Following the stirring comeback against Hull City Holloway was forced into yet more enforced changes. Royce was in goal behind Bignot, Shittu, Milanese and Dyer. The midfield was made up of Ainsworth, Langley, Bean and Rowlands with Moore partnering Furlong up front. Such was the paucity of numbers in the squad, youth team left back Andrew Howell had travelled in case of emergencies but had not made the final sixteen.

Rangers could not have made a better start to the game and went ahead as the clocked ticked over to one minute. Having won a freekick thirty five yards out the team opted for a comedy effort from stand in skipper Shittu. Langley touched it off to him and he shanked it horribly into Ainsworth’s path. His little flick found Furlong and he made no mistake on his right foot from twelve yards to beat Steve Simonsen.

Furlong almost returned the favour ten minutes later when he sent a great ball over the top for Ainsworth to chase but the Stoke keeper was quick off his line and the danger was averted. At the other end the much vaunted Sam Bangoura had not really made much of an impact to this point but as Stoke slowly got into their stride his influence started to grow steadily.

He was off target with a header before he soared highest in the box to bring The Potters level. Referee Marriner harshly penalised Langley for a well timed challenge on the hideous Luke Chadwick. The former Manchester United man hurled himself to the deck in his usual style. The ball into the box was a good one and Bangoura headed into the corner. I thought Royce might have made more of an effort with it as he seemed rooted to the spot. After the goal John Halls took the chance to goad the R’s fans. He would receive his justice later in the piece.

Stoke were rampant now and Rangers weren’t being helped by the terrible form of our two creative midfielders. Rowlands was not involved in the game at all and Langley did nothing but give it to the nearest Stoke player. This meant that Marcus Bean was working overtime in the middle of the park to try and press and win the ball back again.

Sidibe and Bangoura were easily getting the better of Shittu and Milanese with the latter looking a fish out of water at centre back. As is so often the case a decent half when slotting into a position doesn’t translate to a decent performance in that position next time out. With some better delivery from out wide things could have gotten away from Rangers before the break and in truth everyone was grateful to be on level terms.

During the break some of the Stoke fans thought it would be great fun to take the piss out of two seventeen year old kids in Donnelly and Baidoo by not returning a stray ball that had gone into the crowd. It took the stewards a good five minutes to retrieve it. The fact of the matter is that the stewards are too afraid to go into the crowd and sort out the situation.

As was the case in the first half Rangers made a bright start and went ahead again after fifty two minutes. Rowlands fired in a fierce shot from the edge of the area which was saved by Simonsen but not held. Furlong seized on the ball and looked to shoot but found himself dragged to the floor by Halls. It was a clear cut penalty and Marriner rubbed salt into the wounds by dismissing the former Arsenal youngster. He got plenty of bird from the R’s fans with his goal celebrations still fresh in the memory.

Langley placed the ball on the spot and given his form to this point I don’t think many were confident of a goal. In typical Langley fashion though he strode purposefully to the ball and slammed it past the wrong footed keeper.

Holloway then went to a very defensive 4-5-1 formation against ten men. This had the effect of inviting pressure onto us and all of a sudden it was like the Alamo as Rangers had to be content with launching raids with long balls into the corners. Michael Duberry hit the post with a header in an offside position before Ainsworth almost grabbed another with a deflected cross that was well saved by Simonsen.

Evatt had now been thrown into the fray in place of Dyer as Milanese moved to left back. Rangers were incredibly deep now and the Stoke attacks just kept on coming. Bangoura tried an overhead kick that Royce easily gathered before Sidibe missed an absolute sitter. Chadwick crossed from the right and the Malian striker found himself completely unmarked six yards out. Luckily he showed the sort of form that he did in a trial for Rangers a few years back and managed to head about five yards wide.

There was still time for one more Rangers attack and it should have resulted in a second for Langley. An error near the centre circle saw Langley race clear with Moore and Furlong to his right in support. He chose to ignore them and tried to bend the ball inside Simonsen’s far post. There wasn’t enough action on the ball though and it failed to come back far enough.

Cook and Baidoo replaced Ainsworth and Moore as Holloway wound down the clock and referee Marriner’s whistle brought great celebrations from the R’s fans who had seen the side win for the first time since the win at Derby. As the fans were in raptures at one end things had quickly turned ugly at the other.

Royce went into his net to collect his bits and was set upon by a Stoke thug. Chadwick tried to get the fella off but the situation quickly escalated with stewards, players and benches steaming in to assist. The net was torn from the posts as about thirty people ended up in it. Two Stoke fans were ultimately arrested and The FA has to take serious action against them.

Every year we go to The Britannia, every year we turn them over and every year something happens. Last year we were held outside and pelted with all sorts whilst riot police cleared their fans away. This year we had to watch as their fans attacked one of our players. Time and again they manage to escape censure but this incident simply cannot be allowed to pass. Yes the fans will be banned but surely the club have to be responsible for them inside the ground and anything less than a huge fine will be far too lenient.

Anyway, back to the game! This was certainly not a game that will live long in the memory, well not for the football anyhow! Rangers were second best for much of the game and if Halls hadn’t got himself sent of then Stoke would more than likely have won out comfortable winners.

Rangers dug in though and battled their way to a win that was as much for their manager as it was for the fans. They always seem to come through for him in times of adversity, perhaps they should try not to get him into such a position in the first place. Another tough game awaits at Ipswich and if we show the same sort of heart and battling spirit then we might be able to get something there also.

simon@qprnet.com