pete 2,499 Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 The frightening thing is apart from the McCulloch shot we did not even look like scoring. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the gunslinger 3,366 Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 But I dont think even Ally makes excuses for the performances - anyone watching him post game as he was trudging off the field would know that he looked like the steam was about to come out of his ears. Simply not good enough. It isnt the easiest to play through two banks of 5 right enough, but we should have enough quality to still win these games. McKay gives width but lacks consistency, Faure's final ball was mince, Sandaza was off the ace still. I think our biggest problem is the lack of creativity in the midfield - Black looks a decent player but he isnt someone to release that intricate through ball to release someone on goal. Poor, poor stuff. no excuses from ally certainly. but same players and same dross on the park. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aweebluesoandso 290 Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Had our chances especially in the first half, i we had scored three, i would be saying it was a good day out. But today we couldn't hit a cow on the arse with a banjo holding by the tail. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig 5,199 Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 no excuses from ally certainly. but same players and same dross on the park. It isnt as if he has a squad of 30 players. His options are somewhat limited. That said there can still be no excuses. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve1872 4 Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Annan Athletic 0-0 Rangers Written by Andrew Dickson RANGERS’ away jinx struck yet again as they failed to breach Annan’s goal and dropped points on the road for the third consecutive game. The Light Blues had enough possession and chances to win a couple of matches and should really have returned north with a victory under their belts. But staunch resistance from their plucky opponents denied them such a result and once again a place at the top of the Third Division table has evaded Gers. While many including many of Athletic’s own players and staff will feel this was a positive result for them, it was one they richly deserved. They were solid in defence and reaped the rewards for their terrific organisation, with a huge cheers going up from locals as the final whistle blew. While there wasn’t much hospitality shown towards the visitors on the park, the same certainly couldn’t be said off it. If the rest of the Third Division could have been described as happy to have Rangers in tow this season, it would be fair to suggest Annan were positively ecstatic to host them. The proverbial welcome mat wasn’t just rolled out for the 54-time Scottish champions, it was given the equivalent of a really good shampoo first as well. Regardless of whether Gers or Stranraer were to be Athletic’s opponents this afternoon, this was always going to be the first SFL match at the redeveloped Galabank ground. As such, the Dumfries and Galloway side’s officials have spent much of their week applying finishing touches to their small but intimate stadium. And with the car park tarmacked, their new 3G pitch looking terrific and a safety certificate for their enhanced terracing secured, thoughts turned to making the Light Blues feel at home. The pre-match playlist certainly warmed the cockles as Ibrox favourites such as Wolverhampton Town and Penny Arcade blared out. That said, the PA announcer’s selection did little to endear him to Harry Cairney’s players and it was no great surprise their frustrations ensured they made a determined start. They were visibly riled and they’ll feel a point was proven once the 90 minutes had passed without their goal being breached. Athletic made things awkward for away keeper Neil Alexander in the opening stages as he had to be alert to punch clear on more than one occasion. Annan - like many of their bottom tier rivals – weren’t afraid to put a tackle in either and one strong challenge saw David Templeton carried off on a stretcher less than 10 minutes in. His ankle injury meant Fran Sandaza was pitched in to play alongside Lee McCulloch and Dean Shiels in attack, with Barrie McKay providing support behind them. Away fans had flocked to Galabank in great numbers, with some even staying in tents at the campsite next door overnight in order to get a good spot next to the pitch. They won’t have been too encouraged by the slow start Ally McCoist’s men made and they almost fell behind when Lee Wallace had to react sharply to block Michael Daly. From the resulting corner, the home striker headed over while McCulloch did the same at the other end as Gers finally mustered a response. The visitors came forward again and it took some heroic defending from Jonny Blake to keep them out. In an act of sheers guts and grit, he made a succession of tackles to deny McKay, Sandaza then McCulloch before the Spaniard saw his effort saved by keeper Alex Mitchell. Rangers were gradually settling and some determined running by Sandaza set up McCulloch, who wasn’t far away from a low right-footed volley. McCoist’s men came forward again and once more Sandaza was inventive, showing good footwork to set up Shiels. Annan’s defence was resolute though and got in the way, just as it did when McCulloch had a go again moments later ahead of a rasper from Sebastien Faure which lifted over. While the Light Blues appeared to be getting closer, the hosts had the best chance prior to half-time when Jack Steele got away from Wallace to drill across goal and just past. They had a cracking opportunity after the restart too when advantage was played after Ross Perry might have fouled Graeme Ramage and Steele found himself in on Alexander. With a rush of blood to the head, however, Gers were off the hook as the striker pulled his shot wide of the target and he should have done so much better. The Light Blues needed a spark and the busy Sandaza looked as likely to give them it but Annan’s defending was getting more and more stubborn as time went on. On the rare occasions they were carved open, the away side’s finishing was poor and Shiels should have done so much better than lift straight into Mitchell’s hands. Nevertheless, Rangers kept getting forward when they could and Faure drilled across the face of goal and wide from a corner then Sandaza forced a good save from Mitchell. Time was beginning to run out and although Rangers were enjoying the bulk of possession, they weren’t nearly as ruthless as they are capable of. McCulloch hammered into the ground and wide and Sandaza curled a free kick past the post as the Ibrox outfit laid siege to the home goal in the closing stages. McCulloch was then blocked again and Wallace screwed away from goal and it seemed the deadlock might just be broken after all. But when the captain was denied for a third time in quick succession by a fantastic Mitchell save, it summed up the kind of day Rangers had had. A third consecutive league draw wasn’t what McCoist had wanted at all and an improvement on the road is undoubtedly required. ANNAN: Mitchell; Blake, Watson, Swinglehurst, McGowan; Steele (McKechnie 88), Chaplain, Jardine, Ramage (Sloan 78), Murray; Daly (McGachie 69). SUBS: Summersgill, Thorburn. BOOKED: Daly. RANGERS: Alexander; Faure, Emilson, Perry, Wallace; McKay, Black, Macleod, Templeton (Sandaza 10); Shiels (Crawford 78), McCulloch. SUBS: Gallacher, Hegarty, Kyle. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve1872 4 Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Andrew Dickson@rfc_dickson Templeton latest is he's about to leave the ground to go to hospitalfor a scan and x-ray on his left ankle. Fingers crossed it's not serious 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kuznetsov 0 Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Kuznetsov's childish jibe's aside, there really is no more of this "cup final" bs that I can take. Yes other teams are motivated to win. Great. So should we be.And we do have more quality. Talent also requires hard work to succeed though. You could see in the last 20-30 minutes the greater urgency and tempo of our play even if it didn't bring any more rewards. Play a full 90 minutes committed and see where that gets us. Or at least start with a determined style and ease off if and when the points are secured. Gonna be the only team who hasn't won away at this rate. you mean the facts. i maybe exaggerating the points very slightly but they are not factually wrong. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete 2,499 Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 you mean the facts. i maybe exaggerating the points very slightly but they are not factually wrong. Exaggerating the bad points and forgetting the good and ordinary points. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kuznetsov 0 Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Exaggerating the bad points and forgetting the good and ordinary points. there are no good points. why mention ordinary ones, our club deserve more than just ordinary. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete 2,499 Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 there are no good points. why mention ordinary ones, our club deserve more than just ordinary. Chasing Utopia mostly ends in frustration. Any bells ringing?:smile: 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.