There were a few changes from the side that went down at Sunderland last week. Camp was in goal behind Timoska, Kanyuka, Stewart and Bignot. Rowlands, Lomas, Bolder and Cook were in midfield with Blackstock and Nygaard up top. 

The visitors were the first to show in the game when Michael Chopra curled a free kick wide having been felled by Bolder. The ball past well wide of the post but then collided with the wall and rippled the net, sending the Cardiff fans into celebrations! It didn’t even look like it had gone in so perhaps there is some work to be had for Dolland and Aitchison in South Wales. 

That mini scare pressed Rangers into action and they set about bombarding the Cardiff penalty area from all angles. Lomas was hurling long throw after long throw into the box as Rangers took the direct approach. Camp was having trouble with his kicking thanks to the constant obstruction of Chopra, five or six times in the game his kicks out of hands sailed into the opposition area. 

Lomas should have scored when a ball ricocheted to him at the back post but he made poor contact with his shot. He seemed to catch it with his calf and as the ball bobbled toward goal Roger Johnson was on hand to clear. Nygaard could have swung a hock at it but he may have been offside, it was impossible to tell from the other end of the pitch. 

Rangers should have been awarded a penalty when Adam Bolder carried the ball into the box only to be rugby tackled by McPhail. It was no surprise that referee Thorpe missed the challenge as he was worse than average all afternoon, as most of the dire officials they trot out have been this season. 

Giant keeper David Forde was forced to save after Cardiff defender Kevin McNaughton hacked at a clearance and almost sliced it into his own net. For all of the pressure being brought to bear on the Cardiff box there was still a lack of real clear cut chances. Everything seemed to be bobbling out of reach or being hacked clear at the last minute.. 

After twenty three minutes the breakthrough that Rangers dominance warranted finally came. Cook to a short corner to Lomas and then tracked back to widen the angle for his cross. As has become the norm this season his delivery was inch perfect and Blackstock attacked the near post to glance a fantastic header past Forde. It was Dex’s fourth goal in five games and it goes to show that a striker in consistent form can make all the difference to your season. 

The rest of the half continued in much the same vein until ten minutes before the break when Cardiff suddenly woke from their slumber. They were now starting to play and keep the ball but they didn’t factor in the immense presence of Stewart and Kanyuka at the heart of the defence. Any ball that was aimed in seemed to be drawn to the head of one of these monsters despite some serious pressure from Steven Thompson. 

Thompson should have scored on the stroke of halftime when an illegally taken free kick was allowed to go by Thorpe and Flood, who looked yards offside, ran onto it. He rattled a ball across the six yard box but Thompson wasn’t able to respond in time and the chance was gone. 

Chopra had the first chance of the second half when he cracked a volley at Camp that the Rangers keeper saved easily. Chopra’s only other involvement in the game to this point was to be booked for a late lunge on Bolder and then moan at the referee constantly for the entire first half. 

Cardiff were lucky not to be down to ten men minutes into the half as on loan Arsenal full back Kerrea Gilbert starting mowing down anyone within striking distance. First he clattered Cook on halfway and was rightly booked by Thorpe; minutes later he went through the back of the hard working Nygaard, a worse challenge, but got away with a warning. Dave Jones had seen enough and dragged him off before he was sent off. Paul Parry replaced him and almost created a chance with his first involvement. 

He burst up the left flank and into the area only for Timoska to appear to close out the chance. Bolder picked up his obligatory booking when he scythed Gunter down as the Cardiff full back looked to break up field. Gunter should have been penalised for a foul on Cook but when he wasn’t Bolder knew he didn’t have the pace to keep up so took him out. Bolder may be cynical but he knows when to take his bookings for the good of the team. 

Rangers were starting to sit deeper and deeper but they were more than content to ride this one out. Chopra was getting more frustrated by the minute and such was the aerial dominance of Big Pat and Stew Peas Thompson was hauled off with eighteen minutes left to be replaced by pop gun Warren Feeney. 

As the game entered the final few minutes referee Thorpe started getting busy with the cards as he realised he was under the number he needed to activate his petty bastard reward points. Bignot was booked for the heinous crime of taking a free kick too quickly! Cardiff had been hauled up for numerous similar offences with no censure so it does strike you as a touch inconsistent. 

Joe Ledley went into the book for mowing Nygaard down and from the resulting free kick Rangers knocked the ball into the corner and Cook was penalised for obstruction in the quadrant. Forde tried to take the free kick some five yards in from the flag so Cook blocked him and was booked for it. Forde then took it from even further away from the flag as the referee and linesman completely abdicated responsibility for controlling the situation. 

At the final whistle as the fans celebrated an ugly melee began in the R’s area started by the childish Chopra. He had a pop at Camp, Camp had a pop at Chopra and suddenly everyone piled in. As usual Bolder was first on the scene closely followed by Pat and Peas as people tried to control/inflame the situation. Chopra was red carded for his part; it was hard to see whether it was a straight red or second yellow though. He responded by kicking a cool box over! Go on big man, you show that plastic box who is the guv’nor! Thorpe then chased Camp fifty yards down the pitch to book him as well. 

The noise in the ground was fantastic, the support the players have received over recent weeks has been nothing short of inspirational and I am sure they would tell you as much. The players have responded in kind and to have secured safety with two games to spare has been a huge achievement. 

Many people don’t seem to like John Gregory for one reason or another but there can be no disputing his part in this turnaround. He has shipped out the dead wood and the disruptive influences and brought in players that will spill blood for the cause. He has got the players to believe they are good enough and then to prove they are good enough to play for this club and play at this level.  

Man of the Match – Damion Stewart. The big man was immense at the heart of the defence and seemed to revel in taking on the senior partner role with Kanyuka. He has improved immeasurably since Cullip has been here and he and Big Pat were nigh on impenetrable.

simon@qprnet.com