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Rangers started the game unchanged
for only the second time this season against probably our toughest
test so far. Huddersfield were in the playoffs last year and have
some experienced players in Kevin Gallagher and Andy Booth and they
had not let in a goal for four games.
That didn't seem to bother Rangers though attacked towards the loft
like men possessed at the start of the first half. Oli and Gallen
were closing down defenders and the midfield were not allowing them
much time on the ball. They did open us up early on though but Royce
got down well to save a long range shot.
More pressing of defenders won us a corner as Oli won the ball and
Terrell Forbes cross was headed out. Richard Langley delivered a
quality corner and Danny Shittu rose to power a brilliant header
towards the goal but the Huddersfield keeper made a very good save
to turn it wide.
Tommy Williams took the corner and again Shittu met it but this
time he buried his header into the back of the net. A cracking start
for Rangers and the Danny SHittu song was being sung loud and proud
in the upper loft.
The opening ten minutes was end to end all the way as Huddersfield
played some good football and had a few shots from outside the box
in an attempt to get level.
Steve Palmer headed a corner just wide as we looked very dangerous
from set pieces and the team were working so hard during the first
half.
Rangers switched easily between a 3-5-2 we started with to a 4-3-3
with Connolly pushing further forward, it soon paid dividends as
we grabbed a second goal. Connolly put Williams in with a nice pass
and he used his pace to burst past the defence and he seemed to
over run it before blasting a brilliant cross shot past the keeper.
Loftus Road was buzzing and the atmosphere was superb. We almost
got a third soon after when the brilliant Gallen hit a shot on the
turn from 25 yards out but the keeper made another very good save.
Half time saw Rangers go off to a standing ovation after a superb
first half performance.
You couldn't imagine it getting much better but it did. Second half
we were comfortable letting Huddersfield have the ball in the knowledge
that they just had no way past Carlisle and Shittu who were immense.
We stepped up a gear mid way through the half and had a few chances
to kill the game off. First Richard Langley curled another brilliant
free kick in the top corner but this time the keeper produced a
brilliant save. From the corner Danny Shittu's volley almost broke
the crossbar and we couldn't convert the rebound.
We were in charge of the game and another free kick about 25 yards
about brought great expectations around the stadium. Langley curled
it against the bar but Clarke Carlisle smashed home the rebound
to cap off a memorable night for Rangers.
Carlisle celebrated the goal in style as the Rangers fans sang his
new superman song in appreciation of another fine performance. The
support from the P,Q and R blocks was quite superb again with almost
non stop signing and an almost party like atmosphere as we sang
"We're gonna win the league". For once this song was sang with feeling
rather than with irony.
Dennis Oli went off to a standing ovation after another impressive
performance and Richard Pacquette replaced him but he didn't get
much of a chance to make an impression.
Matthew Rose picked up an injury towards the end of the game and
was taken off. Rose was also given a standing ovation, quite a turnaround
for a player most of us couldn't wait to see the back of seven days
ago. Danny Murphy came on to play in midfield but the game was won
and we didn't manage another goal.
So nine goals in three league games with none conceded, not bad
for a team dubbed to defensive last week.
Rangers are now second in the league but the team are playing really
well at the moment and with Bircham, Burgess and Jerome Thomas still
to come back, this should be an entertaining season at Loftus Road.
Man of the Match: Clarke
Carlisle
Players Ratings
15. Simon Royce: Made some
crucial saves early on to give us a good platform to build on 7/10
2. Terrell Forbes: Brilliant again, but the only player in the back
four not to score 8/10 33. Tommy Williams: His best game for a while,
very good defensively and scored a cracking goal. 8/10
5. Clarke Carlisle: Absolutely fantastic, he looks like he has never
been away. His goal is the highlight of the season so far. 9/10
6. Danny Shittu: Another goal for Danny and he looks much better
alongside Carlisle. 8/10
4. Steve Palmer: A dodgy start as he looked all over the place for
about 15 minutes but then settled down and had a decent game 7/10
7. Matthew Rose: Much better from Rose, he looked like he wanted
to know and used the ball quite well 7/10
9. Richard Langley: So unlucky not to score, he controlled the game
from midfield and looks back to his best. 8/10
11. Karl Conolly: Used the ball well from deep positions and set
up the second goal. Like Rose he has made a massive improvement
in the last seven days. 7/10
20. Dennis Oli: Worked his arse off up front, closing people down
and he was a real threat. 8/10
10. Kevin Gallen: After all those years of being slagged off by
fans for eating to many burgers etc, he is now shoving those words
down peoples throats. He is playing the best football of his life
and was unlucky not to score again. 9/10
Subs:
24. Richard Pacqutte: Replace Oli and did quite well but the game
was over by the time he came on. 7/10
16. Danny Murphy: Slotted into midfield and worked hard for the
last few minutes 7/10
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