The game kicked off with Rapid knowing three points would enable them to really push on and mix it at the summit of the Bundesliga.Helge Payer had to be on his toes straight from the kick off, scrambling a deflected free kick round the post. Drazan mustered a 4th minute response for the hosts, his effort just wide following a corner. It was the wide man again whose 11th minute burst lead to a corner, his positive wing play really proving a thorn in the visitors side. It was the unlikely combo of Patocka and Katzer who combined on 12 minutes for the Rapid breakthrough. An overhit corner found its way to a lurking Patocka on the right side of the Ried box. The centre back swung over a beautiful left footed cross to pick out Markus Katzer. The left backs´looping header gave Gebauer in the home goal no chance.The expected opening of the floodgates never materialised however, Ried proving to be stubborn opposition. Dober and Drazan did their best to extend the lead before Ried had a decent opening in the form of a Nacho header. The unmarked front man spurning the chance, sending his header wide form 5 yards. A trademark Steffen Hofmann free kick tested Gebauer again before the last chance of the half fell to the visitors, Nacho again failing to hit the target from close range with his back to goal.The second half fell into much the same pattern as most of the first, both sides struggling to put together flowing football, with Rapid´s warriors such as Pehlivan, Patocka and Soma really standing out with their commitment. It was with over half an hour to go that Rapid were reduced to 10 men with Rene Garlter seeing red. The forward gathered the ball, spun on a six pence and made off down the wing. As he ran away from his marker, natural momentum dictated that his arm gently brushed his opponents face. Whistle happy referee Einwaller capped a halloween horrorshow by unbelievably sending off the Rapid marksman. The unfortunate Drazan found himself the being the sacrificial lamb as Pacult brought on Kulovits to shore up the side with their numerical disadvantage.The game wore on with Ried enjoying greater possesion but struggling to create clear cut chances against a Rapid backline being once again superbly marshalled by Ragnvald Soma.In stoppage time the referee evened up the numbers game, showing Phillip Huspek a second yellow for a clumsy challenge on the advancing Nikica Jelavic. In the last minute of stoppage time the ever reliable Helge Payer ensured the three points stayed in Hütteldorf with an outstanding save to keep out a late long range effort.This win rounded off a busy week for Rapid. 9 points out of 9 represents an excellent return and with matters taken care of in the Bundesliga, Pacults troops turn their attention to the Ernst Happel Stadion, and the visit of Hapoel Tel Aviv.SK Rapid - Ried 1:0 (1:0)Hanappi-Stadion, 16.300, Referee EinwallerGoal: Katzer (12.)SK Rapid: Payer - Dober, Soma, Patocka, Katzer - Hofmann, Pehlivan, Boskovic (78. Trimmel), Drazan (59. Kulovits) - Jelavic (92. Jovanovic), GartlerSV Ried: Gebauer - Stocklasa, Glasner, Burgstaller - Hadzic (76. Huspek), Mader, Schrammel (83. Rajic) - Lexa, Drechsel, Nacho - Nuhiu (67. Jonathan)Y/Red Card: Huspek (92.)Red Card: Gartler (56.)Yellow Card: Katzer bzw. Stocklasa, Burgstaller, Schrammel(gw)