| VALE UP TO THEIR EYES IN SHITTU
Rangers romped to
their biggest home win of the season against an extremely poor Port
Vale team. Vale showed nothing of the form that saw them score five
during the week as they were brushed aside by a Rangers team that
could easily have seen the score in double figures.
Injuries once more played their part
in Holloway's team selection. Culkin was still in goal and the back
four was still Forbes, Shittu, Palmer and Padula. Gino had only just
made the game after recovering from the trots during the week.
Marcus Bean was handed a start on the right of midfield, with
Griffiths keeping his place on the left despite last weeks below
average performance. Richard Langley returned after knee trouble to
partner Bircham. Up front the first choice pairing of Gallen and
Furlong were back.
Rangers were on the front foot from
the start and set about Port Vale. In the early stages the most
attacking player on the park was Bean. By trade he is a hard
tackling centre midfielder but he was asked to do a job that was
alien to him. Time and again he attacked his man and brought others
into play. On the other side Leroy was supplying a fair few decent
crosses and Bean attacked every one.
Mark Goodlad had to be in fine form in
the first period to keep Rangers at bay. He saved well from Gallen,
Griffiths and Furlong, add to this Gallen's header against the post
from a Gino corner and things could have gone a little better. At
the other end Port Vale had little to show from their meagre
attacks. Sean McClare glanced a header wide but that was as close as
they came to threatening Culkin's goal. This was largely down to an
immense performance from Dan Shittu. He headed everything that came
his way and won all of his tackles.
It was a travesty that Rangers had
nothing to show at the break for their attacking intentions. There
was to be no let up in the second half as Rangers stepped up a gear
in an effort to get the opener. Marcus Bean went close again
following a surging run. He cut inside the full back and sent an
effort goalward that Goodlad did well to turn away.
Griffiths was next to go close as his
header came back off the far post only to be bundled wide by the
grateful Vale defence. Things were to improve soon after as Rangers
hit the front with a goal that will certainly not be in the running
for goal of the season.
Rangers won a left wing corner and
Marc Bircham sent a dangerous ball into the six yard box. Several
players had a swing at it before the ball fell at Shittu's feet and
he bundled home. It was no less than Rangers and Shittu in
particular deserved given their dominance. The lead was doubled on
the hour mark as former boo-boy Paul Furlong continued his rich vein
of form.
Richard Langley picked the ball up
wide on the left and created some space with some neat footwork. His
high ball into the box was attacked by Furlong, Goodlad and another
Vale defender only for the Rangers man to get there first. His
header fell slowly goalward and Gallen had to do his best not to
steam in and pinch it from Furlong. It was another well deserved
goal as Furlong had been excellent leading the line and continued to
win back the Rangers crowd. His sarcastic celebration certainly
brought home the point.
Beano went close again when his
powerful header from a Gallen cross was turned away by Goodlad. The
Vale stopper had now denied at least six goal bound efforts. Add the
two goals and two off the woodwork and things could have been a hell
of a lot worse. Undeterred by Goodlad's form Rangers grabbed a third
and I doubt there will be a more popular or well received goal at
Loftus Road this season.
Gino intercepted the ball midway in
the Vale half and burst toward the box. He played a one-two with
Leroy and took the return in his stride before poking the ball low
to Goodlad's left. Rangers' new cult hero had certainly cemented his
hero status and the cries of "Gino, Gino" must have carried all the
way down the Uxbridge Road.
Furlong nearly added his second only
to be denied by Goodlad again. Steve Palmer sent in one of his
"trademark" volleys, it struck Furlong and he turned quickly and
cracked a shot goalward. Goodlad flew to his left to turn it away.
The fourth goal the performance merited came on the stroke off full
time.
Doudou had now replaced Bean and set
off on a jinking run. He fed the ball to Gallen and he found space
before slamming the ball home from twenty yards. The shot took a
deflection which did for the keeper but I think it would have gone
in anyway such was the power.
This was a superb performance and Port
Vale were simply destroyed. Four goals probably didn't do the
performance justice such was Rangers dominance. Displays of real
note came from Gino, Bean, Griffiths, Gallen and Furlong. The real
star though was Shittu who coped with all that Vale threw at him,
including dumping him in the front row of the Paddock. It was shame
that yet another booking blotted his copybook somewhat, but not even
this could sour his day.
We should now go on and turn in a
similar performance against a similarly poor Mansfield side next
week and really set the promotion race alight.
simon@qprnet.com |
