Big game, big performance, big result. Without doubt, the finest victory of the season to date and possibly the day any lingering doubts about Rangers promotion credentials were banished. We are contenders and the rest of the division better sit up and take notice.

After the comfortable win over Bury the previous week only one enforced change was made to the side. With Alex Bonnot, having been sent home from training through illness during the week Matthew Rose returned to the side. Richard Langley again continued his rehabilitation with a place on the bench and was joined by Andy Thomson after his alleged injury.

Stoke started the game by far the better side and it looked for all the world that Rangers were going to be on the end of a battering. Wave after wave of Stoke attacks were repelled only for the ball to immediately arrive back in the Rangers area. Luckily for us, Shittu and Palmer were at their commanding best and with both full backs also on form the defence looked a solid unit.

Stoke fielded one of the biggest centre forward pairings this division has to offer in Rikhardur Dadason and Andy Cooke. Unlike many players of their size they both possessed an excellent touch and seemed comfortable with the ball at their feet. Dadason in particular looked like a fine player and he tested Digby with a couple of efforts. For all their possession, they failed to capitalise and Rangers nearly snatched the lead on two occasions.

Matthew Rose had a left-footed effort from long range smothered by Neil Cutler and Richard Pacquette fired wide after good work from Leroy. Bjarni Gudjonsson, son of Stoke manager Gudjon Thordarson, brought a great diving save from Digby with a fierce effort that seemed to go through Palmer's legs.

Rangers managed to get in at the break at 0-0 and it was in no small part down to the electric pace of Terrell Forbes. You can't help feeling that West Ham have missed a trick here. If they could afford to let a player of this quality go for nothing then they should be walking away with the league with the players they kept. Three times, he was called on to intercept goal bound attackers after Palmer's lack of pace had been exposed.

Harsh words must have been exchanged in the Rangers dressing room at half time, as we looked a different side after the re-start. In the first ten minutes of the half, we could have scored three times. Doudou was twice played through only for his touch to desert him. The pocket rocket seemed a little subdued today and you have to wonder whether the fact he now seems to be a marked man might be getting to him. He got the treatment again today and Stoke skipper Siarhei Shtaniuk was cautioned for one crude lunge. Pacquette also wasted a gilt edged opportunity when he snatched at his shot when he had all the time in the world.

The moment that seemed to really swing the game in Rangers favour was the introduction of Thomson after fifty-five minutes. You could see the seeds of doubt planted in the minds of the Stoke defence and all of a sudden, the crisp passing that had been the hallmark of their first half performance seemed to get ragged. This is not to say that they still didn't pose a threat. Digby was called on to make three more excellent saves to keep The Potters at bay.

From the moment Karl Connolly replaced Doudou there looked like only one winner. Minutes later Rangers so nearly edged in front. A fantastic seventy-yard ball from Danny Murphy fell into the path of Thomson. He held of the challenge of Mike Flynn and lobbed over the advancing Cutler. The ball seemed to take an age to come down and it bounced agonisingly off the bottom of the post and rolled away to safety.

Connolly should also have scored after being played in by Danny Shittu. He had somehow popped up on the right wing and should have played the ball in to an unmarked Thomson. His lack of experience showed a little but he managed to find Connolly who miskicked horribly.

After eighty-one minutes, the goal that our pressure deserved arrived. The ball was played into Andy Thomson who was on the penalty spot. He looked a good five yards offside but the linesman, who had thwarted attack after attack all afternoon, kept the flag down. The ball was expertly cushioned into the path of Peacock who took a touch and hammered home. The team and fans alike went ballistic and it showed just how much this goal meant to all concerned.

Leroy very nearly added a second when he somehow managed to jink his way into the box, often through more luck than judgement, but Cutler repelled his strong shot. At the final whistle, more joyous celebrations ensued with the entire coaching staff running about on the pitch like a bunch of mentalists. Everybody came up to salute the massed ranks of R's fans including Clarke Carlisle who had joined in the pre-match warm up and watched the game from the bench.

As I said before this was our win of the season so far and I think Holloway's half time chat must have a lot to do with it. In the first half, too many players were not at the races. Bignot and Rose in particular were shocking only to turn their games around completely. Pacquette is showing signs of developing and Leroy looks to have stated his claim for a permanent left wing role.

The real plaudits must go to Forbes, Palmer, Shittu and Murphy who were quite outstanding. Any time they were beaten Fraser Digby stood stoutly in Stokes path; he just needs to sort that ropy kicking out as he caused a few palpitations with it again. Now altogether, "We're on the march with 'Olly's army…"