After conceding another three at Sheffield Wednesday, Gregory moved to shake things up. Royce was back in goal behind a reshuffled back four of Rehman, Kanyuka, Stewart and Bignot. Rowlands, Smith, skipper Lomas and Cook were in midfield with Nygaard back in the side to partner Blackstock up front. Ainsworth was on the bench for the first time since sustaining what was supposed to be a minor hamstring strain…on 19^th August! 

Rangers almost took the lead in the second minute, indeed the trigger happy DJ was so convinced we had that Pig Bag was blasting out and the scoreboard was proclaiming the opening goal! Lee Cook did what he has done all season, supplied a brilliant cross from the left wing and Blackstock wrapped his left foot round it to send a curling volley a fraction wide of Conrad Logan’s upright. Just a little tip for the DJ, I usually find a good indication of whether it was a goal is if the ball has passed between the posts! 

A few more minutes passed before Rangers decided that it was time to hand their opponents their now traditional goal head start. Leicester won a freekick in front of Ellerslie Road. Danny Tiatto sent in a beautiful curling ball that half tempted Royce off of his line. He realised he wasn’t getting there and started to go back, unfortunately Patrick Kisnorbo has escaped the slack marking of Stewart and was on hand to power home a header from six yards. 

Rangers almost equalised soon after when Nygaard contrived to hook the ball over the bar from six yards. The lumbering front man had found some space but managed to end up flat on his back by the time the ball came to him so he couldn’t get the purchase he needed. It was typical of a dire performance from the striker on a day when he made you realise how good Ray Jones is! 

Stewart should have done better when a set piece landed at his feet in acres of space in the box. He tried to place a shot into the corner but was thwarted by a brilliant save from Logan. If the big Jamaican had just put his foot through it there is no way Logan would have been able to react from that range. 

Iain Hume then tested Royce with a sharp volley from a tight angle after turning away from the returning Kanyuka. Big Pat didn’t seem right from the off and he was soon substituted with a recurrence of his hamstring strain but not before he had left an early mark on Hume with a crunching headed challenge. If the medical team can get Pat at 100% then he has the ability to play a massive part this season. Mancienne came on and slotted in at right back with Rehman moving back into the middle. 

Whilst the back four were trying to sort themselves out Leicester almost scored a second through Elvis Hammond. The former Fulham man crashed in a low shot from twenty five yards that was well saved by Royce. Further up the field everything seemed to be working well though and Steve Lomas was having a storming game in the middle of the park. The vice captain was breaking up play and then using the ball efficiently and his angled passes fed Rowlands and Cook into space umpteen times on the day. 

Blackstock had two chances to score before the break but his shot from Lomas’ pass and a late header weren’t up to the task of beating Logan. It was fortunate that Leicester weren’t looking particularly potent in attack as the back four still seemed to be struggling to settle after the enforced withdrawal of Kanyuka.  

Immediately after the half time break Rowlands was presented with a chance to strike a freekick after Tiatto had rather unceremoniously upended the flying Cook. The ball was close to the edge of the box and the wall was no more than seven yards away though so Rowly could do little with it. The ball flew high over the bar without troubling the hitherto impressive Logan.  

Rowlands almost put Rangers back on level terms shortly after though with a stinging volley. Cook’s freekick was cleared as far as the eighteen yard line where Rowlands met it on the half volley. The ball swerved away from Logan and the Irishman was grateful to see it cannon back off the base of his right hand post. Rangers were cranking up the pressure now and Mancienne was the next to go close. 

He had give an odd and infuriating display to this point. He seemed comfortable in possession and happy to run with the ball but seemed terrified to play a pass to anyone other than Royce or Rehman. Everything was square or backwards until he decided to run with it. One such run carried him past three Foxes players before he sent in a low left footed shot that Logan gathered comfortably.  

Nygaard was then hauled off and replaced by Gallen after yet another awful first touch that must have had Giant Ray chuckling quietly to himself. To be fair Gallen wasn’t a whole lot better when he came on so it meant that Blackstock was still running for two up front. 

Rangers finally got themselves back into the game from the penalty spot after a bit of slight of hand from Gareth McAuley. A ball into the box from Rowlands found Blackstock at the back post and his effort was on target and had beaten Logan before the Northern Ireland defender snaked out his left hand to divert the ball away. Referee Stroud had an easy decision to make, whish was lucky for him as he had generally made a hash of most tricky ones on the afternoon. McAuley was off and a pen was awarded. Rowly stepped up, gave it the Aldridge shuffle, and planted the ball past the wrong footed keeper. 

Leicester moved to get their back four back in place and Paddy McCarthy came on to replace striker Hammond. He looked like a Michael Crawford tribute act with his Phantom of the Opera face mask but he set about his task like a man possessed and was excellent after his introduction. 

Blackstock was thwarted by the impressive Logan again when another Cook cross found its target. This time Blackstock’s header was powerful and would have been a goal had it not been straight at Logan. Ainsworth was thrown on for the last fifteen minutes in place of Rowlands as Gregory tried to pepper the attack up. Ainsworth had a powerful shot blocked away soon after but he seemed hesitant in a couple of aerial challenge, hardly surprising coming off the back of a buster hooter in midweek. 

Leicester were becoming more dogged by the minute and Rangers were struggling to break them down. McCarthy was everywhere and any ball that came near the box seemed to find him. Rangers were almost made to pay late on when a booming kick from Logan caused havoc. 

Rehman tried to hook the ball away when he saw that Royce had stayed at home. The ball fell into the path of Hume and his blasted shot was brilliantly parried by Royce. It seemed inevitable that Leicester would pinch it when it rolled straight to Matty Fryatt but his effort was awful and he could only scoop it into the grateful arms of Royce. 

Neither side could force the winner in the dying minutes but the visitors will certainly have been the happier with the point. It was important that Rangers stopped the losing run but on another day then this would have been a win, I think had Ray Jones been playing we would have had a much better chance as Blackstock was a one man band up top. 

Defensively we looked more solid despite the gift wrapped opener. Stewart was better in the air than he has been of late and Rehman didn’t seem to panic as much as he has of late. I think the fact that Royce is a much better communicator than Paul Jones helped matters. Mancienne was solid but he needs to get his head up and look for a pass rather than just knocking it back to the keeper all the time.  

In midfield Cook was excellent again and Rowlands played well despite not being at 100%. Smith wasn’t as effervescent as he can be but alongside him Lomas was magnificent.   

A tough trip to West Brom on Tuesday awaits and if Rangers get anything from the game it will be a bonus. A solid performance is a must though, they need to make West Brom beat them rather than handing them a victory. If Ray Jones is back in then the team should have a more potent look about it and you never know what might happen after The Baggies slumped to defeat on Saturday. 

Man of the Match – Steve Lomas. Lomas has had his critics and rightly so at times but he was majestic against The Foxes. He tackled hard and passed well and showed what a good player he can be when his head is in the right place.

simon@qprnet.com