Saturday November 18th
Q.P.R. 1 Huddersfield Town 1
   
K.Connolly K. Gallen
   

After some pretty dreadful performances in recent weeks we faced the one team in worse form than ourselves. So what did we try to take advantage of their lack of confidence early on or just sit back and make them look like Brazil.

Gerry did make changes to the side. Lee Harper was dropped in father of Ludek Miklosko whilst Ian Baraclough, Karl Ready and Steve Morrow all returned to the side. This has an immediate impact on the way we played a we lined up with a 4-3-3. Now this system would have worked if we had used it correctly. Instead of passing through midfield, showing movement up front and using the flanks but instead we just hoofed to Crouch and hoped for the best.

This meant that langley and Peacock had to come back deep for the ball so we were getting no one forward and Huddersfield took advantage. Of course this game had the usual ex player coming to haunt us factor. This time one of my favorite players Kevin Gallen was back and didn't he look good.

Perhaps a lesson was being taunt to our manager that if you play into a strikers feet then you look a better side and as Gallen held the ball up and linked play at one end we watched our own strikers having the ball played over their heads and we created nothing. I was pretty certain Gallen would score but bottled out of putting a fiver on him at 8/1 a decision I was to rue after just six minutes.

Huddersfield did what every side has done to us this season and got the ball wide and exploited out lack of width. Miklosko was all over the place and Gallen touched home and was greeted with a mixture of boos and claps from t he QPR supporters.

Huddersfield were well on top and should have gone further in front when Miklosko spilled a high cross and was rescued when Craig Armstrong's effort was charged down and Gallen went close again with a header. Huddersfield were well in control and the school children watching from the away end must have wished they had stayed at home and watched tv as this was rubbish even by recent standards.

Ian Barcloughs return did nothing to help us and he was taken off injured after 31 minutes with Christer Warren coming on. Warren spent the next hour either fouling Bauldry or being taken apart by the wide man. A shock followed as we equalized totally against the run of play.

Karl Connolly did well running at the defence and a tackle on Crouch saw the ball fall nicely to Connolly who took his goal well. That goal seemed to kick start us and we did show a slight improvement. Karl Ready hit the post with a header and Peschisolido hit a cracking shot from 25 yards which was well saved by Vassen.

Huddersfield still had chances to go back in front and Dyson and Gallen both had good chances to score. It was a total shambles and the scoreline was very unfair on the visitors. We did start the second half a lot better and could have gone ahead. Richard Langley hit a stunning free kick but it was well saved. Then Karl Connolly looked to have given us the lead when peacock put him through and and his shot beat the keeper but was cleared off the line.

After that it was all Huddersfield and some of our defending was laughable as we failed to deal with even the simplest of tasks and after Gorre beat Warren again he was brought down for a penalty. Boos greeted Gallen as he stepped up to take it. You could feel the pressure on Kev and he struck it well but Mikosko made an excellent save. The QPR supporters then sang "Kevin Gallens Magic" and "Your R's and you know you are" as Gallen seemed to have saved us a point with his miss.

Warren almost gave us a winner soon after with a header and Crouch volleyed wide. The match should have been won with just three minutes left when Martin Smith headed against the bar. All in all a point was unfair as e should have lost 6-1. It was nice to see Gallen back and playing well and he applauded the QPR supporters at the end of the game but unless we improve our style of play dramatically then we are certainties to be relegated and the sad thing is that noone at the club seem to realise this.

Man of the Match: There wasn't one!

Players Ratings

1. Ludek Mikloskso : At fault for the goal and had a terrible match but made a great save from the penalty. 6/10

2. Tim Breacker : Got forward but struggled to get back and was pretty poor. 6/10

3. Ian Baraclough : Only played half an hour. we've missed him but should be playing as a center half instead of left back. 6/10

5. Karl Ready : Almost scored but was poor defensivley. 6/10

12. Mathew Rose : Another who was poor defensivly but when he did getthe ball down and try to play he looked a good player 6/10

4. Steve Morrow : As unreliable as ever and struggled in midfield. 6/10

21. Richard Langley : Was playing far to deep covering for Breacker and Morrow but was below par. 6/10

8. Gavin Peacock : Was he playing? 5/10

10. Karl Conolly : Took his goal well and had one of his best games for the club. 7/10

26. Peter Crouch : Did ok up front showed some nice skills but got very little service. 6/10

37. Paul Peschisolido : Had no service at all and if I was him I'd tell Gerry i was on £20 grand a week and Fulham and go back to their reserves.

Subs :

19. Christer Warren : Woeful, he made Paul Bruce look like a good alternative. 4/10