For the second time this season Rangers managed to ship three second half goals against the league leaders. Back in December it was Ipswich Town that turned us over, yesterday it was the turn of Sunderland to snatch a promising position away from the R’s.

Olly was forced to change his side when the ever injured Matthew Rose managed to clum himself in training. Royce remained in goal behind a back four of Bignot, Shittu, Davies and Padula. Ainsworth’s injury also forced changes in midfield with Rowlands, Bircham, Santos and Cook lining up across the middle with Gallen and Furlong up front. There was a place on the bench for prolific youth team striker Shabazz Baidoo.

It was hard to tell which team was top and which team was ninth in the table as the game began. Rangers started the game with plenty of hunger and seemed to have caught Sunderland cold. Rowlands came close in the opening exchanges with a low shot that was easily held by Norwegian keeper Thomas Myhre.

The Black Cats were struggling to put any meaningful attacks together and Santos and Bircham seemed to have the centre of the park wrapped up. Stewart and Elliott were becoming evermore isolated and the former Ipswich man was forced to launch into a series of crude challenges to try and influence the game.

Set pieces, so often an area of huge disappointment for Rangers, were causing all sorts of problems in the Sunderland box. This is largely due to the total lack of ability held by Gary Breen. How this man earns a wage from professional football is beyond me. It was from a set piece that Rangers took the lead.

Rangers won a corner on the left and Rowlands sent in a superb in-swinging ball. Most of the Sunderland attackers were dragged under the ball by the movement of the R’s players and this left Shittu in acres of space to steal in at the far post and nod home unopposed from six yards.

Sunderland seemed to creak into life after this and when Julio Arca sent in a cross from the left Welsh international Carl Robinson rose highest at the far post to meet it. The challenge from Padula was not sufficient to prevent him steering it across goal and glancing off of Royce’s right hand upright.

With just over ten minutes left to play in the half Martin Rowlands was forced from the fray. Minutes earlier he had thundered into a challenge with Andy Welsh and won the ball perfectly. Cretin Dowd decided otherwise though and awarded a freekick. Moments later he repeated the dose, this time it was Stephen Caldwell in his path and Rowly came off second best. He tried to play on gamely but a knee injury got the better of him. Dean Sturridge replaced him and Olly launched into a game of musical right wingers. It seemed that whoever was standing near the touchline when the music stopped had to play there for the next five minutes. Before the half was out Gallen, Bircham and Santos would all have a bash.

As the half drew to a close Rangers missed a great chance to go two goals ahead. Padula sent a great ball whistling upfield from his left back berth and it split Breen and Caldwell. Furlong ran on strongly and allowed the ball to bounce in front of him before sending a vicious right footed volley at goal. Myhre flew to his left to turn the ball away brilliantly.

From the corner Santos rose highest and his effort seemed goal bound before it struck Sturridge and ran to safety. Three minutes before the break Mick McCarthy made a change that would ultimately take the game away from Rangers. Jeff Whitley was taken off and big Chris Brown came on his place. He went to partner Stewart up front with Elliot going wide right and Whitehead moving to a centre midfield position.

The second half was barely thirty second old when Sunderland found an equaliser. Rangers kicked off and immediately gave the ball away. A long diagonal ball from right to left went over the head of Bignot and found the man he should have been marking, Andy Welsh. The former Stockport County winger made no mistake with an unerring strike into the bottom corner.

It could have been easy for Rangers to capitulate immediately such was the speed of Sunderland’s start but they fought back instead. Lee Cook stung Myhre’s hands with a fierce drive that was turned wide. Chances were not coming easily though and even though Rangers managed to force more and more corners nothing seemed to be coming of them.

Brown should have given Sunderland the advantage when he managed to hold off Shittu’s considerable frame and turn a shot at goal. The strike had plenty of power but was straight into the midriff of Royce. Had it been anywhere else in the goal then the R’s keeper would have been powerless to intervene. Brown made no such mistake with his next effort as he capped a flowing Sunderland attack with their second goal.

The Mackems were pinging the ball around and the Rangers players were chasing shadows as the ball was moved quickly to the left wing. Argentine Arca provided the telling cross and Brown struck the ball past Royce with Padula too far away to make an effective challenge.

It was all Sunderland now as spaces began to open up as Rangers pushed forward in search of the equaliser. Nothing seemed to be coming off despite the best efforts of Marc Bircham who was having his best game for some time. He was running with the ball, passing well and tackling hard as he tried to make something happen.

It wasn’t a massive shock when Sunderland added a third and the nature of the goal was to be expected. Sunderland broke down the right and the ball was played over the head of Andy Davis for Marcus Stewart to run onto. It should have been a formality but his first touch was atrocious and gave Royce a chance. He managed to save bravely to Stewart’s feet only to see the ball run into the path of Arca and he slotted home.

Rangers did manage to muster a couple more efforts on goal but they were in vain. Firstly Davies managed to catch out the Sunderland offside trap and loop a header at goal. It seemed to have Myhre beaten but he backpedaled and tipped it to safety. From the corner Furlong sent in a sharp header that was hacked off the line.

I am not sure that we deserved to be beaten by so great a margin in this game but it did serve as a lesson to kill games off when you have the chance. The first half was more than comfortable but we just never got going in the second. The equaliser was a killer and knocked the players for six. Hopefully the words of the manager will still be fresh in the minds when they face Gillingham on Tuesday night.

simon@qprnet.com

Marc Bircham. Birch has not had the best of seasons but he showed what an effective player he can be. There were no histrionics from him today, he just got his head down and worked hard for his team.