Coca Cola Championship
Monday January 3rd  
Attendance 23,754  

Leicester City 1

Queens Park Rangers 0

D.Connolly (pen)
   

Ranger’s first away trip of 2005 was to a new ground for all QPR fans as we made the trip to the Walkers Stadium as we tried to end our terrible away run at Leicester City.

The Walkers Stadium looked pretty impressive from the outside but had rather a same as every other new ground look once you got inside.

The view from the back was pretty good though and the team came out in the green and white hoops with a few surprises in the team selection. Gareth Ainsworth was missing with a groin injury whilst Marcus bean and Leon best were left out. In came Kevin Mcleod starting at left back/wing back, Adam Miller went into midfield along with Marc Bircham with Georges Santos starting up front alongside Furlong. Furlong was able to play after the club appealed his ban and he is able to play until his appeal his heard.

The formation was a mix of a 3-5-2 and a 4-4-2 as we packed the midfield when we had the ball trying to make it difficult for Leicester. It took a few minutes for the players to adapt and Leicester started the brighter of the two teams and almost grabbed the lead after 2 minutes. A cross from the left found Lillian Nalis two yards out with an open goal but he managed to put it over the bar. The offside flag sparred his blushes for a dreadful miss.

Rangers began to settle and Adam Miller fired a shot over the bar whilst Santos and Furlong were having a real battle with the experience Leicester defence. With very little happening at either end the referee decided to step in and make a name for himself.

A Leicester attack saw Connolly trying to take on three defenders. He fought his way though but ended up going over and from where I was sitting it looked outside the box. The ref waved play on and as Rangers cleared he pointed to the spot for a penalty.

It turns out that referee Phil Dowd gave the penalty for handball but it was very harsh to say the least. He likes a penalty though this bloke. He gave Portsmouth one just a few days ago and enjoyed Yakubu’s goal so much he made him take it three times. David Connolly got up to take the penaltyand sent Day the wrong way to give the home side the lead.

Rangers looked shell shocked and were under the cosh from the home side as another away defeat looked on the cards. Scowcroft headed one chance over when he should have hit the target.

Rangers began to settle though and began to boss the midfield. A tactical switch saw Miller go out on the right and Rowlands moved into the middle. We began to get on top of the home side playing some decent football. A rather dubious offside flag denied Santos as he was put through by a cracking pass from Miller.

Paul Furlong went close with a free kick on the edge of the box. A touch by Gallen gave Furlong the chance to run onto it and he smashed his shot past the wall but the keeper made a good save.

Georges Santos was next to go close as we began to pile on the pressure. A corner on the left was flicked on by Shittu and Santos found himself unmarked eight yards out but his shot was brilliantly saved by on loan keeper Stuart Taylor. Santos hit the shot well but the reactions of Taylor were just too good.

Rangers appeared to get themselves level just before half time but the referee again had other ideas. A ball was knocked into the box with Shittu again winning the header to knock it back to Rowlands. He had a bit of time and picked his spot well to fire past Taylor and get us back on level terms. The referee though blew for something that no one else in the stadium saw and even the Leicester players didn’t appeal for to rule the goal out. I have seen it on television since I still don’t really understand what this was disallowed for. Rangers ended the half on top and we didn’t really want the half to end as we were well on top but as the whistle went I was quite hopeful that we’d get something out of the game in the second half.

Rangers made no changes at the break and continued to dominate the game. Leicester were happy to sit back and hold on which was an odd tactic considering our away record is hardly one to strike fear into opponents.

McLeod was now getting into the game more and was linking well with Miller and Rowlands as the team played more a 3-5-2 in the second with Rangers dominating the midfield. Gallen was pulling the strings with Bircham winning the ball for us and the impressive Rowlands and Miller were getting forward to support the front two. It was very good to see and an equaliser looked a certainty.

Rowlands and Miller both went close to getting a goal with shots from outside the box whilst Furlong got behind Dublin but shot wide. On a rare break Leicester almost got an underserved second when David Connolly shot just wide but that was all the home side had to offer and their negative performance and silent home support didn’t deserve anything out of the game.

Rangers got a second equaliser just after the hour mark. Adam Miller did well on the right running at the back four and the ball broke to Rowlands who took a touch to his left before firing past Taylor from 25 yards out. It was a cracking finish and as we all celebrated I looked back in astonishment to see the ref blow for a foul. What made the decision so hard to take was he played on when Rowlands got the ball and allowed him to shoot and score before giving a free kick. If Miller or anyone else had committed a foul he surely should have blown rather than playing on to allow us to score and then stopping the game. An absolutely disgraceful decision and you have to wonder what the team need to do to get some luck or a few decisions going our way.

Rangers continued to push for the equaliser we so desperately deserved. Miller again went close cutting in and shooting from the edge of the box but again Stuart Taylor was in outstanding form keeping Miller out.

Another free kick outside the box gave us a chance to hit the target. Georges Santos went for this one and powered his shot straight at the wall. The referee though finally got a decision right and noticed that Danny Tiatto was only 5 yards away when it was taken so he ordered a retake 10 yards further forward. Santos had a go again and fired past the wall and with Taylor beaten it deflected inches wide of the post.

Jamie Cureton was now on after replacing Adam Miller and he got the chance to shoot after making space for himself but he took too long over his chance and lost possession.

Rangers pressed and pressed for an equaliser. Shittu, now playing upfront, almost grabbed a goal. A ball into the box was deflected wide to Shittu and with everyone expecting a cross Shittu fired in a shot which took to the keeper by surprise but once again Stuart Taylor’s reactions were first class and he tipped it away for another corner.

Rowlands then did well on the right getting past his man and putting in a low cross for Furlong and his cheeky back heel hit the side netting with the keeper looking beaten for once.

Kevin Gallen was then taken off as Leon Best was brought on as we threw everything at them. Corners and throw ins were hurled into the box but the ball just wouldn’t break to us and somehow Leicester hung on to get all three points.

That's the best we've played away all season and I am astonished we didn't even get a point out of the game. The referee got the 3 major decisions wrong. He never blew for any push for Rowlands second goal until the ball hit the back of the net. It was a terrible decision and even if Miller did push someone it had absolutely no affect on Rowlands goal. Leicester had plenty of time to close Rowlands down m and he picked his spot brilliantly to beat Taylor. I didn't see much wrong with the first goal either and the penalty looked very harsh.

I thought Stuart Taylor had a great game for Leicester. He hade 3 superb saves. How he saved the one from Santos in the first half I'll never know. Arsenal could do a lot worse than call him back and make him number 1 for them.

I came away from the game in utter shock yesterday. I don't think I've ever seen a QPR side dominate a game as much as we did yesterday and come away with nothing. I was very pleased with the way the team played but I feel gutted that we've ended up with another very unlucky away defeat. If we can build on this performance over the next few weeks then we should be able to get back on track and win a few games.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Martin Rowlands

Players Ratings: Day 7, Bignot 8, McLeod 8, Shittu 8, Edghill 8, Bircham 7, Rowlands 9, Gallen 7, Miller 8, Santos 7, Furlong 7. Subs: Cureton 6, Best 6