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An Emmanuel Ledesma inspired Rangers
side roared into the third round of
the Carling Cup as they smashed
Carlisle United 4-0. The first half
was pretty even stuff until the
inspirational Argentine midfielder
kicked things up a gear and ended
the game with an assist and a
sensational hat-trick to his name.
Dowie showed that he is clearly
serious about this competition by
naming the strongest side he had at
his disposal. Cerny was in goal
behind a back four of Ramage,
Connolly, Stewart and Delaney. Mahon
and Rowlands anchored the midfield
behind the three attacking
midfielders Ledesma, Parejo and
Cook. Di Carmine was entrusted with
lone striker’s role.
The game was pretty neat and tidy
from both sides in the opening
stages. The visitors were happy to
get the ball down and play and they
were using young striker Gary Madine
as the focal point of their attacks.
The big lad is terrific in the air
and caused Stewart and Connolly a
few headaches throughout the night.
Indeed Madine was involved in the
first chance of the game when his
cross was only partially cleared and
left winger Simon Hackney cracked a
volley well over.
Rangers’ first chance came with a
spectacular effort from Gavin Mahon.
He had advanced to the edge of the
box and met a Ramage cross with a
flying volley that was well blocked
for a corner. Ledesma was next to
have a crack after drifting in off
of his wing. He cut inside the full
back and blasted goalward only to
see keeper Williams beat it away for
a corner.
Carlisle weren’t deterred by the
pressure Rangers were forcing and
they were intent on using the pace
of Taylor and Hackney whenever
possible. Both were comfortably
quicker than their full backs but
they had a habit of drifting into
offside positions when they really
had no need to. Veteran Michael
Bridges managed to hit the target
with a header but Cerny was equal to
it.
Bridges and Cook exchanged chances
before Stewart played a sensational
ball from the centre circle that
opened the Carlisle defence up.
Ledesma had drifted in field again
and Stewart’s incisive pass was
expertly control and fired goalward
by the Argentine only for Williams
to produce a top save and palm it
away for a corner. Delaney was next
to call Williams into action as a
sweeping move from right to left
ended with Delaney sending in a
screamer than Williams again turned
away for a corner.
Rangers survived a penalty appeal
when Parejo clearly handled as he
went to block a cross from Hackney.
Bridges then tried his luck again
from distance but wasn’t able to
find the target as he showed that
the pace he once had has well and
truly deserted him!
The game was close at the moment but
the words of wisdom imparted by
Dowie at the break clearly had the
desired effect as Rangers absolutely
flew out of the blocks for the
second half. Di Carmine, pretty
ineffective in the first half,
galloped onto a Ledesma pass but
could only drag his shot wide of the
target. Ledesma then won a corner
which he went across to take
himself. His near post delivery was
flat and pacy and met perfectly by
Damion Stewart and he glanced it
into the top corner to give Rangers
the lead.
Di Carmine was shooting again
shortly after as he ran from outside
the box and smashed in a low near
post shot that Williams saved well.
Ten minutes into the second half and
Rangers were two goals ahead thanks
to the inspirational Ledesma. Having
had a ball fed into hit feet just
inside the box he rolled his man to
create an opening before rifling the
ball home left footed via the post.
Carlisle were struggling now, they
weren’t able to keep the ball away
from the R’s attacking trio of
Parejo, Cook and Ledesma for any
length of time and the three of them
were now drifting across the line
exchanging passes at will as their
beleaguered opponents looked on.
United did manage a rare pot shot at
goal when Bridge-Wilkinson had a
lash from thirty yards but Cerny
saved easily.
Just past the hour though and it was
all over as Ledesma bagged another.
This time it was terrific play
between he and Parejo that cut
through the Carlisle defence, the
final ball from Parejo was bordering
on telepathic and Ledesma controlled
and slotted coolly past Williams.
Carlisle sent Jeff Smith on and he
almost scored immediately when he
fired in a low shot that Cerny saved
well. The Czech keeper was having a
decent outing; he had come for
crosses whenever he could and showed
that he is a decent shot stopper. I
am still to be convinced that he is
any better than Camp but Dowie has
made his choice so he needs to stick
with him for a few games now as he
wont improve sat on the bench.
Cook almost found the top corner
when Balanta, on as a sub for Di
Carmine, managed to smuggle the ball
into his path. He looked to have it
trapped under his feet but he
somehow freed himself up before
sending it whistling centimetres
past the post with Williams a
spectator. This was Cook’s best
showing since his return, he looked
much stronger than he had at the
weekend and hopefully in the next
month we will see him back at full
tilt.
Smith had already forced Cerny into
another save before Ledesma wrapped
up a stunning hat-trick five minutes
from time. More slick play through
midfield saw the ball played by
Ledesma into the feet of Balanta, he
went for the return and Balanta back
heeled it into his path. This time
Ledesma controlled well, drew the
keeper off his line and dinked it
into the net. It was another
brilliant goal from a player that
really is something very special.
Ledesma still had time to try his
luck for a fourth as the game
entered injury time. Collecting the
ball thirty yards out he dribbled
forward before dipping a twenty five
yarder inches over the bar. At the
final whistle Ledesma didn’t seem to
know what to do with the match ball
and he must have been presented with
it about seven times before finally
tucking it under his arm and walking
off to the adulation of the small
crowd that had been privileged
enough to watch a superb display.
Whilst people will doubtless point
to the fact that we were playing
against lower league opposition
nothing should be taken away from
the display. It was defensively
sound and the attacking play would
have troubled any Championship team.
Handing out a pumping to a team
never does anyone any harm and
hopefully the confidence boost will
do them good going into a tough
looking game at Bristol City on
Saturday.
simon@qprnet.com |
