| CLASSY ROSE IS A THORN IN
WYCOMBE'S SIDE
At last! Rangers
managed to collect all three points and score more than once in a
game for the first time since 14th October 2002. Mind you, they made
things difficult enough by allowing a poor Wycombe side a massive
amount of possession in a backs to the wall finish.
There was yet another reshuffle in the
back four to accommodate the return of Dan Shittu. Danny Murphy
dropped to the bench and Matthew Rose slotted in at left back.
Shittu accompanied Carlisle in the middle with Terrell Forbes at
right back. Fountain of confidence Nick Culkin kept his place in
goal. It was as you were in midfield with Bircham, Langley, Palmer
and Cook. Similarly the front two of Gallen and Furlong was
unchanged.
Rangers flew out of the blocks,
obviously buoyed by the fine second half display against Brentford.
There could have been a penalty given after only three minutes. Marc
Bircham burst into the Wycombe box and as he tried to round Talia he
was felled. From 110 yards away it looked like a stick on penalty
but referee Bennett (a man with less hair than a pork scratching)
waved play on. Bircham was clearly livid and talked himself into the
book.
Undeterred Rangers kept on pressing
and Furlong had a great chance to open the scoring but couldn't keep
his header down. I suppose we should be grateful that he even won
the header in the first place such was his seeming lack of interest
in them for the rest of the game.
A couple of minutes later Rangers hit
the front with a fantastic goal from Matthew Rose. As I have said he
was playing at left back despite his performance at centre back
against Brentford. He collected the ball in his own half and powered
toward goal. As he reached the edge of the box he played a one-two
with Gallen, collected the return and slotted a cool left footer
past Talia. Danny Murphy must have been spitting chips as he saw yet
another opportunity to play disappear as somebody had taken their
chance ahead of him.
Wycombe tried to respond but had
little to offer. Young Dixon looked promising enough but when you
only have Andy Rammell for company it is asking a lot to carry the
attack on your own. Michael Simpson had a shot deflected over and
Paul McCarthy headed the resulting corner over the bar.
Rangers doubled their lead with half
an hour played through Kevin Gallen. He had been poor against
Brentford but looked well up for the battle today. Cook won a
freekick on the left wing and Richard Langley swung the ball toward
the far post. The Wycombe defence left Gallen unmarked and he side
footed home from inside the six yard box for his ninth of the season
and first since the victory against Colchester at the back end of
September.
It was nice for the half time whistle
to go and for the fans to be pleased with what had gone on before
them. As we anticipated however, they sat back at the start of the
half, no doubt delighted with their work, and allowed Wycombe to
take a foothold. Indeed, they had the quick reflexes of Culkin to
thank when he denied Dixon from close range. The youngster had
surged past a square Carlisle and Shittu and it wouldn't be the last
time. These two looked like they hadn't played together for a few
weeks.
Wycombe forced a succession of corners
but luckily Rangers had enough resilience to repel them all. Time
and again though we could only clear for another corner and the
pressure was building and building. The Rangers rearguard was so
deep at times they kept tripping over the photographers behind the
goal!
Rangers attacking threats were
fleeting and by no means clear cut. Langley sent an effort over the
bar from distance without worrying Talia and minutes later sent a
freekick high, wide and handsome. Meanwhile at the other end Shittu
and Carlisle were still all over the show and only good covering
from Rose and Forbes prevented more problems.
Wycombe could have been back in the
game long before they were if their best chances didn't keep falling
to Rammell. Twice he failed to even control the ball in good areas
and the only time he did manage to beat Culkin he managed to lob the
bar as well.
With ten minutes left Jonathan Dixon
capped a good display with Wycombe's only goal. Yet again Carlisle
and Shittu were nowhere to be seen and Dixon coolly finished past
Culkin to set up a frantic finale.
Wes Daly was now on for Bircham, with
the latter walking a tightrope with the follicaly challenged
official, and was trying hard to give some service from the right.
Angell and Thomson had also replaced Furlong and Cook to try and
give us a little more up front.
Thomson almost set up Gallen for the
killer third but his strike could only find Talia and he sent the
rebound into the crowd. Thomson also most got in himself but lost
his footing as he was about to send one goalward and sent another
effort wide after a clever piece of skill.
Rangers managed to hold on for a
deserved and very welcome victory. They looked like a team that
hadn't won for months near the end but now they have and knowing
what footballers are like this might just give them all a confidence
boost. We must get at least four points from the two upcoming away
games to get us back in the hunt. It won't be easy and I won't be
surprised if we slip up but the signs are there that we may just be
on the way back.
simon@qprnet.com |
