at centre back and they made sure that they would not be paired together again. Warren added this position to his list of ones he cannot play and Rose just strolled round as if he owned the place. On two occasions he underhit backpasses so badly that I nearly ran onto the pitch myself to clear them!

It was because of the defensive frailty of Warren and Rose that the only goal of the game came about. They both stood and admired the through ball played from midfield, the touch of ex-Orient forward Carl Griffiths and almost seemed to applaud as he fired through the legs of the unlucky Nikki Bull. Bull was left badly exposed all night by the two muppets in front of him. Consequently he was nervous in the first period but seemed to grow as the game went on.

As for the others not much of note to mention. Three trialists started the game: Ahmet Brkovic and Jason Brissett on either side of midfield and Abdu Tangara next to Koejoe up front. The two in midfield were pretty anonymous but the fella up front. Oh boy! He looked like a slightly weighty Michael Jordan and did appear to be playing the wrong sport a lot of the time. He made Sammy look like a cross between Maurice Green and Pele with his pace and ability. Another trialist Fabian Border came on as a second half substitute but made no impression at all. I don’t expect to see any of them again.

I think the best thing that can be said of the game was that it gave an opportunity for some of last years U-19 side to get a game under their belts. An opportunity that would probably have been denied had Francis still been here.

Incidentally, no sign of Holloway at the game. It showed. There seemed to be little in the way of inspiration from the bench. We must not forget that Timmy Breacker is still cutting his management teeth and so will need time, but it does serve to show what sort of influence Holloway can have on a team.