Changes were the order of the day for Gregory, as per usual, following the defeat at Norwich on Saturday. Royce was in goal behind Kanyuka, Stewart, Mancienne and Bignot. Ward, Lomas, Gallen and Cook were in midfield with Blackstock and Jones up top. This weeks selection of players out of position were a centre back at right back, a right back at left back, a central midfielder on the right wing and a striker in central midfield! Colchester were themselves forced to change their side at the last minute when skipper Karl Duguid complained of breathing difficulties and was withdrawn from the line up. 

Both sides were pretty cagey in the opening exchanges with Rangers clearly fearing going a goal behind and Colchester wishing they were back at fortress Layer Road. The only real action of note in the opening fifteen minutes was Steve Lomas losing his rag with referee Walton after Kem Izzet had crumpled under the slightest touch from the Ulsterman. Lomas wouldn’t leave it and the ref eventually showed a card after a good 90 seconds worth of berating! It was a poor decision in the first place however, compared to some of his ones later in the half it was world class! 

Rangers registered their first shot on target when Cook jinked inside Greg Halford but could only shoot at impressive young keeper Dean Gerken. Cook then drifted to the right flank from where he sent in a brilliant ball that evaded Jones and Blackstock and went out for the goal kick. 

Ward then fired a low left footed shot on target that was well held by Gerken as Rangers began to take control of the match. At the other end the prolific duo of Iwelumo and Cureton were being tightly marshalled by Mancienne and Stewart whilst Kanyuka at right back was making sure McLeod wasn’t getting a look in. 

Former West Ham midfielder Richard Garcia had a pot shot from twenty yards that Royce saw wide of his post and Kanyuka headed a Cook corner over the bar before Rangers deservedly took the lead in the 36^th minute. Cook was once again the provider as he sent in a near post cross that was attacked by Ray Jones. The striker turned his body to shield the ball and deftly headed the ball over the stranded Gerken into the opposite corner. 

Colchester tried to respond immediately and it was no surprise that Cureton was the man to try his luck. He had been looking for the early shot all afternoon and he finally got one away as he struck a piercing volley from the edge of the box. He must have thought it was in all the way until Big Pat appeared to throw a massive hock in the way and block the ball all the way to the halfway line! 

The visitors dodged a bullet moments later when Jones and Baldwin went for a high ball and the teenager got the better of the ColU centre back. Baldwin wrestled Jones to the floor to concede what looked like a professional foul. Referee Walton somehow ruled that it wasn’t even a foul though and play went on to howls of derision from players and fans alike. 

Lomas and Garcia then went into a 50/50 near the halfway line which Lomas won before Garcia clattered into him. Again, no foul and as Walton looked like he had clocked off with at least five minutes of the half left to play. Then to compound matters Ward was caught on the knee by Barker and again no freekick. It was the worst kind of diabolical refereeing and perhaps the reason why Mr Walton hasn’t been asked to do many Premiership games this season. 

Walton was just putting the whistle to his mouth to blow for halftime when Colchester launched another attack. He took the whistle away again; I assume he had discovered some more time to play other than that shown on his watch. Luckily it came to nothing and Rangers went into the break with their noses in front. 

Rangers were almost two goals ahead seconds into the second half when Ward was played into space on the edge of the box and he lashed a volley goalward. Gerken somehow managed to fly high to his right to tip the ball onto the bar and away to safety. It was a staggering save and the applause around the ground was as much for that as the initial shot. 

Blackstock then found himself on the end of three chances in quick succession and failed to make the most of the chances. Firstly he went up for a high ball with Gerken but only managed to nod the ball over the top, then he robbed former loan Ranger Wayne Brown and headed for the Colchester goal. He was trying to manoeuvre the ball onto his left foot but couldn’t get it there in time and Gerken was off his line to save bravely at his feet. He then found himself running onto a through ball from Cook but the not inconsiderable bulk of Pat Baldwin arrived to knock him off the ball before he could shoot. Dexter is desperate for a goal and his hard running displays certainly merit more than the six he has so far. 

Ray Jones then missed two great chances to double the lead. Both came from Cook crosses, the first a freekick that Jones got on target but not with sufficient power to beat Gerken. Then Cook mugged Halford yet again before sending over a great cross that Jones headed over the top. Gallen then missed a chance after exchanging passes with Jones only to scuff his shot badly. 

The crowd were starting to get a bit tense now as so many chances to wrap the game up had come and gone and it was inevitable that Colchester’s impressive forward line would create something. The back four were working manfully to prevent this with Stewart showing great bravery in attacking headers like a madman despite wearing swimming goggles to protect his busted cheekbone. 

Baidoo was now patrolling the right flank having come on for the ineffective Ward with half an hour left to play. This was the first time he had got on at Loftus Road since the Gregory era started back in late September. His pace was giving the Colchester players something extra to think about but they were starting to have a lot more of the ball going the other way. 

Cureton had another shot blocked away to safety before Johnnie Jackson missed the visiting side’s best chance of the game when he blazed a header well over the top from a Halford cross. Big Scotsman Chris Iwelumo then also headed over the bar from a corner after managing to evade the attentions of the R’s markers. To this point Royce still hadn’t had to make a save worthy of the name. 

Rangers then prised the initiative back and went close three more times in the dying minutes. First Baidoo was played into acres of space by Gallen and he drive into the box before shooting at Gerken’s near post. The young keeper saved easily and Shabba should really have shot across him as Blackstock and sub Furlong were lurking with intent. 

Blackstock then tested Gerken properly after receiving the ball into his feet on the edge of the box and spinning and shooting in one fluid movement. The left footed strike was fierce but once again Gerken was equal to it thanks to some good placement. The final chance fell to Furlong after Blackstock had flicked on a Lomas cross. The veteran hitman slid in at the back stick but could only send his shot into the side netting from the tightest of angles. 

As the torrential rain that had suddenly hit W12 continues referee Walton finally blew for fulltime to a great ovation from the R’s fans. The crowd had been quiet for long periods of the game but this was more down to a sense of apprehension that any lack of support for the team. These are tough times to be watching the R’s and it is hard to sing when you are trying to bite your nails! 

This was a much better showing from Rangers and defensively they were rock solid. Mancienne and my Man of the Match Stewart were massive at the heart of it and Kanyuka also did very well in a position which he has probably never played before, certainly not for Rangers anyway. Bignot was shaky at times and gave the ball away a lot but he always managed to get himself in the way and that is the most important thing, quite how the sponsors managed to pick him as the best player on the park was a bit odd though! 

In midfield Gallen and Ward didn’t do much to set the pulses racing but Cook and Lomas both did well in their respective roles. Even though Lomas had a tantrum in the first half he managed to regain his composure and organise things well from the middle of the park. Up top Jones took his goal well but still gave an air of laziness whilst Blackstock alongside him ran himself to water yet again in the search for that elusive goal. 

The FA Cup next week will bring a welcome respite from the panic laden league games before massive games against Southampton at home and relegation rivals Hull and Barnsley away focus the team’s attentions once more.

Man of the Match – Damion Stewart. Up at Norwich he was superb apart from one error that gave away the goal, there was no such error today as he continued his impressive partnership with Mancienne with a commanding display.

simon@qprnet.com