Saturday April 19th  

Brentford 1

Queens Park Rangers 2

M.Peters D.Shittu
M.Bircham
   
   
Team Line Up
   
         
   
1. Chris Day
   
           
32. Stephen Kelly
5. Clarke Carlisle
6. Danny Shittu
3. Gino Padula
           
9. Richard Langley
8. Marc Bircham
4. Steve Palmer (c)
15. Kevin McLeod
           
   
10. Kevin Gallen
29. Paul Furlong
   
           
Subs          
13. Nick Culkin
7. Matthew Rose
24. Richard Pacquette
27. Andy Thomson
33. Tommy Williams
 

it was with great disappointment that I missed out on this big West London Derby against Brentford. Tickets were like gold dust and despite Brentford struggling to sell enough tickets they refused to allow Rangers to have more tickets. So I had to listen to the game on BBC London Live and dream of being a few miles down the road seeing the team in action.

So here's a match report from the Rangers Till I die Web site at http://www.rtid.co.uk written by Tony Johnson

Rangers left it very late but ran out deserved winners to kept the promotion bandwagon rolling on.

The same side again started the game and although we began a little sluggishly, it wasn't long before we took control and Shittu headed home Padula's corner at the far post unchallenged. Brentford had no real answer to our passing game although they worked hard to try and close us down.

At the back, Carlisle was excellent, perhaps his best game of the season as he seems to be getting back to his own high standards and the home side really created very little despite all their huff and puff.

Defensively we looked very solid with the occasional exception of Day who again seemed to punch the ball rather than catch it and flapped at a couple of crosses.

Meanwhile, up front Furlong was proving a handful for the Bees defenders but Gallen wasn't at his best. Langley and McCleod were looking dangerous, with both players winning a lot balls in the air.

The home side only looked like getting back into it a couple of times. The first when the ball skimmed off Shittu's head for Day to react well and push round the post and the second when the referee for once didn't give a decision to the home side after a blatant dive in our box, booking the Brentford player instead.

Rangers eased off a bit with the knowledge of another game in a couple of days but it was clear that we could always step up a gear if we needed to. Second half and we seemed content to sit back and keep it tight at the back, relying on counter attacks to get us a second goal to seal the three points.

Bircham picked up a pointless booking from the hopeless referee who by now was giving everything to Brentford in an effort to get them back in the game. This will mean he will miss the Colchester game and the first playoff game if we get there.

We created some good chances as Brentford pushed forward, with Langley and McLeod always looking likely to create something. Langley beat two men on the right, cut in along the byeline and pulled the ball back for the waiting Furlong whose shot was cleared off the line.

Langley also put Kelly through and the young fullback came agonisingly close with a lovely curling shot round the keeper that just went the wrong side of the post.

Disaster then struck when O'Connor wasn't challenged outside the box and he headed through for Peters to equalise.

The game then burst into life as we stepped up a gear in a attempt to restore the lead as the home side were themselves looking for an unlikely win.

We had two more attempts cleared off the line Brentford hit the post from which we surged up the pitch to win a free kick just ouside the box. McLeod's excellent curling shot hit the angle of bar and post with the keeper beaten.

Then, just at the 90 minutes were up we forced yet another corner. Padula took it, the ball was half cleared to Bircham on the left side of the box who had time to volley superbly into the top corner.

Pandemonium ensued on the away terrace for the second succesive away game as we won it at the death.

Tremendous stuff.