After the great win against Norwich Holloway knew he would have to make changes with Bircham and Nygaard injured. He hadn’t accounted for losing Lee Cook also on the day before the game. Royce was in goal behind Bignot, Evatt, Shittu and Dyer. Ainsworth, Doherty, Santos and Gallen lined up in midfield with Sturridge partnering Furlong against his former side. There was a place on the bench for the first time this season for teenage prodigy Scott Donnelly.

Rangers almost made a terrible start to the game when the ball ended up in the net after no more than three minutes. Royce had saved from John and from the resulting corner Inigo Idiakez whipped a trademark corner into the six yard box. Royce tried to punch but as he did he was shoved by Peschisolido and the ball deflected off of his fist and into the net. The goal was rightly disallowed; this would the first of three decisions in Rangers favour this afternoon from a hopelessly biased referee.

Much of the game was being played in midfield and neither side was creating much in the way of clear cut chances. Tommy Doherty came close to his first ever goal for the club when he struck a sweet volley from the edge of the box that was blocked before it got near the goal. For The Rams a lot of their focus seemed to be on winning freekicks and corners for Idiakez to take. Referee Wright was helping them as much as he could by punishing even the slightest physical contact from any R’s player.

With half an hour played Rangers took the lead in scrappy circumstances. Rangers won a corner on the right and Lloyd Dyer came across to take the kick. His fierce ball was hammered into the six yard box and Ainsworth somehow managed to bundle the ball over the line. To be honest I haven’t a clue how it ended up in the net, the fans didn’t even know it was a goal until they saw the arms go into the air. Certainly not one for Gareth to put in his list of stunners!

Four minutes later Derby were handed a lifeline when Furlong had a moment of madness and was sent off. He and Emerson Thome, the Brazilian “hard” man, had been having a fair old battle from the off and after one clash Furlong kicked out at him. Of course he hit the deck like a big woofter but the ref had no choice but to send the veteran striker off. Replays later showed that Thome had elbowed him but as it so often the case, when you retaliate you are the one that gets rumbled. Despite his experience he cannot help himself when the red mist comes down and he will now be missing for four games. That’s three for violent conduct and one for his second red of the season.

The game plan was suddenly out of the window and with Sturridge operating alone up top, the Derby back four was being given as much ball as they liked. From the off Furlong and Sturridge had been splitting with one pressing the man on the ball and the other blocking off any pass into Idiakez. Now Sturridge was just having to block off the Spaniard so there always seemed plenty of time for them to pick another pass.

Everyone suddenly raised their game and the pressing and harrying went up a notch. There were still acres of space for the Derby players to operate in though and it was inevitable that chances would come. In the final few minutes of the half they forced a host of chances, one of which ended up in the net.

First Royce saved from John for the second time in the game and the Peschisolido sent a hopeful header at goal from almost eighteen yards. The ball sailed harmlessly over the top. Then Rangers conceded another freekick on the edge of the box and Idiakez stood over it. Everyone was expecting the shot but instead he shifted it wide to the unmarked Thome and he flashed a ball into the six yard box. Stern John was on the spot and turned the ball home only to be denied by the lino. In truth he did look a mile offside so he couldn’t have too many complaints.

After the restart the pointy elbowed Thome left Evatt in a heap on the deck following a corner before going up the other end hammering a shot that Royce coolly left alone. The perma-tanned day-glow figure of Phil Brown then sent on loan signing Dexter Blackstock for the poor Stern John as he tried to inject some pace into their attack.

Peschisolido should have done better when the ball arrived at him unmarked in the area. He had managed to evade the limpet like attentions of Shittu and Evatt for a moment but he couldn’t control and the chance was gone. Blackstock then headed wide when well placed and the feeling amongst the R’s fans began to grow that this would be our day.

The Derby chances kept on coming though and Idiakez shot wide as the defending seemed to be getting evermore desperate. It was all hands to the pump and Rangers only real outlet was a ball to Gallen or Ainsworth and hoping that a runner would come to support. On one such occasion Dyer was the man that did and he set off on a blistering run that carried him into the Derby area. The flashed a ball across the box and Sturridge was inches away from connecting at the far post.

Sturridge was soon replaced by Moore and the former Villa man missed a gilt edged chance not long after coming on. The ball found him on halfway and he turned and ran at the Rams defence. His pace carried him away and he went one on one with Kevin Poole. He tried to shot through the keeper rather than to the side of him and the shot was easily saved. In truth I am not sure anyone expected him to score as he looks the most unnatural of finishers in front of goal.

Derby then found themselves with a penalty after a harsh decision against Dyer. A cross from the left was headed back into the box by Bisgaard and the ball struck the little full back on the arm. He didn’t make a move toward it, it just hit him, but the lino was quick to make the decision. Idiakez stepped up and slowly ran toward the ball. Royce stood up as long as he could before flinging himself to his right and turning the shot away. He was mobbed by his team mates but quickly ushered them away as the ball was still in play!

To compound the miss, Rangers doubled their lead within minutes with a quite brilliant goal. Santos set off on a buccaneering run through the heart of the Derby midfield before slipping a perfect ball into the path of Gallen. The skipper didn’t take a touch he just let his right foot flow through the ball and he sent a delicious curling shot past Poole into the far corner. The R’s support were delirious, I don’t think I have seen a goal celebrated like that since Hillsborough.

The two goal advantage didn’t last for very long though as Derby finally made their incessant pressure pay with a goal to halve the arrears. 1950’s footballer Johnnie Jackson managed to create a chance for Blackstock and he was not so profligate this time and he slid the ball past Royce to set up a grandstand finish.

Simon Royce then pulled off one of the saves of his career to deny Derby the equaliser. Marcus Tudgay had replaced Peschisolido and the sub worked an opening on the right and picked out Idiakez with a perfect pass. The Spaniard struck the ball goalward and was almost celebrating when Royce suddenly appeared from nowhere to fling out his right hand and deny him. It was staggering and the Derby fans must think Royce is like a modern day Lev Yashin given his performances at Pride Park last season and this.

Rangers managed to ride out the final few minutes to grab a deserved win and make it five away games without defeat. Every player did their bit for the cause except for the obvious exception and hopefully he will be losing a couple of weeks’ wages over his moment of crass stupidity.

The way that every member of the team stepped up after the red card was great to see. It could have been easy to capitulate under the constant bombardment from Derby but it wasn’t to be. Evatt and Shittu were immense and Bignot and Dyer ably assisted them. Santos and Doherty were tackling hard and using the ball well in midfield and Ainsworth and Gallen wide held the ball well, ran when they could and notched the vital goals. Sturridge ran all day in difficult circumstances despite still looking well short of fitness and Moore worked hard when he came on even if he did miss a great chance. Even Langley and Milanese that only got a few minutes worked hard and the former put in a couple of very un-Langley like challenges. As for Royce, he was absolutely sensational.

Watford await on Tuesday night and it will be another tough game. I just hope that Nygaard is fit and that this hasn’t sapped too much energy from the legs. Their home record is mixed but the win over Wolves on Saturday will have boosted confidence that might have been flagging and I can see this being a real war.

simon@qprnet.com