Quite how Rangers managed to throw away two points from a game they had dominated for eighty minutes will remain a mystery to many. I think what it proved to me is that we need to have another season in this division as we are simply not good enough for a play off place.

Holloway was forced into making changes for this game, partly through injuries and partly through the poor performance at Bristol City. Marcus Bignot returned at left back in place of Murphy, Gavin Peacock returned to the side in place of Doudou and Karl Connolly started up front. Richard Pacquette had apparently taken a knock in training on Friday. Richard Langley kept his place but was moved to a right midfield role and he influenced the game massively.

The game started in the most dramatic fashion. After only twelve minutes, Karl Connolly was set free and he bore down on goal. Connolly's deceptive pace, he is slower than he looks, fooled Roy Hunter and he was brought crashing down in the box. Referee Harris gave the spot kick and had no option but to dismiss Hunter much to the annoyance of the Sixfields faithful. Connolly duly dispatched the kick, cheekily dinking the ball down the middle as Welch dived to his left.

Ten minutes later and it was 2-0. With gaps opening up all over the park a slick passing move involving five players led to Gavin Peacock being freed down the right. His perfect cross was met with a thumping header from Connolly leaving Welch no chance. This should have been the signal for Rangers to go on and win the game easily but once again, we encountered the problem of turning possession into goals.

The rest of the half was spent camped almost entirely in Northampton territory. Some of the passing and movement was stunning to watch and in Griffiths and Langley we had two very different players scaring The Cobblers to death. From his now familiar left wing berth Griffiths was giving the opposition right back the run around. His close control is excellent and there is no doubt that when he is on song he can be a potent weapon. I would go as far as to say that this was the best game I have seen him have.

On the other flank, Langley was providing different problems. Initially he seemed a little lost but as the game wore on so his confidence in the position grew. His passing and movement were creating chances for others and the space he created should have been a source of at least one more goal before half time. This was would have killed the game off and thoroughly demoralised Northampton.

As it was for all the pressure nothing came. Keith Welch had several first half saves to make but they were nothing more than routine and the home fans will have breathed a sigh of relief when half time came. Their manager, Kevan Broadhurst, would also have been grateful for an opportunity to talk to his overworked side. The second half began with Rangers exerting the same amount of pressure for the same reward, but in this half the goalkeeping was nothing short of breathtaking.

In the first minute of the half, Gallen picked up the ball twenty-five yards from goal. He carried the ball to the edge of the box and drove a left footer toward the bottom corner only to see Welch tip it to safety. The tone had been set. Twice more he denied Gallen and he also had t be at his best to turn a Griffiths piledriver round the post.

The moment that turned the game for me came fifteen minutes before the end. Leroy set off on another run, beating one player only to be crudely upended by the next. From where I was sitting it looked like the bloke gave Griffiths a forearm smash and consequently a facial injury was sustained. I think the change was already going to happen and Doudou came on to fill the hole on the left. All of a sudden, we couldn't keep the ball and the inevitable happened.

Pressure began to mount but there seemed little problem when Northampton sub Derek Asamoah picked p the ball forty yards from goal. He set off on a jinking run reminiscent of Roy Wegerle against Leeds and before we knew it he had beaten four men and arrived in the box. His finish was cool and left Digby no chance. Twelve minutes left, one goal difference and a catalogue of missed chances behind us, we all knew what was coming.

With two minutes left there seemed to be a moment of decision between Forbes and Digby. After several shouts of "After you Claude" Sam Parkin stole in to grab a dramatic equaliser. You could say it was no more than they deserved but it would be a lie. Eighty minutes of total domination and you are undone by a moment of brilliance and a defensive arse up.

I think Holloway will have to take his share of the blame after the substitution. Richard Langley had run himself to water and I think he should have been replaced, but not with Doudou. Alex Bonnot would have been my choice to come on and shore up the centre of the park. All Doudou managed to do was get knocked off the ball every time he got it. Indeed, he only managed five minutes on the left before they had to switch him and Connolly over. Connolly had done so much he could hardly move and he was unable to make any further impact.

It could have been worse had Asamoah not blazed high and wide in injury time. The team were met with a chorus of boos at the whistle and you could see the dejection on their faces. We are not ready for a play off place and it may be time to acknowledge that. The long term aim should be to grab a top two position for next year when the team know each other that much better. This is all on the assumption that they don't all leave in the summer if no new owner has been found!

If we somehow manage to go up this year we could end up doing a Stockport, so I won't be gutted if it doesn't come off. At the start of the year I think we would all have settled for eighth or ninth and a season of consolidation and this is exactly what I think we will get.