Rangers bounced back from last weeks humbling at Elland Road with a comfortable victory over a poor Cardiff City side at Loftus Road. The 1-0 scoreline flatters The Bluebirds a little as in truth they were lucky to get nil and Rangers should have won by a far more emphatic margin.

With Olly still in his sickbed it was left to the three wise men, Breacker, Waddock and Penrice, to select and run the side. The job of selection was made easier by having very few players to choose from so there were no surprises in the starting XI. Day was in goal behind Bignot, Santos, Shittu and Padula. The midfield four was Ainsworth, Bircham, Gallen and Cook, with Cureton and Furlong up front.

Both teams set their stall out fairly early in the game. Cardiff were content to aim most things toward former Rotherham striker Alan Lee whilst Rangers were looking for a more considered route through midfield to try and feed Cureton and Furlong. Clear cut chances though were at a premium in the opening exchanges and half chances for Cureton and Gallen were all Rangers had to show for the first fifteen minutes.

The real talking point of the game thus far though was Alan Lee’s use of his elbows on two of the Rangers back four. The game had barely begun when Shittu was smashed in the face by Lee and it seemed only a few minutes had passed before Gino felt the strikers elbow on his jaw. Gallagher booked him for this, although you could argue that he should have been sent off but this was typical of a rather inconsistent display from a so called elite list official.

The Loftus Road crowd were baying for blood after twenty minutes when Big Dan was smashed in the face by Lee yet again and this time was forced from the field with blood streaming from an ugly wound under his eye. How Lee wasn’t dismissed is a mystery, although Gallagher had to think twice before even awarding a freekick. Rangers made Cardiff pay for Lee’s indiscretion in the best possible manner.

Having only just got back onto the field after changing his shirt, twice, the numberless Shittu made his way into the box for a Gallen corner. He challenged for the initial header and then when the ball fell to him again he slipped initially before regaining his balance and rifling an unstoppable shot past Tony Warner. This was Shittu’s first goal since he notched against Brentford at Griffin Park on 19^th April 2003.

There was little further action to speak off as the game became a master class of the centre backs craft as Shittu and Santos showed the imperious form that so deserted them last weekend. At the other end a lack of quality on the final ball was preventing Rangers from carving out any real chances. Bircham was the main offender as every ball he tried seemed to end up flying toward Curo at head height, not a lot of use for a player who is hardly renowned for his aerial prowess. Cardiff came close to fluking an equaliser when Bullock smashed an aimless ball forward that dipped just over Day’s bar.

The halftime team talk clearly told the players to get the ball on the deck and as a result Cureton and Cook started to influence the game. After barely five minutes of the half Cook had Warner flying across his goal to save a fierce shot at his near post. It was a rare effort on target for a player that should have scored more than the one goal this season. It was then Cureton’s turn to go close after some excellent interplay with Furlong.

Curo picked up the ball to the right of the area and knocked it into the target mans feet. He laid the ball off delicately and Cureton struck the ball with the outside of his right foot. His delicate floated effort looked to be going well wide before the spin on the ball took hold and sent it bouncing off the angle of post and bar with Warner stranded.

The so far under worked Chris Day very nearly gifted Cardiff an equaliser when he came into traffic to try and punch away a Boland corner. He only just got a touch and sent the ball straight to seventeen year old Joe Ledley. The young winger had a gaping goal at his mercy but only succeeded in slicing horrendously into the stand.

Cook was in the thick of it again when he went on a weaving run past three players before sending a placed shot just wide of the post. If he had lifted his head he would have seen an unmarked Cureton well placed to slot home but you can’t blame him for taking the shot on after such a good run.

The impressive Danny Gabbidon then showed what he could do as he went on an Alan Hansen like run from defence, weaving past five players. His through ball though was pure comedy as he managed to over hit it by about forty yards! He and centre back partner James Collins had been the only two Cardiff players on the pitch that could hold their heads up after the game.

Both Cook and Cureton then carved out headed chances for Furlong but he failed to test Warner with either effort. It was not to be Furlong’s game in front of goal today but he is so good at linking the play that even when he is not scoring goals he is always likely to eek out an opportunity for somebody else to.

Cardiff only had one effort to speak of as the half went on when Peter Thorne, just back from injury and on as a sub, cracked a shot from distance that failed to trouble Day. The Cardiff fans, already depleted in numbers by their lowly league position, were not best pleased with the display and I am sure that Lennie Lawrence will be feeling their wrath if things do not pick up quickly.

Timmy and Co made a couple of late changes to try and close the game out with Bean and McLeod replacing Cook and Cureton as they switched to a 4-5-1 formation. It proved to be sound judgement as the game ended without further drama. This was a great win for Rangers, not in terms of the display, but in terms of bouncing back after last week and giving Olly a fillip as he battles his mystery illness.

Defensively we were rock solid today. Bignot, Santos and Shittu were their usual dependable selves and it was a bonus that Padula also turned in a good shift as he has looked a shadow of his former self this season. The midfield was industrious but too often the final ball from the middle was not quite good enough. Had it been it could have been a long old day for Cardiff. Cook and Ainsworth performed well with the latter getting a great ovation from the Cardiff supporters. Furs and Curo also did well especially in the second half when the ball started arriving to feet rather than round their ear holes.

A game against Nottingham Forest next week may still come too soon for Olly to return but after this I think the shop will be in safe hands. Breacker, Waddock and Penrice ran this game well and did very well with their changes and tactical tinkerings. Whilst we all want him back ASAP it should not be at the expense of his health and we all wish him the speediest of recoveries

simon@qprnet.com