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RIVERS RUNS THROUGH - DAMN IT!
Rangers made it five consecutive league defeats as they crashed to a
Crewe Alexandra side that will count themselves fortunate to get
away with all three points. In a game that was dominated in the
early stages by Rangers they were made to pay for a succession of
missed chances by a Crewe side on a real roll.
After the lacklustre showing at Plymouth on Boxing Day it was not a
case of whether Holloway would make changes, it was a question of
what ones. Day remained in goal behind a back four missing the
suspended Santos. Bignot, Shittu, Edghill and Padula lined up in
defence with Rowlands, Bircham, Gallen and Cook in midfield. Leon
Best was handed his first start for Rangers alongside veteran
Furlong.
Rangers were the brighter side from the off and the difference from
the Plymouth game was marked. After six minutes a goalmouth scramble
produced no fewer than three shots on target, only one less than
Crewe managed throughout the whole game. Bircham, Best and Furlong
all tested Ince in the Alex goal but they couldn’t manage to find a
way past the big Trinidadian.
There seemed to be shots raining in from all over the park with both
Rowlands and Shittu smashing shots into the Loft before Furlong had
the ball in the net but only after the whistle had gone. Leon best
was flagged for offside and Furlong flighted the ball over the
stranded Ince. In truth he was lucky not to be carded as Adie Moses
was later booked in the game for kicking the ball away.
Lee
Cook then forced a decent low save from Ince before Gallen missed a
great chance to cross for Furlong by having one touch too many. He
allowed the gangly figure of Richard Walker to steal in with a
blockbuster of a challenge that took man and ball. Soon Walker was
having an influence at the other end of the park as he nodded Crewe
into an undeserved lead.
A
corner from the right was nodded back across goal by Dean Ashton and
Walker rose to power a header at goal. Bircham did all he could to
clear the ball but the linesman had already signalled for a goal.
Holloway went ballistic but as sub Kevin McLeod ran back up the
touchline you could see him say the ball had gone in. It was slack
defending but yet again a big side had taken advantage of out lack
of physical presence at the back. Just as Evans did on Boxing Day,
Walker pulled onto a smaller opponent with great effect.
On
the stroke of halftime Crewe doubled their advantage with a well
taken goal on the counter attack. The ball was won near halfway and
they surged forward leaving Shittu and Edghill exposed. Ashton drew
his man before slipping the ball into the path of former Norwich man
Mark Rivers and he fired home through Day’s legs. There was nothing
Daisy could do as he was left one on one and he could only hope the
ball would hit him.
The
second half started with Rangers bossing the game again but failing
to create anything you would describe as clear cut. Furlong crashed
an effort over the bar before Best shot tamely at Ince. Twice in the
game Best had found himself in good positions only to make poor
contact with the ball. Whilst he is lively outside the box he needs
to work on the timing of his strikes as I thought he looked tame in
front of goal in the FA Youth Cup game in December.
Furlong then sent a header wide of the goal after good work from sub
Ainsworth. Olly was really going for broke as he had already thrown
on McLeod in place of Padula to give the side an unusually attacking
look. Furs soon had the ball in the net for the second time only to
see this one ruled out as well. He sent a decent effort past Ince
but referee Penton decided that he had tugged on a defenders shirt.
It was impossible to say from where I was sat but you have to wonder
when we might be on the receiving end of a bit of luck ourselves.
Furlong has now had three goals chalked off in two games.
Dean Ashton should have put the game beyond Rangers when he had a
chance to make it 3-0. Shittu made his ricket for the game and
allowed Ashton a chance to go one on one with Day. The big striker
bore down on goal but could only shoot straight at the R’s stopper
as he spread himself wide. I would have thought that Ashton would
have buried this but he does seem one to take the more difficult
chance and miss the sitters.
As
they did at Plymouth Rangers threw themselves a lifeline by halving
the arrears. This time there were only nine minutes left to play
when Dan Shittu rose to nod home an Adam Miller corner. It was all
Rangers now as the search for an equaliser became ever more
desperate.
One
last chance was presented to them when Penton awarded Rangers a
freekick outside the box. Adie Moses hoofed the ball away and saw
the kick marched ten yards forward to the edge of the box. As he did
at Plymouth, Furlong stepped up to take the kick and smashed a
wicked shot at goal. Ince seemed to be protecting his face more than
saving the shot as the ball cannoned into him and bounced back up
into his grateful arms.
A
fifth defeat on the bounce had just sent Rangers into the bottom
half of the table for the first time in months. We are in a rut at
the moment and the lack of numbers in the squad mean that there is
precious little competition for places. The new year will see the
numbers improve as players return from injury and Premiership teams
have a better idea of who they can loan out.
The
Brighton game is a must win now as we need to stop this alarming
slide and post a message to the rest of the division that says
Rangers are not going to be your whipping boys. Harsh words need to
be said, hard work needs to be done and you never know, we might
even earn a little slice of luck along the way.
simon@qprnet.com |
