It was with much trepidation that we made the trip to Wigan on Saturday. With the squad decimated with injuries and the prospect of facing a team desperate for all three points it was a case of enjoy the day and don’t worry too much about the result.

When it comes to the day of a game I am usually pretty optimistic but on the train up the most optimistic I got was that we might score but we’ll probably concede 3 or 4.

After a delayed train journey up (is there any other) we managed to get a quick few points in the excellent Orwell pub before heading to the impressive JJB stadium. QPR fans had travelled in decent numbers for this game with around 1,000 making a trip to see our reserves.

The team was again a case of if your fit you play. Generoso Rossi made his debut in goal. Santos returned to partner Shittu in defence with Padula and Bignot as full backs. Kevin Gallen dropped back into midfield to partner Marcus Bean with Adam Miller playing just behind 17 year old Shabazz Baidoo. The team had a reserve team or pre season feel to it and with Ian Holloway away scouting we even had our reserve manager in charge of the team.

Wigan started the brighter of the two teams looking to get an early goal which would have made it a comfortable afternoon. Graham Kavanagh was pulling the strings in midfield for them and the front two looked lively from the start.

On loan Brett Ormerod had the first real chance of the game as he latched onto a through ball and had a shot which looked to be heading wide of the near post but Rossi got down well to save it. Little did we know at the time but this proved to be one of the only saves he’d have to make all afternoon.

Wigan had all the possession but were not creating too many chances with Shittu and Santos heading clear any balls over the top whilst Bean was working hard to win the ball back for Rangers. Shittu was regularly getting penalised for fouls against Roberts.

For a supposed tough striker Roberts did like to fall over every time Shittu came near him and with a ref was weak as Danson in charge the home side enjoyed quite a few free kicks around the box. Thankfully they wasted all of them with Shittu clearing most them with firm headers.

Ranger’s attacks were a rarity but when we did break the Wigan offside trap was working a treat against Baidoo and Cureton.

Playing a 4-5-1 we needed the front man to hold the ball up which was a huge ask for 17 year old Baidoo. Full credit to him though as he did the job better than expected and with his pace he caused the home side a problem or two.

Nice work by Bignot out on the right almost provided a shock lead. He played the ball into Baidoo who shot on the turn but his effort hit the side netting.

This chance seemed to give Rangers a bit of confidence and we went on to have a decent spell in the Wigan half. Baidoo again went close after good work on the right but his shot this time was tame and straight at the keeper.

his seemed to wake the home side up as they stepped up a gear but Rangers still looked relatively comfortable. Ormerod wasted a good chance when he fell over after getting into the box and Ian McCulloch headed over from a corner.

Jason Roberts managed to wriggle out of Dan Shittu’s pocket long enough to have his first real sight of goal. He did well to control the ball and turn but his shot was again wide of the post with Rossi looking the calmest man in the stadium as he watched it roll wide.

Rossi was having a strange debut. He looked a little overweight and very relaxed. His kicking had mixed results but he at least looked confident with the ball at his feet, a little to confident at times but we got away with it.

Rangers were relying on playing on the break but with very little support from midfield, Baidoo was finding it difficult to keep the ball for long. With half time approaching Rangers almost nicked a goal. It came from a corner on the right hand side in front of the Ranger’s fans.

Lee Cook and Gallen tried the ever unsuccessful short corner which shockingly worked as Cook whipped a cross into the box. Adam Miller found himself unmarked from six yards out but went for a diving header which rolled comfortably to the keeper. He had enough time and space to bring it down and shoot for an almost certain goal and Miller looked pretty unhappy with himself.

With the half coming to an end the QPR fans were delighted to still be level and we had more wayward finishing to thank for the goalless half time score line. McCulloch missed two good chances heading a good cross from the right over the bar and he also got some space at the far post but smashed his shot wide with Rossi looking beaten.

So 0-0 at half time and Rangers were holding their own against a side that needed all three points. During the break I don’t think many fans expected much of the second half, if was clear that if Wigan continued to keep up the pressure they were bound to score one eventually.

As expected the home side started the half well on top pushing for that opening goal. An early corner gave then a chance and Graham Kavanagh’s delivery was top notch and we were lucky that Jackson’s run at the far post was delayed long enough for the ball to miss him by a whisker.

Rangers continued to battle but we were now defending deep in our own half and any attacks from us were as rare as seeing Les Ferdinand play 90 minutes for Reading. A rare mistake by Shittu gave Roberts a golden chance but with time and space he scuffed his shot wide of Rossi’s goal.

Tim Breaker made a change as Shabazz Baidoo looked knackered after 55 minutes and was replaced by the soon to be released Luke Townsend.

It was all about hanging on now though and with over half an hour to go it was going to be a difficult half for Rangers. Despite all the possession by the home side they still failed to create any decent chances.

A Kavanagh free kick forced Rossi into a comfortable save whilst any time they got into our box the outstanding Shittu and the equally impressive Santos were on hand to clear the danger.

Perhaps the turning point in the game came when Wigan were all set to celebrate the opening goal. Roberts again had the chance and he bent his shot around Rossi into the bottom corner. As we got ready to accept what appeared to be the inevitable the ball hit the inside of the post, rolled along the line and a combination of Rossi and Bignot cleared. We cheered as if we had scored and Wigan began to get the feeling this was not going to be their day.

At the other end Luke Townsend was working his socks off for the team and broke clear after a nice ball from Miller but Jackson recovered well to block Townsend’s effort. Aaron brown was then brought on for his debut replacing the disappointing lee Cook. The team now consisted of just Gallen, Shittu, Bignot and Santos who have been regulars for Holloway this season. The QPR fans began to sing “You can’t beat Rangers reserves” and Wigan really didn’t seem to know how to break us down.

Nathan Ellington was brought on and in all honesty I was still expecting a defeat at this stage and it seemed written in the stars that Ellington would win it for them after being dropped for the last few games. His one chance came towards the end after he miss hit his initial shot and then smashed a volley which had Rossi beaten but also beat the cross bar and had the Wigan fans celebrating a conversion before they remembered which sport they were watching so they sat down with the hump again.

Rangers made one last change with the minutes ticking away. Richard Edghill was on for Adam Miller who looked exhausted as he walked off. Wigan continued to push but seemed to lack the urgency needed to break us down.

One last attack as the 90 minute mark hit the scoreboard saw Shittu at his best. He headed the ball clear before the knocked it back in the box and he cleared again with a volley. That time he fell over as he cleared it but a third ball into the box was cleared by Shittu as he lay on the floor. There was just no getting past him in this form and you could se Wigan had almost given up hope of winning this game.

We almost nicked an undeserved three points right at the death. A breakaway by Townsend had Wigan in a panic and his pass to Cureton should have produced more but as we’ve seen too often this year from Cureton he took too long on the ball and was eventually caught in possession.

The final whistle saw the QPR fans celebrate with a mixture of shock and laughter at the ridiculous score line our virtual reserve team had picked up. Dan Shittu was given a standing ovation as he came over to give his boots to a young fan and the rest of the team were also given a huge ovation off after such a battling performance.

After the game we enjoyed a couple of drinks with some Wigan fans who were among the friendliest I’ve come across this season. They were full of praise for Rangers and especially Shittu and they were pretty sure they had now blown promotion. I did feel for them and it was oh so similar to the position we were in a year ago when Plymouth beat us leaving us with the task of winning two tough games to win promotion.

For what it’s worth I hope they do it mainly due to the way Paul Jewell has handled poor results against us this season. He has been full of praise for QPR whilst Joe Royle seemed to be disgusted that QPR dared turn up to Portman Road and stop them from scoring and even had the audacity to score two ourselves. Naughty QPR!

The train back to Manchester was full of QPR fans including Kevin Brosnan (I hope I got the name right) who was celebrating his 40th birthday and seemed to appreciate the entire train singing happy birthday to him.

So despite our winless run now stretching to six games there was much to be pleased with after this performance. Rossi had a decent debut keeping a clean sheet and I am sure he will get better with a few more games. The back four were again excellent. Padula once more looking like his old self and really deserves a new contract. Santos also had a very good game whilst Shittu was in a class of his own. Premiership clubs are bound to come knocking for him if he keeps this up.

In midfield Marcus Bean had a good game as did Kevin Gallen who sacrificed his own attacking instincts to do a job for the team and he rarely gave the ball away. Shabazz Baidoo again looked promising as did Luke Townsend who will hopefully find another league club in the summer. Aaron Brown also did ok considering it was his debut but don’t expect to see the best of him before next season. Adam Miller struggled at times playing the floating role but he worked hard and came close to scoring his first goal for the club in the first half.

The only downsides were again the performance of Cureton who has to be on his way out now and Lee Cook was also pretty disappointing.

So that was my last away game of the season, as I am away at a wedding the weekend of the Cardiff game. It’s been an enjoyable season watching QPR on the road with us winning more away games than we managed in our promotion season. To take a point from both of the teams in the automatic promotion places and beat the 3rd place team in their own back yard is very good for our first season back at this level and we look in good shape to improve again next season.

Man of the Match: Dan Shittu

Players Ratings: Rossi 7, Bignot 7, Padula 8, Santos 8, Shittu 9*, Cureton 6, Bean 7, Gallen 7, Cook 5, Miller 7, Baidoo 7
Subs: Townsend 7, Brown 7, Edghill 6
Not used: Day, Kanyuka