Culkin started in goal behind a back four of Forbes, Shittu, Carlisle and Murphy. The young left back replaced hamstring injury victim and Rangers cult hero Gino Padula. The midfield four of Gallen, Bircham, Palmer and Cook was the same as against Plymouth, likewise the front pair of Angell and Pacquette.

Most of the early running was made by Tranmere and Stuart Barlow in particular. On a number of occasions his pace troubled the jaded Carlisle only for Shittu to bail him out. The first real effort of note though came from Rangers. Lee Cook picked the ball up wide on the left and weaved goalward before firing a low effort that beat Achterburg as well as his left hand upright.

Next it was Richard Pacquette's turn to miss the target. Gallen linked well with Forbes on the right and for once Forbes' cross actually managed to find its intended recipient. Pacquette's volley flew high over the Tranmere bar.

Stuart Barlow was the first Tranmere player to seriously test Culkin. Barlow's pace took him clear of Shittu and Culkin was quick off his line to narrow the angle and turn Barlow's effort wide of the post. Culkin made another easy save from a Barlow header and comfortably fielded a Hume piledriver from outside the box.

Cookie went close again when another jinking run took him through the Tranmere defence only for another effort to drift wide. The first 45 minutes was absolute rubbish and I'm not sure I have ever seen two teams turn in a more aimless first half than this. Neither set of players seemed to want to get the ball down and play and as a result it was a dull affair. Things needed to be said at half time and for once they were.

Rangers flew at Tranmere after the break and we were even treated to the rare sight of Brett Angell dragging his flabby carcass into the box for an effort at goal. Cookie flung over an excellent left wing cross and Angell attempted a header. Such is his weight he didn't have the power to pull clear of earths gravity for long enough and he was on the deck again when the ball arrived. As a result his header drifted harmlessly over the bar.

Minutes later he was on the end of another Cook cross and this time he actually managed an effort on target! I know, it is amazing and those that weren't there probably won't believe me, but it is true. His powerful downward header was well saved by Achterburg.

When Rangers took the lead it was though the most unlikely of sources, Steve Palmer. Kevin Gallen was released on the right and cut inside his man to fire at goal. His effort was blocked and looped up in the air toward the edge of the box. Palmer was on hand and walked onto the volley, sending the ball screaming past the stranded keeper. The celebrations of his team mates showed what high regard he is held in as they mobbed him to a man.

Palmer went close with another volley minutes later. This time his effort cleared the bar. Unfortunately, Tranmere equalised almost immediately courtesy of a Murphy balls up.

Murphy surged from the back to support a run from Cook. Cookie gave him the ball and didn't show for the return so Murphy decided to take his man on. It was a sloppy attempt to go round him, he was robbed of the ball and Jason Price surged forward on the right. He squared the ball for fellow sub Marvin Robinson to score with his first touch of the ball.

Shocking play from Murphy to lose the ball and also shocking play from Terrell Forbes who allowed Robinson to run unchecked into the box. Forbes was no more than two yards away yet made no effort to close the gap. This was indicative of his afternoon and his performances in general this season.

Worse was to come and in the dying stages of injury time Murphy gifted Tranmere the winner. A hopeful ball was played forward and instead of controlling and clearing Murphy dangled a foot at the ball and missed it. Robinson burst forward and squared the ball to Simon Howarth to slot home through Culkin's legs. This was the second time in two seasons that we have thrown the game against Tranmere in injury time.

This result was the one that we all knew would come eventually. Despite winning five on the trot and keeping those four clean sheets we have been far from convincing. People had said that when we played a half decent side we would get turned over. Tranmere were just about half decent in comparison and so it happened.

There were some pretty poor performances on show today. Murphy, Carlisle and Forbes were all rubbish and if it weren't for a solid display from Shittu god knows what the score would have been.

Angell was as anonymous as always and when Pacquette was taken off ahead of him a collective groan echoed around Loftus Road. Why Holloway persists with this carthorse is beyond me, especially when it means Gallen is shunted out to the right wing. How many other teams allegedly challenging for promotion would play there top scorer on the wing to accommodate a player that is so poor and so out of condition that he would struggle to get a game for the QPR.uk.co all-stars!

It is not the manner of the defeat that worries me; it is the manner of our response to it. We need to go to Chesterfield now without our most influential player of recent weeks in Cookie. Langley will be back and this should mean that Gallen will return to the attack. Will anybody give me odds that Pacquette finds himself warming the bench?