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This was always going to be a tough game. Wigan were top and we had just lost our unbeaten home record a few days before. Even so for a wet, cold Tuesday night the 500 or so Rangers fans that were present at kick off were hopeful of a decent performance even without top scorer Kevin Gallen.
After lining up with a 4-4-2 formation we saw Forbes, Shittu, Carlisle and Williams at the back, with Rose playing on the right side of midfield and Oli on the left with Palmer and Langley in the middle. It was left to Thompson and Connolly to lead the attack with Jerome Thomas on the bench.
Within thirty seconds Wigan had forced a corner. A rushed, sliced clearance from Terrell Forbes forced one corner followed by another but these were dealt with and cleared quite comfortably. Indeed it was Rangers who should have been given the chance to take the lead. Shittu knocked the ball forward which Thompson ran on to and in beating the keeper to the ball he was brought down after touching it past him for what looked like a certain penalty to all in the ground apart from the referee. The referee gave a corner and a number of Rangers players surrounded the referee but to no avail.
A clear pattern was starting to show though as time and time again a nice Wigan move would be broken down by some solid defending only for the ball to be pumped up field straight back to them to start again. Although we looked fairly solid our distribution was very poor, and without Gallen to hold the ball up Thompson and Connolly were looking ineffective.
One thing that was evident in such a big stadium was the lack of crowd and atmosphere. Going in to the game Wigan were top of the table but it was almost like they were a mid table side with nothing to play for such was the noise level in there areas of the stadium. The most amount of noise that came from the home end was when a firework was set off in their stand in the first half much to the annoyance of the stewards in that end.
After a spell of Wigan pressure the goal came on 28 minutes. They had gone close soon before with a Jason Jarrett volley which went just wide but when Shittu gave away a free-kick out on the left wing around ten yards in from the touchline, Andy Liddell whipped in a shot come cross which sailed over a number of bodies and into the far corner with Royce rooted to the spot as it dropped underneath the bar.
This got the home side going and Rangers were on the back foot for the rest of the first half as neat Wigan attacking moves led to a Nathan Ellington effort which went just wide and Royce was forced to tip over a Jarrett free header as Wigan searched for a second. Rangers had a half chance of their own when Rose crossed and Connolly's shot crept wide.
But on the stroke of half time and against the run of play Rangers were awarded a dubious corner. Langley floated the ball across which was initially cleared away but Shittu fed the ball out wide to Langley and his first time cross was swept home by Andy Thompson on the edge of the six yard box which left Filan with no chance. Great move and the away fans went wild. It may not have been deserved but it was the best move of the half without doubt. Langley was booked for a late tackle just before the interval and Jerome Thomas came on to replace Connolly with Oli moving up front and Thomas on the left.
The second half started badly, and from a Wigan corner Jason De Vos sent an effort towards goal but Richard Langley was on hand to hook it off the line. Wigan went in search of the lead and pinned Rangers back while QPR time and time again knocked it long and it was left for Dennis Oli to challenge on many occasions for headers with the tall centre back De Vos and there was only ever one winner. On sixty minutes though Jerome Thomas won a free-kick thirty yards out. Tommy Williams stepped up and hit a superb effort which Filan did well to tip over.
The introduction of Thomas gave Rangers more attacking purpose and neat football around the Wigan area on a couple of occasions almost led to something but both times the final ball was lacking. Wigan as the game went on were looking more and more likely to score and Rangers for long periods were forced into some desperate defending as the home side threw everything forward. Carlisle and Shittu were forced into last ditch tackles as Wigan piled forward. The impressive Andy Liddell crossed on 82 minutes to set up a great chance for Lee McCulloch but he headed just over. Another good move saw McMillan cross and a Neil Roberts header graze the top of the bar as Wigan pressed.
Rangers best chance of the second half came on 85 minutes when Richard Langley skipped past two and slipped the ball to Thomas in space on the edge of the area. Thomas cut inside but sent a weak low shot into the arms of Filan when he should have done better.
Rangers for the last few minutes had their backs to the wall but held on in the end for a well earned and hard battled point, although Ellington late on struck a shot wide when he should have done better. Most people would have taken a point before the game against the league leaders so all in all it was a decent battling and brave performance. Carlisle was strong and commanding at the back while Forbes, Shittu and Williams did not play badly. Langley and Palmer battled well in midfield. Rose looked a little out of position on the right and Oli did not have his best game but they fought well. Thompson did well coming in for Gallen and with Gallen hopefully back for the Port Vale game Rangers can take good heart from this performance.
simon@qprnet.com
