| SCOUSE MUGGING PUTS RANGERS ON
MCLEOD NINE
Rangers tightened
their grip on the final play off place with an easy 2-0 victory over
a very poor Luton side. No doubt the odious Joe Kinnear will point
to injuries and nothing to play for as an excuse but this shouldn't
detract from another solid performance.
The team picked itself following the
stunning last gasp victory at Ninian Park last week. Day continued
in goal behind Kelly, Carlisle, Shittu and Padula. Langley, Bircham,
Palmer and McLeod were in midfield to support the front two of
Gallen and Furlong.
Rangers took the game by the scruff of
the neck from the off and immediately set about The Hatters. There
was a score to settle from the brutal encounter at Kenilworth Road
earlier in the year when Rangers inexplicably failed to knock off
nine men and there was little danger of the same happening again.
Gallen and Furlong were getting the better of pedestrian centre
backs Coyne and Willmott. So slow were these two that Gallen managed
to roast both of them for pace, not something you can say very
often.
Despite early dominance chances were
few and the best of them fell to Carlisle. Gino whipped in a corner
and Carlisle rose unmarked and headed over from six yards. Moments
later Gallen surged into the box and fired in a cross shot that beat
Ovendale, Furlong and the far post.
Luton responded to this with their
only real effort of the game. Chris Day came for a cross and had a
bit of a flap at it. The ball dropped to the feet of Adrian Forbes
and he blasted the ball goalward. Day redeemed himself by flying to
his right to palm the ball wide, so good was the save that it drew
pats on the back from Forbes and Steve Howard.
Langley and McLeod were now starting
to influence the game and Langley came close to adding to his haul
of four in two. Stephen Kelly swung over a cross from the right and
Langley's new found heading ability came into play as he dived full
length to direct a header into the arms of Ovendale.
The goal when it came was from a set
piece, an area in which Rangers seem to have got their act together
after years of neglect. Langley took the kick from the left and
McLeod got up highest at the near post to thump a header home. In
his three previous appearances he had proved to be excellent in the
air and this was a great moment for the youngster as it was his
first professional goal.
The second half started with Rangers
trying desperately to double their advantage. Langley tried his luck
with a long range volley and Gallen came within inches of converting
a devilish cross from McLeod. Luton were conceding a lot of
freekicks (no surprise there I hear you cry) and two of them were in
Langley's range. Two efforts from him were on target but found the
midriff of Ovendale when better placement was required.
Chris Day was having a quiet afternoon
and the only scare he had was when he challenged for a high ball
with Howard only for the Luton man to foul him in the process. This
was the second time that Day had looked slightly vulnerable under a
high ball but to criticise him would be churlish. It must be
difficult to keep your concentration in the face of such an impotent
attack.
Rangers were denied a stonewall
penalty by one of the worst officials I have ever had the misfortune
to see. Joe Ross brought a new level of incompetence to proceedings;
he simply didn't have a clue. Langley burst into the box and was
blatantly tripped by Matthew Spring, 15,500 people saw it and knew
it was a penalty except for the myopic Ross. I can't remember him
reffing a Rangers game in the past but I will now wait with dread
for any that come in the future.
Eight minutes from time the second
goal finally arrived and what a beauty it was. Langley was again
tripped outside the box but this time it was on the right hand side.
McLeod had found himself in a similar position at Cardiff and nearly
scored and it was obvious what he was going to do. Bircham rolled
the ball to the left and McLeod curled it round the wall and into
the bottom corner.
This was a good, solid, battling
performance and there was some real stand out performances. At the
back Shittu was immense yet again and Gino turned in another
swashbuckling display. This game was won in midfield though were all
four players were excellent. Palmer in particular had his best game
for a long while and made Kevin Nicholls look exactly what he is,
poor. McLeod's two goals were brilliantly taken and Langley was a
goal threat again as he got another four efforts on target.
Luton's plan to kick Rangers out of
the game as they had earlier in the season blew up in their faces as
they were simply out battled. I feel sorry for the Luton fans if
they have to watch that sort of rubbish every week, it is little
wonder they have such meagre gates. Rangers now need to carry on
with this type of spirit and make sure that the play offs are
achieved as a very minimum.
simon@qprnet.com |
