| RED HOT RICHARD ROASTS ROBINS
Rangers notched up
their second home win of the week thanks to a dominant display by
the defence at both ends. Not only did they manage a clean sheet but
three of them managed to score as sorry Huddersfield were seen off
with ease.
It was as you were for Holloway as we
went in with the same side and formation from the second half
against Swindon. With the fragile increasingly JT pulling up in
training and Furlong still not ready to come back Holloway had
little choice but to I think they may have all started anyway.
After only three minutes Rangers
forced their first corner of the game. Langley swung the kick over
and Shittu's powerful header was turned wide by the impressive Scott
Bevon. Huddersfield failed to learn their lesson from the following
corner as Shittu this time powered his header wide of Bevon's
outstretched hand and in.
Huddersfield nearly responded
immediately and only a sharp save from Royce denied veteran Kevin
Gallacher an equaliser. The ever-forgetful Terriers defence then
allowed Steve Palmer a free header that flew just wide. If I were
Mick Wadsworth I would have been doing my nut as such a slack
display.
Holloway changed the formation after
fifteen minutes to deny the Huddersfield midfield the pace they were
finding all to regularly. Palmer moved out of the back three to join
Rose and Langley in the middle as we went to the 4-3-3 we started
the Swindon game with. Almost immediately Karl Connolly hit Eddie
Youds with a challenge that saw him leave the game injured. Not what
you expect of the old boy but I'll have some more of that!
After thirty minutes the Rangers lead
was doubled in emphatic fashion. From a Huddersfield attack Connolly
picked up the ball just outside his own box, beat one man and
started a run toward halfway. He looked up a picked out Williams
with a forty-yard ball and sent the young full back racing goalward.
His touch was a poor one and just as it looked like he would lose
the ball he sent a vicious drive flying past Bevon and into the top
corner. It was a stunning strike and a timely reminder of what
Williams can do after a few average performances.
Minutes later Kevin Gallen nearly
added his seventh of the season. He turned on the edge of the box
and sent in a low effort that Bevon did well to turn away. It was
halftime and the 2-0 lead could easily have been five had it not
been for the inspired Huddersfield stopper.
After the break Rangers couldn't get
into gear and Huddersfield threatened to get back into the game.
Gallacher went close with a couple of efforts that Royce held
easily. The midfield couldn't get their foot on the ball and it was
lucky that Huddersfield were so devoid of ideas that it didn't
really matter.
Richard Langley was soon testing the
reflexes of Bevan and the woodwork. Rangers won a freekick
twenty-five yards from goal. Langley stepped up to curl a cracking
effort toward the top corner, Bevan got a touch to tip it onto the
bar. The ball was cleared for a corner. When the ball arrived back
in the box it fell to Shittu ten yards out and he smashed another
effort off the bar. Palmer volleyed the follow up into the crowd
from twenty yards.
Minutes later Langley was at it again.
Another freekick was sent goalward and yet again Bevan was there to
tip the effort onto the post. His luck ended there as Carlisle
pounced on the loose ball to fire high into the net. He went mental
after scoring and I'm not surprised. After being out for so long
this was the rubber stamp on his return and the outpouring of
emotion was understandable. It was also the first goal at the School
End in five home matches!
The game petered out after this as
Huddersfield knew they had no chance of getting back into it and
Rangers knew they could do little more than they had. The Terriers
were a one trick pony as everything was aimed at Booth. He got
little change out of Carlisle and Shittu. Big Dan in particular gave
him a real kicking, the likes of which he doesn't get that often.
This was a game that Rangers deserved
to win and would have won by a much greater margin had it not been
for some goalkeeping heroics. In truth I don't think we actually
played as well as we can but we created chance after chance.
Real performances of note came from
Williams, Carlisle, Rose, Connolly and also Dennis Oli. His worth
ethic is superb and I don't think I've ever seen a striker do so
much closing down. Man of the match for me though was Shittu.
I have given him a fair bit of stick
in the last few reports and he showed tonight what an immense player
he can be. He was awesome at the back, a threat in attack and always
gave the Huddersfield frontline something to think about.
Olly has some tough decisions to make
on Saturday for the trip to Bristol City. With Bircham back many
assume that Rose will make way but I am not so sure, I reckon he
will go with the same team as a reward for the last two results. We
will have plenty of depth on the bench and if it isn't working Olly
has shown he will change it. Hopefully he won't have to.
simon@qprnet.com |
