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QPRnet.com
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STOP THIEF!
TRANMERE NICK ALL THREE!
Football is often described as a game of two halves, this game
could, in all fairness, be described as a game of two minutes. That
is the time it took for Rangers to grab an 89th minute equaliser and
give away a 90th minute winner. It meant an exciting end to one of
the most excruciating games I have ever had the misfortune to
witness.
After an excellent victory at Notts County the previous weekend
hopes were high that three more points could be delivered that would
potentially force us into the top six. Stuart Wardley took his place
in midfield after an excellent second half showing the previous
week. Chris Plummer also made his first appearance of the season,
this decision being forced on Holloway with the injury to Rose and
the suspensions of Shittu and Ben-Askar. It took him twenty minutes
or so to get going but he did not look match fit. De Ornelas and
Bonnot dropped to the bench.
Neither team started particularly brightly. You could see that the
game was going to turn into a fierce midfield battle and the
challenges were flying in from the off. As a result, the amount of
football being played was nil. This wasn't helped by a referee who
seemed totally unaware of the advantage and who insisted on every
freekick, and there were plenty of them, being taken from the exact
blade of grass. Thank you Mr Joslin! The only surprise was that he
only brandished two yellow cards. Bignot was rightly booked for a
vicious challenge that could easily have broken former Ranger Steve
Yates' leg. Nick Henry received the second.
When Yates was at Rangers there was a standing joke that every time
he touched the ball, it would go out for a throw in. In his time at
Tranmere, he has obviously been developing this art. He must have
given away twenty-five throw ins, surely some sort of record. Or was
it a clever ploy to win the ball back as everybody knows that the
R's can't take a throw for love nor money.
Both sides had chances to take the lead. Paul Rideout headed high
and wide of the Rangers goal from five yards with only Digby to
beat. At the other end, Thomson missed a gilt edged chance when he
curled wide from fifteen yards. It was an almost identical chance to
the one he took against Cardiff earlier this season. Comedy arsehole
Paul Bruce also tested Joe Murphy in the Tranmere goal with a
right-footed volley that he very nearly fumbled.
Half time came and went far too quickly. It was the best fifteen
minutes of the afternoon as we got a break from the turgid fare we
were having forced upon us. Round-the-Pole was as entertaining as
ever and the fun was only interrupted by the return of both sides.
The second half began in exactly the same fashion as the first had
ended. Crap! Thomson missed his second great chance of the
afternoon. Good work on the right from Perry led to the ball being
fired low across the six-yard box. Thomo was left with a tap in
which he managed to put wide. It was such a poor effort that Perry
thought it had been deflected and wanted a corner.
We had now spurned two chances that would have killed this game. If
we had taken the lead, I am sure that Tranmere would not have had
enough to get back into it. Two goals and it would have been
goodnight Vienna. Instead Tranmere made us pay in the best possible
fashion.
On 72 minutes, Nick Henry played a lovely through ball to the
impressive Jason Koumas. He held off the challenge of the out of
sorts Terrell Forbes and slotted coolly past Digby. Koumas was
easily Tranmere's best player despite playing out of position on the
left of midfield. He is too good for this division and it can only
be a matter of time before he is off to better things. He does not
deserve to be dragged down to this level.
The time was now ripe for a change but it didn't come. It was
obvious to all inside Loftus Road that the personnel currently on
the field had little chance of pulling us back into the game. They
were lacklustre and second best in most departments but the change
didn't come. The clock had reached 85 minutes when Griffiths finally
replaced Perry. The reward was almost instant. Only three minutes
after his introduction he fired in a fierce angled drive that was
brilliantly saved by Murphy. Rangers scored from the resulting
corner.
Doudou floated the ball in and Murphy came to collect it. Just as
the ball was seemingly safe in his grasp he collided with another
player and the ball found its way to Wardley. He hooked over the
crowd scene in the box and as the ball was about to drop into the
net Thomson headed the ball over the line to make sure. Number 13 of
the season for Thomson, but it should have been 15.
The celebrations had barely finished when Rangers committed
footballing suicide. Jason Price, easily the second worst player on
the pitch was given all the time in the world to cross. Stuart
Barlow met his ball with a firm header and that was that. Rangers
had lost a game that neither side deserved to win after squandering
the opportunity to snatch it ourselves.
In case you were wondering, the worst player on the pitch was Paul
Bruce. He seemed to be on a crusade to give a goal away. A first
half cock up forced Fraser Digby into a great save from Barlow. He
seemed to settle once we went a goal down, presumably as Forbes had
done his job for him. Once we equalised normal service was resumed
and Bruce was all over the place for the Tranmere winner. Danny
Murphy made a half time presentation to a Rangers old boy. I forget
his name but he looked about seventy and walked with a stick. I
can't help thinking even that he may be a worthier incumbent of the
left back position. The next time I see Murphy I hope it is playing
rather than watching. Holloway does not want to expose him too early
but I think the time has now come. Even if he just blocks up the
left side of the field that will be more than Bruce does at the
moment.
The only Rangers players to emerge from the game with any credit
were Bignot, Digby and Griffiths. Bignot was tenacious all afternoon
and did well to hold his temper in the face of some serious
provocation. Digby made two great saves to keep us in the game. He
nearly gave a goal away when he failed to deal with Forbes'
ridiculous back pass but he recovered well. Griffiths, although only
on the pitch for five minutes, looked hungry and it might be worth
giving him a bit longer next time.
Next up is Swansea in the cup. We should beat them and if we don't
then some serious questions will need to be asked. We don't want to
suffer the shame of going out in the first round of all three cups.
A good win followed by three points at home against Swindon is what
we need to pick us up again. |
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