After Wednesday’s point at Derby it was vital to get all three at bottom club Rotherham yesterday in a game that was never going to be one for the purists.

This was my first trip to Rotherham and it was a bit like going through a time warp when we arrived at Rotherham. The pubs we were escorted to were like a step back 30 years. The first pub was empty apart from a few of our mates from Cambridge and when one of them asked for a bottle of Becks he was met with blank looks. He then saw pictures on the wall of Grolsh so asked for a bottle of that but again they didn’t have any of that which seemed a bit odd that they were advertising something they didn’t sell in the pub. The jukebox was full of Neil Diamond and Tony Christie songs, it was very bizarre and we made a swift exit to the pub next door which was a bit better but this was definitely a place to cross off the list of grounds visited and never go back again.

Once we got to the ground it was good to hear that Ian Holloway had gone with an attacking line up. It was just one change with Georges Santos on the bench and Gareth Ainsworth but it was good to see Rowlands back in central midfield. New signing Dean Sturridge was on the bench and the game kicked off with the QPR fans in decent voice behind the goal we were defending.

Rangers started well and looked full of confidence. Ainsworth was bright on the right wing and we won several free kicks thanks to the whistle happy official. Paul Furlong went close from one of the early set pieces after Cook’s ball into the box was turned over by our leading goal scorer.

Shittu headed over from a corner as we looked for an early goal but it was clear that Rotherham were not going to be easy to beat and they were pretty fierce with their tackles early on. Michael Keane was soon in Rangers bad books after a nasty late challenge on Ainsworth. The referee for once played on despite Ainsworth in agony on the floor and he was eventually taken off with Jamie Cureton replacing him on the right wing.

Although some fans weren’t happy with the change I was pleased to see us keep Rowlands in the middle rather thane move Gallen or Santos into midfield. The injury to Ainsworth disrupted the balance of the team and Rotherham began to build a few attacks.

It was mostly set pieces where they created a few problems for us. One long throw saw Royce flap at the ball but John Mullin headed wide of the post. It was a bit of a wake up call for Rangers and the home side were beginning to look threatening.

One set piece into the box looked to be going right on the central defenders head but Paul Furlong did brilliant to get in the way and head it clear for a throw in. It was excellent defending by Furlong and this seemed to lift the team again as we began to gain control of the game.

It wasn’t long before the game boiled over. Keane again dived in with a nasty challenge on Bircham and made sure he finished the job off by stamping on the Rangers midfielder. The QPR players went mad with Shittu in particular having to be held back from going after Keane. It should have been a straight red card but the ref bottled it and produced a yellow and also booked Shittu for not being happy about his teammate being stamped on.

This seemed to fire Shittu up and he didn’t put a foot wrong all game after that. He was dominant in the air despite the home side trying to wind him up and his no nonsense defending was making sure they never got a sniff of goal.

The rest of the half was a very dull affair with Rangers passing the ball around in our own half and not really going anywhere with it.

In fact our possession game almost cost us a goal as Davies got caught by Warner and needed Dan Shittu to sprint across and save the day with a crunching tackle and clearance. The half time whistle was certainly a relief to most fans in the ground and I’m sure Ian Holloway couldn’t wait to get his team in at the break to try and sort things out as the game had 0-0 written all over it at that stage.

The second half saw no immediate changes by Ian Holloway but we certainly looked more in control although Rowlands found his way into the book after a bad tackle out on the right wing.

We were starting to get on top as we played our football in the Rotherham half and seven minutes into the second half we took the lead. Gallen and Cureton lined in the middle and the ball seemed to be going harmlessly to the keeper. Martin Rowlands though had other ideas and chased the lost cause and ended up getting to the ball just before the keeper. He took it round the keeper and in what seemed like slow motion he went round a defender before rolling the ball past a defender on the line. It was a good goal and the fans and players looked very relieved to have got the important opening goal.

Rangers were now well on top and dominating the possession. Furlong went on a good run and as he was brought down the ball fell to Gallen whose shot beat the keeper but was deflected by a defender just wide. We were winning corner after corner and Shittu went close from one of these heading wide of the far post.

Rowlands hit a free kick from 25 yards out which was again well saved as the pressure mounted on the home team. We were keeping the pressure on well and Cureton was playing some nice cross field balls to the excellent Rowlands who was looking like the player who was so impressive last season.

Holloway then brought Dean Sturridge on as we switched a few players around. Lee Cook went off which saw Rowlands move to the right, Cureton to the left and Gallen back in central midfield. Sturridge looked impressive early on and almost scored with his first touch as a free kick was floated in but he touched a curling cross into the arms of the keeper.

He was looking sharp though and his pace caused Rotherham a few problems whilst his movement from throw ins was pretty impressive.

Furlong then went close to killing the game off. Another good run saw him beat the last defender and shoot but the keeper made a good save. Soon after his header from Rowlands cross beat the keeper but was headed off the line as the home side were hanging on for dear life.

Furlong had another chance to kill the game off but Sturridge seemed to get in his way as they combined for shoot over when they should have scored.

Rotherham were still in the game despite Rangers dominance and almost equalised after Mcintosh had a free header but put it straight at Royce.

That was a bit of a wake up call for Rangers and Holloway quickly brought on Georges Santos for the tiring Marc Bircham to make sure we didn’t give any more free headers away in our own box.

Rangers continued to have most of the play and Furlong had one last chance to add to his 17 goals this season. We won a free kick from 30 yards out and Carly said to me is this too far out for Furlong, as I said it probably is Furlong must have heard me and he ran back picked up the ball and smashed in a shot which was heading for the back of the net before the keeper got down well to turn it round the post.

Rotherham pushed forward with plenty of long balls in the dying minutes but Shittu was immense at the back clearing everything and Rangers ended the game with Gallen and Sturridge keeping the ball in the corner to ensure another three points.

It was an excellent the points against what has to be said is a very poor Rotherham side but to be fair to them they battled well and never made it easy for us.

So after a long train journey home it was good to look back and enjoy seven points out of a possible nine in the last week.

This won't be a game too many will remember with great affection and it was a bit of a surreal day. While some QPR fans were fighting amongst each other and with stewards (I've no idea why) we spotted QPR fan Libby Magrill and a group of her mates who were having a hen party. To top it all off a mate of mine who had one or two pints too many ending up falling flat on his face as we walked out of the stadium, he claimed he was caught but it was a rather embarrassing dive.

So Rangers now face a two week break after the FA’s ridiculous decision to have no Easter games this year, a trip to Burnley next week would have been a lot more sensible than playing it on a Tuesday night.

With eight games to go the chances of making the playoffs are very real and whatever happens with Rangers still having to face the top two plus three of the teams in danger of going down the end to the season is going to be an exciting one.

Players Ratings: Royce 7, Bignot 7, Rose 7, Shittu 9, Davies 7, Cook 6, Bircham 7, Rowlands 8, Ainsworth 6, Gallen 7, Furlong 7
Subs: Cureton 7, Sturridge 7, Santos 7