It’s been a mixed week at QPR. After seeing two of the best goals you’ll see all season on Monday we threw away a 3-1 lead to deny us of three vital points. As the team looked to bounce back we were dealt another blow on Friday with the news that Clarke Carlisle had failed to turn up for training and was dropped from the squad.

The Carlisle news brought around all sorts of rumourswhich included he had hit a police officer and was in jail, he’s been on a 48 hour drinking session, he’s failed a medical at Cardiff and was to upset to play and he’s shagging a member of the boards family. The truth as it turned out was far more boring than the rumours. Carlisle had simply not turned up for training claming he had over slept and Ian Holloway was upset enough about this to drop him. By the sounds of it this isn’t the first time this has happened but let’s hope Clarke learns from this and is back in the team soon.

The Carlisle situation meant a re think to the first team and with Bircham out injured it was a new look midfield. Steve Palmer moved back into defence to replace Carlisle whilst Kevin Gallen and Tommy Williams were the central midfield partnership in what looked like a worryingly weak QPR team. Tony Thorpe went up front and the Rangers fans were slightly concerned about how the changes would affect the team.

We started the game brightly though with Gallen and Williams looking comfortable in their new roles. Both linked well in the early stages and Rangers were passing the ball far more than we had done in recent games.

Williams played a few nice cross field passes for Ainsworth whilst Gallen was playing a holding role in the middle and worked hard throughout the game. Whilst we looked brighter going forward the midfield were not so strong going the other way and the back four came under more pressure than they probably should have done.

Still it was an even opening to the game but as the half progressed we began to create the better chances. Ainsworth tried a repeat of his goal on Monday with a 30 yard effort but this time it flew over the bar. Furlong hit a good shot on the turn but again couldn’t hit the target whilst at the other end Chesterfield should have done better when slack marking saw a free header in our penalty box but it went wide of the post.

We began to get some joy down the left hand side. McLeod, Padula and Williams were playing some neat interchanges and all three got down the line after we cut them apart down the left. Sadly the final ball was not as good as the approach work although after trying the same move with success three or four times, we finally delivered a good cross and Thorpe was unlucky not to open his account for angers with a good header.

Martin Rowlands was looking good going forward on the right and a lovely chip over the defender saw him hit the ball on the volley but his shot was off target. We were looking sharp though and Thorpe and Furlong were causing problems with Thorpe going close with another header from a Padula cross.

We eventually took the lead in the 28th minute. A nice pass forward by Palmer found Furlong who laid it of to Thorpe and the striker’s quick feet saw him confuse the defence before smashing a low shot into the bottom corner. A cracking goal and a deserved one for Thorpe who had looked dangerous in the first half.

But typical Rangers we almost gave the lead away straight away. The midfield wet to sleep and we were cut open only for some good defending by Rowlands to keep them out.

Danny Shittu seemed to take a heavy knock and spent the rest of the half in pain complaining about a leg injury. It certainly affected him and although they never really threatened again the injury to Shittu was causing some concern.

At half time Roy McFarland must have said a few things to his team as they came out five minutes early for the second half. They certainly started like they had a point to prove and should have scored within a minute of the re start.