Rangers rally to deny Seasiders

16 January 2010 17:41
Charlie Adam opened the scoring in the ninth minute with a fine strike but Rangers midfielder Adel Taarabt converted a controversial penalty in the 55th minute to level.[LNB]Gary Taylor-Fletcher fired home a cross from Keith Southern in the 77th minute to put Blackpool back in front but Rangers showed admirable spirit to hit back again when Connolly fired home a left-footed volley from 20 yards in the 84th minute.[LNB]The equaliser denied Ian Holloway victory against his old club but his men remain in the thick of the Coca-Cola Championship play-off race.[LNB]Holloway's reputation lay in tatters after he presided over Leicester's relegation to League One in May 2008.[LNB]Yet a year out of the game seems to have recharged his batteries and he so far proved an outstanding success since being appointed at Bloomfield Road in the summer.[LNB]Rangers - under Harford's guidance following the departure of Paul Hart earlier in the week - began brightly and Taarbat drove in a fierce shot from 25 yards which required a fine block from Adam.[LNB]Blackpool gradually assumed control of proceedings and in the sixth minute Barry Bannan engineered the space for a 20-yard shot which Rangers goalkeeper Carl Ikeme did well to hold.[LNB]The hosts' early pressure told in the ninth minute when Brett Ormerod crossed from the left flank and Adam arrived to drive a right-footed shot high into the net from six yards out.[LNB]The Scotland international is proving an astute capture following his £500,000 summer move from Rangers and this was his 10th goal of the season.[LNB]Rangers sought an immediate response but Taarabt flashed a shot wide from the edge of the 18-yard box.[LNB]But Blackpool generally held the upper hand as Taylor-Fletcher hit a shot wide from distance and Southern also went close.[LNB]Taarabt offered Rangers' most obvious goal threat but his luck was out again in the 34th minute when his close-range shot struck Blackpool defender Stephen Crainey and rebounded to safety.[LNB]Blackpool should have doubled their advantage before half-time when Bannan's dangerous outswinging corner from the left flank was headed wastefully wide by defender Ian Evatt.[LNB]Ormerod then fired narrowly wide shortly before the half-time whistle but Rangers drew level in controversial circumstances 10 minutes after the restart.[LNB]Referee Trevor Kettle provoked fury among the home supporters when he deemed Seasiders defender Neal Eardley had handled a shot from Taarbat.[LNB]Midfielder Taarbat - QPR's outstanding performer - stepped up to nonchalantly dispatch the resulting spot-kick and cancel out Adam's opener.[LNB]Hogan Ephraim then fired wide for QPR but Blackpool regained the lead with 13 minutes remaining when Taylor-Fletcher rifled home Southern's low right-wing cross.[LNB]Yet Rangers were not to be denied and were level in the 84th minute when Connolly hit a left-foot volley which flew into the top corner from 20 yards.[LNB][LNB]

Source: Team_Talk