Mad March - Madder April

[Super_Ally 0]

(Before I start, cheers for the title idea Cammy)

 

With all the fixture chaos of this incredible season; caused by the Scotland - Italy game, Europeam runs, the weather and one very mournful passing, Scottish football enetered the business end of the season with Rangers holding a slim lead in the SPL and chasing silverware on four fronts. A succession of games called off meant that there were not as many games over the usually hectic New Year period and it became increasingly difficult for Scotland's governing bodies to fit in all the postponed fixtures.

 

Rangers were to enter an incredibly congested period the press dubbed mad March, with a narrow lead over our city rivals. We contested a massive 9 fixtures in one month, the most in any single month this season. As the manager has pointed out though, this fixture headache is a good one. It's the sign of a succesful team.

 

The self appointed authorities on football in Scotland declared that we would stuggle with a fixture backlog and saw it as ideal opportunity for Celtic to put the pressure on us in the title race. Celtic's defeat to Hearts in the CIS cup meant they were already competing on one less front than us. And us they crashed out of competitions left right and centre during Mad March it meant they had more time to concentrate on the main prize, the SPL. The only fixture any Rangers players got off was the international midweek when some stars carrying knocks took the opportunity to rest up and recover.

 

So how did Mad March shape the run-in for this season. Rangers began the month with a tricky home league tie with Aberdeen. Goals from Adam, Boyd and Dailly's maiden Rangers strike continued our impressive run of league victories since we last dropped points, ironically at Pittodrie.

 

Next up was the home tie against Bundesliga cracks Werder Bremen. Heavy bookies favourites for the tie and the pick for many to lift the trophy. Another first goalscorer from the Bears in Ulsterman Davis, added to Cousin's long range opener, gave us a commanding lead to take to Germany.

 

Domestic duties resumed with the cup replay against Hibs. In what has recently been a troublesome fixture for the Old Firm, Rangers went to Easter Road to claim a hard fought draw, when arguably we had our minds on bigger things. In the replay we made no such mistakes though, progressing to a quarter final with Partick Thistle.

 

The following mid-week saw our only defeat of Mad March and our first since the heart-wrenching loss to Lyon. However Bremen's single strike was not enough as we shocked Europe to progress past the strongly fancied Germans to tonight's quarter final with Sporting Lisbon.

 

A further fixture was postponed as we had our first Hampden appearance to contend with since the Coop final. Neutrals and Arabs alike will be bemused as to how they left with only credit for an impressive performance. However an awesome substitute display by Scotland's deadliest maksman meant that trophy number 108 was decekd in red white and blue. Kris Boyd scored another perfect "hattrick", with a late equaliser, a late extra time equaliser and a thumping winning penalty in the shootout as we sealed our first trophy in 3 years.

 

Bouyed by that success we entertained Partick Thistle in the aforementioned Scottish Cup quarter final. Arguably our only slip up in Mad March, Boyd again came to the rescue as we came from behind to seal a replay. This author was concerned that replays against the "wee" teams, whilst keeping us in the competition, might harm our chances in our hunt for other silverware. So far I have been proved wrong.

 

In the penultimate fixture of the month we entertained Hibs in the 5th meeting of the teams this season. A 2-1 victory, much more comfortable than the scoreline suggests, maintained momentum going into the biggest Old Firm since Celtic "won the league at Ibrox" in the infamous Helicopter Sunday season.

 

At last a midweek off for our "toiling" stars. Whilst Boyd and Davis gained international caps, the likes of Ferguson, McGregor and Weir, who have played almost 50 times this season, rested injuries and aching muscles.

 

Amazingly at the end of Mad March, just the second Old Firm of the season was contested. Rangers fans, players and management went into the tie full of confidence on the back of 3 victories under Smith, with McGregor's goal yet to be breached under the guidance of Smith and McCoist.

 

Celtic had the better of the first half, but Thomson capped an excellent personal display with a suckerpunch of a winner right on the stroke of half-time. Despite Celtic's relative inactivity and our grueling schedule as we mounted an attack on four fronts we showed great physical strength and mental toughness to further extend out lead in the SPL and put one hand on the trophy.

 

So despite warnings of Smith's fledgling team being unable to contend with such a punishing shedule. And protestations that we had no winning pedigree, nor the winning mentality of our East End rivals, we survived Mad March. In fact we positively flourished. Mad it may have been. But not for the fixture chaos. Rangers fans had many a "mad" party in March as we celebrated a CIS cup victory, progression in the UEFA cup and Scottish cup, with continued interest in both, and finally a strengthening of our league position atop of the SPL pile.

 

If that was the worst that Mad March could throw at us, bring on Madder April, with cup quarter finals like tonight's tie with Sporting to be savoured. A further Old Firm on the 16th and the opportunity to put the final nail in the coffin of the Cetlic title challenge.

[gisabeer 409]

all we can do is take 1 game at a time. we have a heavy work load ahead of us and we will only get distracted if we look too much into the future.

[theboyharley 5]

cracking read mate

[ian1964 10,720]

Aye,it's been a hard season so far for our guys,praise to them though for continuing and winning,I really hope they don't run out of steam,but i'm sure we won't WATP

[Frankie 8,552]

Excellent article, SA...