It was a cool night, on a perfect flood-lit SSS pitch - great conditions for playing the sort of football that has improved Ranger's status and rank in the league as we push for a coveted "Champions League" spot.

The game started off as a fairly tentative affair, with Rangers having the better of the early possession, but without threatening the Italian goal. However, with the game not yet at the 10 minute mark, Olivier took advantage of some hesitation at the heart of the Rangers defence to coolly slot the ball in the bottom right hand corner of Alvaro's goal with Latini's first real chance of the game. Advantage to the Italians.

A Rangers team of old may have baulked at this set-back, but the current team is made of sterner stuff and continued as they had started, retaining possession and slowly grinding down the opposition. What the game lacked in genuine creativity, was being made up by hard work and guile. On the half-hour mark, Rangers were awarded a penalty. Mike received the ball in the penalty area with his back to the goal and as he rolled his man to create space for a shot, he was unceremoniously "taken from behind" (and not consensually as in Gopi's favourite movie "Brokeback Mountain") and the referee had no hesitation about pointing to the spot.

Gura "f#@k-off, I'm taking it, I never miss a penalty" stepped up and placed the ball in the bottom left of the goal with an accuracy unbecoming of an Englishman. 1-1.

Rangers continued to press and were rewarded with the lead five minutes from half-time. An angled through-ball from midfield broke the Latini off-side trap and found Mike in plenty of space with only the keeper to beat. Mike made no mistake, by rounded the advancing keeper and side-footing the ball in the back of the net.

Latini were looking dangerous on the counter attack, and they came close with a shot that glanced off the outside of the Rangers goal post shortly before the half time whistle.

The second half became more of a niggly affair, with certain players deciding to think less about playing football and more about taking frustrations out on others. This wasn't helped by a stern, but fair, attempted challenge by Todd on one of the Latini players that resulted in him falling awkwardly on his wrist.

The game had a bit of additional "bite" in it at this stage, and it was not surprising to see Oliver get his marching orders from an absolute shocker of a challenge on Gura. Such reckless tackles can end careers. Enough said.

At this stage it was the Italians that were having the lion's share of possession, with Rangers settling for digging in at the back and surging on the counter attack. Still, it was on one such counter attack that Rich sealed the win, with the ball dropping at the edge of the box and the keeper rushing out, the Latini defender inadvertently lobbed the ball over the keeper for Rich to run onto and nod in his first "headed" goal in five years.

Due to the rarity of the occasion, the only fair thing to do was take Richard off and replace him with Danny, who played a solid 10 minutes, dazzling the Latini players with his hair every time he touched the ball.

Obot found himself in the referee's book a little later, after a foul on one of the Latini players threatened to heat tempers up again. But, eventually the referee blew his whistle and ended the game to give Rangers the 3-1 win.

Blacky.