Following on from the ill fated Leeds game last weekend Holloway shuffled the pack as he tried to get back to winning ways. Royce was in goal behind a back four of Bignot, Shittu, Santos and debut boy Hislop. Langley started on the right of midfield alongside Bircham, Lomas and Cook. Nygaard was handed his first start for the club as Furlong’s partner up top.

Rangers made a great start to the game as they took the lead just past the ten minute mark. Richard Langley won a freekick on the right wing and Cook came across to take it. His left footed delivery was perfect, as was the run from Marc Nygaard. He stole a march on the Foxes defenders and met the ball with a great glancing header at the near post to leave Scotland international Rab Douglas with no chance.

Things got even better for Rangers with twenty minutes gone as Leicester were reduced to ten men. Furlong went in hard on Alan Maybury but won the ball cleanly. The Eire defender saw red though and clattered into Furs with a high challenge that left referee Webster with nowhere to go. Once he and his linesman had spent an age firstly splitting up the melee and then having a good old chinwag Maybury was shown the red and Furlong a yellow. The yellow for Furs seemed harsh as he was just about the only one not pushing and shoving as he was in a heap on the floor. That booking would prove costly deep into injury time at the end of the game.

As so often seems to be the case the team down to ten men finds extra life and extra running in their legs. There was almost a moment of calamity as Royce and Santos got in a mess and almost allowed Joey Gudjonsson in on goal. Royce somehow jinked his way out of trouble before hammering the ball upfield.

At the other end Rangers missed two great chances to double their advantage. Firstly a Lee Cook cross evaded everyone but found the mercurial Langley at the far post. The ball wouldn’t come down for him and his weak shot was easily fielded by Douglas. The Scot was beaten by Nygaard minutes later as the giant striker latched onto a through ball from Langley. His first touch was sure but his shot was too powerful and flew just over the bar.

Half time came and for once the Rangers fans were able to talk over some excellent first half performances. Nygaard was a menace and Langley and Hislop had both been in fine form. Nobody was booing Langley now as he turned in a half of sensible running and measured passing.

Rangers started sluggishly after the break, as they often seem to, and could have been pegged back almost immediately. Leicester’s big Dutch striker and former R’s target Mark de Vries almost broke through but Royce was alert to save his effort. He then attacked a ball with Shittu at the far post only for both of them to miss it initially and the big defender to see the danger away.

Up the other end Langley was still tormenting his full back and he and Lomas linked up well to work an opening for a cross. Langley’s ball in was weighted rather than thrashed in and Douglas managed to intervene just before Furlong could tap in from four yards.

Gudjonsson shot over the bar and as Royce was replacing the ball for a goal kick the referee came over and booked him. This despite the fact that Leicester were making a substitution at the time! It was harsh to say the least. Soon after things took a turn for the worse as debutant Matthew Hislop picked up what looked like a bad injury.

He launched into a typically robust challenge that had been the hallmark of his excellent debut thus far. He and Momo Sylla both went in hard and both ended up lying in a heap. The Ivorian needed no more than the magic sponge but Hislop seemed to be in a bad way. His leg was put in an inflatable splint and he was stretchered off as the moronic Leicester fans sang “You’re going home in a Leicester ambulance”. Really classy.

Dominic Shimmin came on and the concentration seemed to have gone and Leicester equalised. Mark de Vries won a header on the edge of the box and the ball fell into the path of sub Elvis Hammond. He took one touch to steady himself before battering an unstoppable shot past Royce. Finally the mannequin like Leicester fans came to life and made some noise in a ground that had sounded more like a library for much of the game.

It was now all about how Rangers would respond. Langley was taken off and replaced by Ainsworth who was booked almost immediately for a sly handball as he attacked a cross at the far post.

The abhorrent Leicester minority then let themselves down further with the “bombers” chant. Unsurprisingly the R’s fan nearest them reacted with fury but to be fair to the police their action was swift and decisive. Two lines of coppers were quickly in place and several Leicester and one Rangers fan were taken out. I did object to being held prisoner at the end of the game though despite us being the ones taunted.

With the final whistle fast approaching a long ball was banged up toward Furlong. He flicked the ball on and Nygaard turned it back into his path, his volley was banged into the ground but then looped up wildly over Douglas before hitting the back of the net. It was the slice of luck he had been desperate for all season long and the reaction of his team mates showed how much it meant to everyone.

Furs then blotted his copybook in injury time as he was sent off for a clash with Gudjonsson. The spiky Icelander pushed him, Furs pushed him back and that was enough for a second yellow. The fact that he should never have had the first yellow does stick in the throat but he should still have known better.

Rangers managed to survive injury time to claim a deserved win on the road for the first time since Rotherham away last March. More importantly than that Furlong is off the mark and let’s hope that he can now get goals on a regular basis as they will be vital if we want to better last season.

There were a lot of excellent performances yesterday. Nygaard showed that he can play after some poor initial showings and Langley was mesmeric at times on the right of midfield. Lomas was leadership personified and is the real skipper out there despite not wearing the armband. Hislop was sensational on his debut after a nervy first five minutes. He tackled hard, passed well and defended like a seasoned pro before a nasty looking injury stopped him in his tracks.

Millwall away on Tuesday will be another big test as they have certainly improved of late. I think it is of note that the main improvement has been away from the New Den so we certainly have a decent chance of another win. I would take a draw if you offered it now though!

simon@qprnet.com