Having run West Brom close on Saturday there weren’t likely to be many changes to the side. Camp remained in goal behind a back four of Mancienne, Cullip, Stewart and Bignot. Ainsworth, Lomas, Bolder and Cook were in midfield with Blackstock recalled to partner Nygaard up front. 

Rangers were almost behind from the first attack of the game when Matt Hill broke forward from left back and floated a great ball into the box. Nugent had pulled into the space between Stewart and Bignot and seemed certain to tuck the ball away on the volley. Incredibly England’s newest full international contrived to shoot wide of Camp’s right hand post. It was a horrendous miss. 

Rangers seemed rocked by the ease with which Preston had carved into them and spent a few minutes trying to keep things solid without doing too much attacking. The players knew that there was little point in trying to go hell for leather and ending up a couple behind before they knew it. 

Blackstock had Rangers’ first effort of the game when he lifted a volley over the bar after Nygaard had headed the ball into the path of his run. Ainsworth then headed a corner wide at the far post after keeper Lonergan had flapped at a Lee Cook delivery. Cook was soon on the deck getting treatment after an innocuous looking challenge. The injury would later force him from the fray at the halftime interval. 

Preston generated themselves some momentum and ex-Bury wide man Simon Whaley tested Camp twice in quick succession only to find the England U21 custodian in his usual fine form. It was noticeable that a midfield player was the one to try and test the keeper though as Cullip was enjoying an immense night at the heart of the R’s defence. 

When play swung back to the other end Nygaard missed a great chance to open the scoring. Ainsworth was turning in a similarly buccaneering display as Saturday’s and when his shot was deflected into the ground it looped into the path of Nygaard who was attacking the near post. He snaked out a massive hock but could only send the ball well wide with Lonergan fearing the worst. It was a poor miss and one of those moments from the big Dane where he really frustrates the Rangers fans. 

As the half was drawing to a close Rangers created two positions for themselves where they really should have been testing the keeper. Firstly Cook sent a defence splitter into the path of Ainsworth and he seemed in a prime shooting position but he inexplicably cut the ball back to nobody. Moments later Cook was playing Blackstock in but again; instead of the shot Dexter chose the pass to Cook who hadn’t continued on the same path. 

Rangers would certainly have been the happier side going in at the break but Gregory’s demeanour wouldn’t have been helped by the fact that he was forced into two half time changes. Mancienne got a Michael Ricketts hoof in the head and couldn’t continue. Cook’s knock also got the better of him and Pat Kanyuka and Rohan Ricketts were sent on in their place. 

The home side set about gaining dominance of the midfield battle grounds and Lomas and Bolder were rattling into anything that moved in there. Sedgwick and Pugh weren’t being afforded any time on the ball and as such the service to Nugent and Ricketts was being strangled at source. 

Six minutes into the half the breakthrough came and it was thanks to a great combination between the two front men. Nygaard had lost possession on half way and come deep into his own half to chase the ball. Suddenly the ball was delivered to him just inside the Preston half and he wasted no time in looking up and picking out a sublime ball onto the chest of Blackstock. The young striker’s first touch cushioned the ball perfectly and as St. Ledger and Chilvers closed in he speared an exquisite left footed volley past the helpless Lonergan. The ground erupted to this sensational strike and it was as much a sense of relief as of celebration. 

The game had barely got going again when a ball up to Michael Ricketts saw the chubby striker turn away from Cullip and then feel the centre back’s hand on his shoulder. Despite the fact that he had a sight of goal he hit the deck and Tom Thumb ref Keith Stroud blew for the foul. Sedgwick was straight at the ref begging for a red and this stoked the ire of Steve Lomas who went ballistic at him. Cullip got a yellow for the foul and Lomas a yellow for trying to clump the Preston midfielder. From the resulting free kick Ricketts whipped an effort past the wall and inches past Camp’s right hand post. 

Again play swung back to the other end and Rohan Ricketts slipped a pass into the path of Nygaard and he sent a rasping twenty five yarder over the bar. PNE gaffer Paul Simpson had already sent Patrick Agyemang into the fray and he now sent Danny Dichio on, to a typically warm Loftus Road reception, as he strung four strikers across the park. High balls were now getting slung up at every opportunity and Cullip, Stewart and Kanyuka were heading them away for fun. 

Preston were struggling though. Their aerial bombardment was proving fairly fruitless and set pieces seemed as though they may be their best route back into the match. From a half cleared corner Ricketts tried to head across goal only for the ball to be blatantly blocked by Blackstock’s arm. It was a clear cut pen without a doubt but Stroud missed it! Perhaps this was the bit of luck that Rangers have been busting for all season. You had to wonder how the players would have responded to shipping a goal when the opposition scarcely deserved one. 

Rangers then conceded a free kick well outside the box and Danny Pugh sent the ball in. Agyemang seemed to get a slight touch but it didn’t divert the angle of the ball and Lee Camp produced an outstanding strong handed save to send the ball to safety. 

Rohan Ricketts became the third enforced change of the night for Rangers after turning an ankle taking a corner much earlier in the half. He was struggling to get about so Jimmy Smith came on in his place. From a Preston corner Rangers launched a rapid counter attack with Smith at its heart. 

From his position on half way he received the ball and pulled to the right and ran toward the corner. He caught side of Blackstock arriving on his inside like Ben Johnson in his drug induced splendour and picked him out with a perfect pass. Blackstock made a good connection only to be denied by a fine save from Lonergan.  

Seconds later he was at it again this time after Lomas had launched into a bone jarring challenge and fed the ball wide, again to the right flank. Smith was off again and this time Bolder was the man in support, ably assisted by Kanyuka who had also gone rampaging up field! The ball in this time wasn’t as good and just evaded Bolder as he busted a gut tying to get his first for the club and to put the lid on the game. 

The five minutes of injury time generated by a host of subs and some chronic Rangers time wasting finally elapsed without further drama and Rangers had secured a massive victory. Hopes of a bigger leap up the table were dashed when Burnley battered Plymouth in a game that Olly described as the worst performance in his football career. I am assuming he doesn’t drive a Vauxhall! 

This was a tremendous scrapping display and whilst it won’t be one people will want to buy the DVD of it could prove to be one of the biggest wins in years. We have made full use of our game in hand and the fact that the scalp was one of the top six means that the confidence gained could be huge. Let’s hope that we continue with another good display at resurgent Coventry on Saturday and point The Good Ship Rangers at that fabled fifty point mark.

Man of the Match – Danny Cullip. When Cullip arrived everyone knew he would be up for the scrap and last night he proved this beyond doubt. If it moved it got kicked or headed and it didn’t matter whether that was ball, oppo or team mate!

simon@qprnet.com