That sinking feeling …

A damp November day and the pitch looking good for sliding tackles. The visit of QPR seemed ideal, with the matchday programme (which is definitely getting better) including the fact that in 42 games against Rangers our record is Won 23, Drawn 13, Lost 6, Goals scored 73, Goals conceded 33. By my calculation that equates to 82 points and a plus 40 goal difference from four games less than we will play in the Championship this year. That is almost certainly promotion-winning form.

A few changes to the side, but the return of Lewis Emanuel gave the defence a more reassuring look. The Town lined up:

Brill

Foley Barnett Heikkinen Emanuel

Edwards Robinson Bell Brkovic

Vine Boyd

Morgan and Feeney on the bench with Perrett, Holmes and Zac Barrett.

A minute’s silence from all apart from a bunch of animals in the Rangers` end, who immediately broke out in foul-mouthed chanting but were quickly encouraged to stop.

Then play started with the Town kicking towards the Kenny yet again.

Andy d’Urso reffing and female linesman.

In the early moments Rangers seemed direct and purposeful, fast balls to the nippy Lee Cook at left wing and hard running, backed up by the mother of all centre backs in Damion Stewart.

The first real chance came on 13 minutes as Robbo put Boyd away down the right. His low curled cross evaded Vine’s out-stretched foot by inches, with the goal open.

Three minutes later Boyd flicked on a header to the edge of the box, where Brkovic ran onto it and nodded it forward and was then tripped from behind by the last man. The lineswoman flagged immediately as we all screamed for a penalty.

And D’Urso said no.

Three minutes later Vine teased and taunted on the left before releasing Emanuel. He fired a cross low and hard across the 6-yard box and Edwards was tripped from behind as he again seemed certain to score. Again we screamed for a penalty.

And D’Urso said no.

All the momentum was with the Town but on 32 minutes an innocuous free kick on the Town left allowed Lee Cook to curl a dangerous freekick into the 6 yard box, where it was stabbed in amid confusion by Jimmy Smith.

For a few minutes we struggled though Foley in particular was playing some delightful stuff down the right.

On 45 minutes he took a quick throw towards the box where Robbo had stolen a march on the defence. Robbo pulled a cross to the near post and Boyd stuck it away with aplomb

And in injury time we at last gained the lead we deserved , Brkovic glancing home a header from a left-wing cross. So a half-time score of 2-1 but it could have been 3 or 4.

Five minutes in to the second half and it was level again as Rangers scored from a corner, rising to nod past Brill, and within a minute it was 2-3 as they scored again from a scramble in the box at another corner.

On 19 minutes a bit of Berky magic as he twisted and turned in the box and chipped over the defence to the far post where Carlos was unmarked. Somehow he volleyed down and then over the bar.

Boyd and Bell combined brilliantly down the right with a one-two which set Bell racing clear but Bell’s cross to a racing Brkovic was just too strong.

With 7 minutes of time left Morgan and Feeney replaced Robbo and Vine.
but we never looked like breaking through a crowded defence.

So 2-3 it was, yet again despite the best football coming from the Hatters.

Scores

Brill 5 – nothing particularly bad but he did let in 3, and failed to dominate his area
Foley 7 – purposeful and skillful, and Lee Cook got nothing out of him
Emanuel 7 – ditto
Barnett 5 – not as commanding as usual
Heikkinen 6 – classy but the combination of Brill, Barnett and Marcus failed to control the high balls into the box
Edwards 5 – struggled with the run of the ball today
Bell 8 – the pick of the midfield
Robbo 7 – worked hard and effectively
Brkovic 8 – ditto but with a sparkle too
Vine 5 – looked less than fit
Boyd 8 – classy and the MoM

Overall a good performance going forward, but Rangers scored thrice from three set pieces into the box – says it all really. Even then we would still have won if D`Urso hadn`t had a shocker.