RESERVES BEAT MILLWALL
Tuesday 11th September 2007
by Simon Skinner

Rangers’ reserves ran out 3-2 winners over their Millwall counterparts at Loftus Road on Tuesday evening. A Danny Nardiello double plus another from on loan Hogan Ephraim did for The Lions in a topsy turvy game. 

Rangers lined up with Jake Cole in goal behind a back four of Billy Coyne, Dominic Shimmin, Lee Brown and Marcus Bignot. Shabazz Baidoo, Danny Maguire, Stefan Bailey and Kieron St Aimie were in midfield with Danny Nardiello and Hogan Ephraim up top. Millwall featured former R’s favourite Chris Day in goal, fresh from shipping three for the first team at Brighton on Friday night. 

Both sides spent much of the first half shelling chances left, right and centre. Maguire, Baidoo and Nardiello all missed good chances for Rangers whilst Cole and Shimmin combined to block out a Millwall double effort.  

Shortly before the break Nardiello bagged the opening goal when he ran onto an Ephraim pass before slotting past Day. Millwall were back on level terms minutes into the second half when Ali Fuseini smashed a low strike from fully thirty yards into the bottom corner.

Ephraim missed a good chance to give Rangers the lead when he shot wide of Day’s goal. Millwall seized on the let off and immediately hit the front themselves through Arsene Menessou after he had benefited from the latest Rangers craze of not bothering to mark up at corners. 

Cole denied Millwall the chance to stretch their lead with a good save from Vincenti before Ephraim notched the equaliser. Having teed up Nardiello for a strike that was saved by Day the young Hammer cracked the rebound into the roof of the net.  

Ten minutes from the end Rangers grabbed the winning goal through Nardiello. The Welshman, not fit enough to play for his country, once again got on the end of an Ephraim pass to beat day and secure the reserves’ first win of the season.