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[Son of Robin]

This team just doesn't know when it's beaten does it?

Even when we feel that time is running out and the odds are stacked against us, this Rangers side keeps going and to be honest, these are values I'm finding it hard to get to grips with!

Part of the pain that comes from following football is that we can't see into the future, that each game is it's own unique drama. Ok, we can predict what's going to happen but we can never be sure. Obvious statement really but as a clock ticks away and a 15 match unbeaten run seems to be ebbing away with it, that feeling of the unexpected is what frustrates and fascinates me about football. The only answer is to have belief, but let's be fair, this is Queens Park Rangers we're talking about here.

Paddy Kenny is one man I have complete faith in. As their penalty was given and the Pompey fans leaped around and gesticulated to the right of me, all I could think was 'ok then, you've got to beat Paddy now, best of luck with that.' So as Lawrence stepped up, I honestly believed that our man was unbeatable from the spot. Cruelly, Kenny's heroics were in vain. I thought it was a harsh decision of the referee to award the retake last night and having watched it again on Sky, I feel the same. For what it's worth, the penalty and sending off decision were hard to argue with from where I was sitting. That belief I had when Lawrence stepped up the first time left my body as he prepared to give Pompey the lead.

Injustice.

Hands on head.

F*ck it.

What looked like a tall order at kick off now looked like something really big and covered in red lights to stop planes hitting it, a bit like the erm, I don't know, Spinnaker Tower?

B*llocks.

Warnock shuffled his pack and a few heads were scratched when Gary Borrowdale was introduced in place of Taarabt. 'Hurgh? Thought he'd gone?' said one bloke in front of me. Patrick Agyemang also came on for the hard working Rob Hulse as Warnock tried to balance the need to keep our shape but still press forward in search of an equaliser.

Rangers were keeping possession well and seemed to be finding that balance. Walker had been given a test by Utaka all evening but his pace was beginning to count at the back. Faurlin had been guilty of misplacing a few passes prior to the sending off but now he and Tommy Smith were linking up really well.

Leon Clarke came on for Derry as the clock ticked away and the aggrieved travelling support began to chant 'HANDBALL' everytime we touched the ball in an ironic slightly bitter version of the 'OLE' we're more used to this year. There seemed to be a fair shout for a Rangers penalty when one of their centrre halves handled, the reaction? Free kick to Pompey. That clock was ticking away, that proud, proud unbeaten record was hanging by its fingernails. My mind started to wander back to work, why did I take 2 days off to come to Fratton Park? The stick I'll get on Thursday, why did you bother going down there on a Tuesday night in November you idiot? Quite. I haven't a clue. Pennance perhaps?

Well, in marked difference to recent years, Rangers kept on pushing for the point. The work rate was pleasing even if the result didn't look to be. I felt we'd get one more chance but based on how the evening seemed to be going, I wasn't hopeful.

'SHIT REF! YOU'RE JUST ANOTHER SHIT REF! YOU'RE JUST ANOTHER SHIT REF!'

That chance came. I think it was Mackie, epitomising that never say die attitude of ours on the pitch, who broke down the right and but in a cross that hit Lawrence. It appeared from where I was that it had hit his arm and rebounded out of play. The most I thought we could hope for from this Ref was a corner. To be fair, he was shit to both sides but unbelievably, he was about to get something right.

YE-EEEEEE-EEEESSSSS! HE'S GIVING IT!

Lawrence was remonstrating with the officials in a really strange manner, taking off his shirt and trying to point to an imaginary mark on his body to prove it had hit him there and not on the arm. YOU SHOULD HAVE TRIED GETTING YOUR NOSE IN THE WAY LAWRENCE! Red card. 10 men each and a chance to equalise.

Late, late drama at Fratton. How can ITV use the word 'drama' to describe Downton Abbey by the way? Trade Description Act shirley? This is drama!

Except he still has to score it, and that 'he' placing the ball on the pot is former Pompey player Tommy Smith. There would be about 15,000 people ready to celebrate a miss from him and 2000 ready to go home ecstatic after getting out of jail. My heart was pumping out of my chest at this point. A hush fell over the away support, hands on heads, eyes peep out between fingers, Smith steps up, sends a low ball to Ashdown's right, he guesses the direction correctly but the ball hits the back of the net!

There we are. No more to say. You know what that feels like, that's the moment you know the adrenaline is going to get you home safely. We're still unbeaten, we're still top, as Kammy would say - UNBELIEVABLE!!!

Greedy Rangers pushed for a winner. Again, not in my mentality. Disgraceful in fact. Rescuing a point should be enough and in the end we travel bazck oop North happy with a point.

Testing times await us over the next few games with the suspensions mounting up, a trip to the City Ground and by the end of the month, the big one at home to Cardiff. Teams below us like Derby are starting to hit form, however in a league where we are told that eveyone can beat everyone else, we are looking like an exception to the rule at present. We're consistently hard to beat and whilst the gap in points at the top is not what we'd like it to be, a third of the way through the season we look to have what's needed to get promoted.

Warnock and Tommy Smith in particular kept their nerve last night, OK they may be testing mine, but in the words of the mantra surrounding our club at the moment, long may it continue!

YOU R'S!!!
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[dave B]

cracking report mate, I think I shared the same emotions sitting in my chair listening to radio London.

[Ols R's]

really well written.
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[Son of Robin]

[dave B]

[Jamie]

Great report.

Also reminded me that Cardiff is the end of this month. I'm flipping working that day. Utter nightmare.
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"I still don't like calling her (Rosie) a dog. She was better than that" - Harry Redknapp

[Don]

Love it, SoR. We saw pretty much the same game but I played the part of Craig to your Bruno. SM will be on to do his Len soon. Shame we don't have Tracy doing her Arlene these days but maybe Paula or Cait can offer us an Alisha.
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I'm Ray Gardner. I drink Blackcurrant Tango. Come and get me!

[Son of Robin]

[Spiritof76]

[dpmd]

Cracking report!

[peejaybee]