Rangers missed out on a win against Leeds United thanks to a myopic referee who seemed to have no idea what a penalty was. Two cast iron appeals and one slightly dubious one were ignored by Mr Olivier in a game that Rangers deserved to win and Leeds scarcely deserved a point from.

With yet more injuries and suspensions stretching the paper thin squad Olly had to shuffle his pack. Day was back in goal behind Bignot, Shittu, Rose and Padula. Stefan Bailey was handed his first start alongside Miller, Bircham and Cook in midfield with Furlong returning to the attack to partner Gallen.

Chances were scarce early in the piece with the only shot in anger in the first fifteen minutes being a Padula effort that was high, wide and handsome. Shortly after Rangers had an appeal for a blatant penalty waved away.

Bircham made a darting run into the box and Lee Cook found him with a perfectly weighted through ball. Just as h was about to collect it Kelly sent him tumbling to the floor. Olivier didn’t seem to think there was anything in it despite the vociferous appeals. An indication that it was a foul came from the Leeds players, none of whom remonstrated with Bircham for going to ground.

Leeds took the lead after twenty four minutes through the hideously overpaid Seth Johnson. Gary Kelly took a corner from the right and Furlong met the ball to head clear. The ball dropped in the D and Johnson met it with a sweet right footed volley that flew past the diving Bircham and the helpless Day to nestle in the corner of the net. It was a terrific strike from a player that probably didn’t know that his right foot could do that.

Ten minutes later Furlong was forced from the action with what seemed to be a recurrence of the hamstring strain that kept him out of the Sheffield United game. Was this yet another example of players being declared fit before they are ready as has happened all too often in the past? Cureton replaced him and slotted into the slightly odd formation that Olly had switched to. It was probably meant to be 4-3-3 but it looked like 4-2-3-1, either way, it wasn’t working particularly well.

The sub had a great chance to equalise as Rangers tore Leeds to pieces with some snappy passing football. The ball ended up with Cookie on the left and he teased Kelly before slinging in a far post cross that was met by Curo. He headed back across goal when he maybe should have been more direct and Carlisle was on hand to clear from beneath the bar.

It was clear that Olly’s halftime instructions had been to increase the tempo and they started the second period at a far quicker pace. Cook was giving the experienced Kelly a real going over and he seemed to be skipping past him at will. Unfortunately Gallen was finding himself isolated in the middle as Cureton was not getting close enough to him to offer any real support.

Rangers soon had a second penalty appeal turned down when Carlisle attempted to control the ball on his chest and seemed to use a lot of his arm as well. This one was not so clear cut as the first half appeal though and Olivier was once more unmoved. Things were becoming increasingly desperate as time was ticking away and they were still unluckily a goal down.

Both Bailey and Miller had efforts that failed to trouble Neil Sullivan. Rangers were handed a lifeline when Sean Derry had a moment of madness in front of the referee. The ball had been kicked out to allow Bailey to get some treatment for a bang on the hooter and Derry and Gallen seemed to have a disagreement. Then Derry inexplicably flicked his hand at Gallen’s face and left Olivier with little option but to give him first use of the bath water.

Leeds were struggling big time now as the man advantage started to tell in all areas of the pitch. The ball was being fizzed about to probe for the openings that would inevitably open up. Leeds then survived their third penalty appeal of the afternoon and this was one of the most blatant handballs I have ever seen!

A cross was swung in from the left and Carlisle jumped with about three Rangers players. He seemed to be second best for the ball until he snaked up a hand and batted it away. The whole ground went up for the pen but the only person who didn’t see anything wrong was the ref. Maybe it was too high for the jockey sized official to see. How he could manage to miss such a clear cut offence is amazing and I don’t think he will have fared to well in the assessors marking.

Olly had now thrown Shabazz Baidoo into the fray to give Rangers a different option up top. Baidoo’s pace is electric and it was a lightening burst that led to the equalising goal. Fellow sub Edghill played a ball over the top and Baidoo burst clear and expertly took it down. He showed good awareness of his team mates when he spotted Gallen and turned the ball inside for him to run onto. An incisive first touch took him in on goal and he thrashed a shot goalward that Neil Sullivan did well to beat away. Unfortunately for him the ball went straight back to Gallen and he calmly steered it home.

The drama wasn’t over though and Gallen was only denied the winner by a magnificent save from Sullivan. A ball into the box was challenged for by Baidoo and it ended up at the feet of Gallen. He took time to steady himself before sending a low placed shot at goal. It seemed to be in before Sullivan appeared from nowhere to tip the ball onto the left hand post.

There was still time after this for Adam Miller to collect a second yellow card. Leeds looked as though they were breaking through on goal and Miller made the decision to sacrifice himself for the sake of the team. Maybe things were not as desperate as he thought but he knew he had to take the guy out to prevent a late and undeserved winner being on the cards.

This was a decent game to watch and one that should have reaped far more than a solitary point. Leeds had one effort of note and it went in whereas Rangers dominated the game for long periods without the rewards they deserved. In two excellent displays in the last eight days we have managed to get only one point and had no luck whatsoever. Maybe in the next couple of games we will get the rub of the green and with the amount of people injured and suspended we are probably going to need it!

Finally, a special mention for Stefan Bailey, who showed maturity beyond his seventeen years in this game. He made some mistakes as any kid will but he quickly learned from them and showed that he most definitely has a bright future ahead of him.

simon@qprnet.com