| IN-SPIRE-ING RANGERS RAIN
SUPREME
Rangers responded
to the last gasp defeat against Tranmere in the best possible manner
with a convincing victory over Chesterfield and Mother Nature at
Saltergate. The R's fought back from a goal down to rack up a well
deserved win in some of the most atrocious weather I have ever been
battered by.
Injuries and suspensions meant that
wholesale changes were enforced on Holloway. Culkin remained in goal
and with Carlisle injured and Murphy seemingly bombed out Palmer and
Padula returned to the back four alongside Forbes and Shittu.
Ben Walshe was handed only his second
ever first team appearance and his first ever start on the left
wing. Ollie Burgess was wide on the right with Bircham and Gallen in
the middle. The now preferred front two of Angell and Pacquette was
once again in evidence.
Rangers fell behind after only 11
minutes. Ben Walshe was robbed on the left and Chris Brandon slung
over a high cross. Glynn Hurst out jumped the static Palmer to send
an excellent header past Culkin and in. The fat man to the right of
the Rangers fans was delighted and celebrated with a host of abusive
gestures that were ignored by the stewards. How sweet it was to
equalise only a minute later to ram his gestures down his bloated
gullet.
Gino's throw in found the feet of
Richard Pacquette, he turned his man well before firing a low shot
into the corner past Manchester United loanee Ben Williams. It was a
great finish and very much in keeping with his exceptional form of
late.
Minutes later Rangers found themselves
in front courtesy of the Lion of Lagos. Some could argue that it was
a perfectly executed corner routine, others would say that the
marking was shocking. Bircham fired the ball over from the left and
Shittu found himself unmarked in the six yard box. A simple header
for the big man and no less than his overall performance deserved.
Good movement of crap marking? I think a little from column A, and a
little from column B.
Later in the half another corner
routine almost brought a third goal. Again Bircham sent the ball in
and again Shittu won his header. The ball dropped to Angell in the
six yard box but he could only steer his header over the bar. The
ground shook for miles around as he sank to his knees bemoaning his
lack of ability in front of goal.
On the stroke of half time Ben Walshe
was obliterated by a wild Chesterfield challenge and as a result
didn't appear for the second half. He hadn't exactly set the game
alight but it is typical of his bad luck that an injury should force
him out of his first game for three years. Thommo took his place on
the left side.
The better of the chances in the
second half seemed to be falling to Rangers, now playing with the
howling gale and driving rain at their backs. Richard Pacquette
picked the ball up on half way and set off on a driving run toward
goal. He skipped past a number of challenges before cracking a
twenty five yarder that Williams did well to turn past the post.
There was an ugly melee midway through
that half following an apparent elbow to Marc Bircham. As he tracked
his man down the wing he appeared to be felled with an elbow. The
ref blew his whistle and seemed to indicate a free kick to Rangers.
The Chesterfield players were incensed and surrounded Bircham
sparking a handbags session. In light of this the ref seemed to
reverse his decision and actually booked Bircham. Very odd indeed.
Pacquette was very nearly on the
scoresheet again as he showed that he has some guile to add to his
power. Nick Culkin sent a huge wind assisted clearance up field and
Pacquette out-muscled his marker and sent a delicate back header
over Williams. The keeper somehow managed to fling himself backward
to tip the ball away. Great effort, great save. Soon after Andy
Rushbury, son of Chesterfield manager and poor mans Bertie Mee, Dave
Rushbury should have equalised but blasted an effort miles wide when
he should have at least tested the keeper.
With only six minutes left Rangers
scored the third through the much maligned Paul Furlong. Having
replaced the weighty Angell he set about proving his doubters wrong
and had turned in a reasonable performance. He managed to pick up
Bircham's through ball, hold off the defenders challenge and smash a
low shot past Williams. When he plays like this you can see why Olly
rates him, I just wish he would play like this a bit more often.
Rangers added a fourth a minute from
full time through Thommo. Having been forced onto the left wing and
right wing during the half he finally found himself where he is at
his best, in the eighteen yard box. Richard Pacquette sent an effort
goalward only to see the ball blocked back to him. He sent a
delicate ball through to Thomson who jinked inside his man before
stroking past Williams to send the fans into delirium.
It wouldn't be Rangers though if they
didn't try and keep things exciting to the last. As the third minute
of the two minutes stoppage time ticked past Chris Brandon just
about managed to fire home to make the last two minutes of the five
minute two minutes injury time go a little bit slower.
This was a well deserved victory and
was well needed after the heartbreaking defeat last week. It was
great to see Furlong and Thommo back on the scoresheet after their
recent problems and the performance of Shittu at the back was
immense. Man of the match though was Pacquette, who took his goal
well, made another, could have scored two more and ran his arse off
for the cause. Who would have thought that we would be saying that a
month ago?
simon@qprnet.com |
