| PACQUETTE PLUNDERS POINTS FROM
PILGRIMS
This was a fine
win for Rangers against a Plymouth side coming off the back of an FA
Cup shock in midweek. A fantastic goal and another clean sheet but
the game will probably be remembered for the ugly melee that
followed the final whistle from one of the worst refs I have ever
seen.
The bruising encounter with Barnsley
had taken its toll on the squad and reports of more injuries in
training during the week didn't help matters. Culkin was in goal
after three clean sheets on the trot. There was an enforced change
in the back four with Dan Shittu replacing the injured Rose. He was
joined by Forbes, Carlisle and new fans hero Padula.
There were more changes in midfield
with Langley suspended and Oli not 100% fit. Bircham replaced
Langley to play alongside Palmer. As usual Cookie was on the left
but Holloway sprang a surprise by playing Kevin Gallen wide right.
Angell came in up front to partner Pacquette.
From the outset it was clear to see
that if we could exert any pressure on Plymouth keeper Larrieu then
we may be in with a chance. After a shaky show against the Daggers
in midweek he started in the same vein. His first attempt at a
clearance smashed into Pacquette and from then on it was a lottery
anytime a ball went toward him.
Rangers had a goal ruled out for
offside with barely fifteen minutes on the clock. Terrell Forbes
sent over a deep cross and Angell met it to guide the ball across
goal. Richard Pacquette was on hand to steer a volley wide of the
prone keeper. Most of the Rangers fans and players were in wild
celebration when they clocked the linesman's flag fluttering in the
stiff Plymouth breeze.
With only twenty minutes played
Rangers suffered an injury blow when Gino appeared to pull his
hamstring. It looked a nothing incident and Gino tried to bravely
battle on but to no avail. He was replaced by Danny Murphy and the
pocket battleship immediately set about his task. He was fine in the
tackle but seemed to give the ball away cheaply too often in the
early stages.
Plymouth often had the better of the
exchanges but failed to create any chances of note. Culkin had
little to do apart from shield himself from the elements in the
first half as the game became a typical second division scrap. Both
midfields were snapping into the tackle and Steve Palmer was having
a good game alongside Bircham. Indeed it was Palmer that almost
created a Rangers goal.
He managed to hassle David Friio and
rob him of the ball forty yards from goal. He laid the ball off to
Angell and he hit a first time lob that defeated Larrieu but
cannoned back off the post. The spawny keeper was happy to see the
ball bounce back into his hands.
The second half carried on with
Plymouth seeing far more of the ball but the Rangers defence, or
most of them, standing firm. Carlisle was all over the place and on
three occasions his inability to judge the flight of the ball in a
swirling wind allowed Plymouth players a sight of goal. Luckily for
him Nick Culkin was alert and made a fine save to deny Ian
Stonebridge only minutes after the whistle.
Rangers hit the front with a quite
stunning goal from man of the moment Richard Pacquette. Good build
up on the left side saw the ball slipped in to Marc Bircham. He
looked up and picked out Pacquette who had managed to create some
space on the right of the box. He allowed the ball to bounce once
before sending a scorching volley past the prone Larrieu. The
Plymouth fans and players must be sick of the sight of him by now
after the two gems he has grabbed against them this year.
The pressure was still coming from
Plymouth though and luckily, Dan Shittu was having a great game. He
found himself on the end of a yellow card after he brought down
Stonebridge in full flight. The Plymouth faithful were baying for a
red card and the only shock was that referee Walton didn't oblige
them. His home bias was to become all the more evident as the game
wore on.
Culkin was again on hand to thwart
Stonebridge following another Carlisle misjudgement. Minutes later
Steve Adams volleyed wide with Culkin seemingly beaten and it seemed
only a matter of time before a goal came such was the tide of
pressure.
Next to try his luck was Moreno Keith
following another Carlisle bodge. He sent an effort wide of Culkin
and fortunately wide of the post. The Rangers attacks were becoming
more and more fleeting and every time they seemed to break clear the
ball would return as quickly as it had left.
In the final stages Danny Murphy set
off on a buccaneering run from the back. He exchanged passes with
Cookie and burst into the box, as he did Paul Wotton cynically stuck
out an arm that caught Murphy flush in the face. Despite only being
five yards away from the incident the ref somehow waved play on with
Murphy writhing in agony. He should have stopped the play for a
foul, he didn't. He should have stopped the play for a head injury,
he didn't. Then to compound it all Lee Cook got involved in an ugly
exchange with Worrell and shoved him in the chest. Worrell cannot be
to steady on his feet and the shove from the giant Cook was enough
to dump him on his arse. Typically enough referee Walton saw this
and promptly sent Cookie off.
I am not condoning what Cook did, it
was stupid but by the ref blatantly ignoring the foul on Murphy he
had created the situation. I have heard a whisper that Plymouths
ground is to be renamed Homer Park in honour of Walton's attempts to
get them a point!
At the final whistle Holloway, by now
incandescent with rage, flew onto the field to have a word with
Wotton. All of a sudden there were twenty two handbags being flung
about and fitness coach Scott Rushton got hold of Wotton and slung
him up the tunnel to try and defuse the ruckus. It only seemed to
inflame the situation and all of a sudden about fifty people tried
to get up a three foot wide tunnel at once.
The Rangers players soon reappeared to
salute the noisy R's following and along the way took some stick
from the Plymouth fans. The Rangers players seemed delighted with
their warm welcome back and sent a sarcastic round of applause in
their direction.
This was an excellent battling
performance against both the Plymouth players and the ref who must
have had a bit riding on this game. I hope the away win didn't
bugger up his pools coupon!
Shittu had a stormer and as he is very
much a confidence player I hope this will now be a base for him to
build on. Other performance of note came from Culkin who seems to be
becoming more assured by the game. Palmer and Bircham were solid in
the centre and Kevin Gallen did well despite being played wide right
for the majority of the match. Pacquette took his goal brilliantly;
if he can add a bit more to his hold up play then he will really
start to go places.
It is vital that we keep notching up
these wins as although we are six points clear of seventh place
Luton have two games in hand and you have to assume that they will
win at least one of these. It's not pretty to watch but it is
effective enough and we have to keep it going.
simon@qprnet.com |
