Wednesday September 13th
Q.P.R. 2 Gillingham 2
   
P.Crouch C.Asaba
C.Kiwomya A.Hessenthaler
   
R.Langley Sent Off  

Rangers started with changes to the side that drew on Saturday. Chris Plummer was missing through injury so Steve Morrow returned to defence and Christer Warren came in to replace Mark Perry in a bid to give the side a better balance on the left.

The atmosphere in the ground was quiet good to start with. Gillingham brought an impressive away following considering the fuel crisis and it was the visitors who started better.

Once again we started at crawling pace and Gillingham were well up for the game and won every tackle and were first to the ball and we looked as bad as we did last week against Colchester. Carl Asaba was causing us problems with his pace and the defence could not cope with the movement of the front two.

It was not looking good. Going forward, well we weren't going forward a few rare breaks were broken down by the lack of movement from our strikers and our lack of width was exposed again. Q block then brought a big laugh from me anyway. Singing anti German Songs to Cockney Andy Hessenthaler. The bloke next to me said it was because he had a German name but I really think the people slagging him off believed he was German.

Back on the pitch, well not much was happening, Gillingham were by far the better side just by being well organized and hard working and we were looking awful.

On chances it was quite even, they were restricted to long range shots, one of which was well saved by Harper and a series of corners as we failed to clear our lines time after time and when we did managed to the forward's could not hold onto the ball.

Richard Langley was once again our best player and was having a great battle with Hessenthaler and saved us on 23 minutes when he chased Paul Smith in to the box and timed his last ditch tackle to perfection. Langley had out best chance as we suddenly had a decent spell. A good run and shot from 30 yards went just over. A good move followed as Rowland, Langley and Koejoe exchanged passes but Koejoe's effort was saved.

Gillingham came back at us and had a great chance to take the lead when a free kick was flicked over by Asaba but the warning signs were there and we were lucky to go in level at half time.

The second half began and it was soon 1-0. Another set piece caused us problems and Asaba headed in unmarked to give them a deserved lead. We need to attack them quickly but we were so poor it was scary. Hessenthaler was tearing us apart with simple passes and hard work whilst Langley was on his own for most of the game in midfield.

Gerry made a changes and went to 4-3-3, taking off Morrow for Peter Crouch to some more boos from the home crowd. Rangers hurled the ball to Crouch at every opportunity and for once it worked. Crouch won loads in the air and set up Kiwomya who sliced wide when he should have forced a save. A good cross from Warren found Crouch again whose header was well saved and we finally looked like a football team but not for long.

Wardley, who by this time had gone completely missing from the game, headed wide and Carlisle sliced wide when he should have done better. Despite a few chances we still looked poor and it was only Langleys class and the long ball to Crouch that was getting us anywhere near Gillingham.

Asaba had another chance to kill us off but shot over the bar before the second and what should have been the killer goal. The player-manager Hessenthaler ran 30 yards with the nearest QPR shirt sitting in the paddock, Asaba fed the ball to him and it was all to easy for him to score.

Boos began, Chris Wright Out started and What a load of rubbish as many supporters had seen enough. To be honest I couldn't't see a way back and we were getting what we deserved, nothing. Then came the turning point, after another collision between Hessenthaler and Langley (who were the two best players on the pitch and had a great battle in midfield) and Hessenthaler appeared to be hurt and limped off. Langley was booked and Gillingham fell apart as our Richard found more space.

Langley whipped in a corner and Crouch seemed to take ages to volley the ball into the top corner for a fine finish. The boos for Crouch had stopped and the calls for Wrights head suddenly stopped. Asaba went off with a knock and they were all over the place, every ball in the box caused havoc and Crouch won another header and Kiwomya turned the ball over the line to send the Loft crazy.

"Lets win it now lads" and bloody hell we should have, another long ball a flick on by Koejoe and Carlisle was clean through one on one with the keeper and he somehow put the shot wide. Darlington then whipped a cross in for Wardley to head over and in the dying minutes Koejoe ran through on goal and with memories of Ipswich last season running through my mind Koejoe did very well but couldn't hit the target as he rolled the shot just wide.

The a miss timed tackle by Langley saw the red card produced which was a bit over the top as it was the 93rd minute but I suppose we would have been screaming for a red if it was the other way around. On his way of Langley was given a standing ovation from most although I am reliably told, several idiots in the Lower Loft slagged him off saying how shit he is. Well we will see how shit Langley is when he is banned for three games and Rowland becomes our playmaker. God Help us!

So another draw, it was undeserved but who cares? In all honestly we should have won it. We must start to improve our performances , the midfield is all going through one man and the lack of movement up front is worrying.

Man of the Match: Richard Langley

PLAYERS RATINGS

13. Lee Harper : No chance with the goals and had a fair game 7/10

22. Jermaine Darlington : Hardly ever got forward and was generally poor. 5/10

19. Christer Warren : Decent game, looks to be a good signing. 7/10

4. Steve Morrow : Pretty awful, made Carl Asaba look like Terry Henry 5/10

12. Matthew Rose : Brought the ball out well from defence and looked better as sweeper. 7/10

18. Clarke Carlisle : A decent game, looks class but should have won it for us. 7/10

16. Keith Rowland : Typical Rowland, ran around in circles, tried to do things simple but it didn't work for him tonight. 6/10

21. Richard Langley : Pure Quality. Sadly sent off but is just our best player by a mile. 8/10

27. Stuart Wardley : Back to West Brom away. He was rubbish. 5/10

31. Sammy Koejoe : Worked hard but couldn't get the goal to keep the whiners off his back 7/10

11. Chris Kiwomya : Sorry Chris can't think of much nice to say. I thought he was rubbish, looked off the pace but he did score again. 5/10

Subs:

28. Peter Crouch : Best game yet for Peter, Turned the game and shut up the boo boys and girls the right way. Well Done Rodders. 8/10