| Coca Cola Championship | |
| Saturday April 22nd | |
|
Attendance: 16,152 |
|
| Queens Park Rangers 1 | Watford 2 |
| M.Nygaard (pen) | A.Young |
| G.Santos (og) | |
| Marc Nygaard Sent Off | |
The
final home game of the
season is usually a
time to celebrate the
season and watch QPR
win in the sunshine.
This year was a bit
different though with
most of the crowd desperate
for this disastrous
season to end and many
were leaving this one
early to get back to
the pub and watch the
cup semi final.
Watford were the visitors
for the final home game
and an interesting opposition
as much has been made
of how Gary Waddock
is attempting to do
a Watford and turn a
shambles into a playoff
team over the course
of a few months. It
was certainly going
to be interesting to
see just how far away
we were from Watford
and the end result probably
flattered the top three
side.
Rangers starting eleven
was unchanged but the
bench saw young striker
Ray Jones involved for
the first time whilst
Scott Donnelly also
returned after a calf
injury. In the bright
sunshine Rangers started
pretty well with former
Watford man Lee Cook
at the heart of most
of our attacks. He caused
them a few early problems
but his crosses were
usually just evading
the front two. Steve
Lomas had our only decent
effort on goal but the
Watford keeper didn't
have to work too hard
to save it.
Youngster Stefan Bailey
was struggling in midfield
after two impressive
performances. he gave
the ball away a few
times and was losing
his tackles which seemed
to affect him. Credit
to Ainsworth and Nygaard
who both went over to
talk to Bailey and try
and help him get through
a difficult afternoon.
Returning Judas Clarke
Carlisle was getting
plenty of abuse and
his header went wide
from a curling free
kick. Carlisle was clapped
by some fans but the
majority were still
angry at him for leaving
to go up north with
his family and then
ending up at Watford.
Personally
I lost all respect for
him when he did the
easy clap thing in front
of the QPR fans at Vicarage
Road earlier in the
season. He was eventually
taken off from this
one with an injury and
hopefully the rumour
that we are looking
to bring him back isn't
true.
Watford began to get
on top and hit the bar
direct from a corner
whilst Malky Makay missed
a sitter unmarked from
a few yards out.
All in
all though we were defending
pretty well with Santos
showing his best with
some top defending then
his worst with some
woeful passing. Love
him or hate him it's
never dull when he plays.
Rangers took the lead
before half time through
a Marc Nygaard penalty.
It came after Cook was
brought down in the
box and the big Danish
striker stepped up and
sent the keeper the
wrong way. He celebrated
by taking his shirt
off and the booking
that followed would
end up costing us the
game.
We were on top and most
of the stadium were
then stunned as the
game turned in 30 short
seconds. Furlong was
sent clear and he picked
his spot placing a lovely
chip over the keeper
and it was heading for
the middle of the goal.
We all celebrated as
did Furlong but at the
last moment the ball
bounced up and hit the
bar. To make matters
worse as I stopped celebrating
wondering why pig bag
wasn't playing I looked
up to see Ashley Young
on the ball and then
curling a brilliant
shot into the top corner.
So from thinking we
were 2-0 up it was now
1-1 and the whole season
was summed up in 30
seconds.
Just when we thought
it couldn't get any
worse in stepped that
twat Andy D'ursso to
ruin another game. Darius
Henderson ran through
and clearly caught Shittu
in the face with a punch.
Shittu went down and
the red card was sure
to follow but not he
only got a yellow.
Milanese, Nygaard and Ainsworth all got stuck in to the afters and the ref decided he'd pick out Nygaard from the line up as he'd already been booked and he had to send someone off. Nygaard was an idiot to get involved but quite how Henderson survived is beyond me.
A few
weeks ago Gallen was
sent off for raising
his hands and we were
told that it doesn't
matter if he intended
to hit the bloke he
raised his hands so
that's a red card. Perhaps
the rules have changed
in the last month to
make that only a yellow
card offence or possibly
the referee is a wanker.
Shittu spent the rest
of the half looking
for a bit of revenge
on Henderson before
the Watford manager
sensibly took off the
cheating git at half
time. Gary Waddock made
a tactical switch changing
to a 4-3-2 formation
which was quite bold
of him.
Ainsworth
went up front and the
second half saw us start
the better side and
we were more than matching
Watford. The sense of
injustice was spurring
us on and Ainsworth
smashed in a long range
shot which flew just
over the bar.
Paul Furlong was holding
the ball up well whilst
Bailey was imprvong
as the game wore on.
Lee Cook went on one
his mazy runs and shot
just wide. The crowd
were right behind the
team but then a few
individuals let the
whole club down.
A bottle of beer was
thrown from the South
Africa Road stand and
only just missed one
of the Watford players.
Thank god it did miss
but things got worse
as the incomptent linesmen
continued to give us
nothing and coins, pies
and more beer bottles
were thrown from the
R block.
This
resulted in one little
girl being it on the
head and having to be
taken out. The police
and stewards were roundly
booed for trying to
help the young QPR fan
and for me the rest
of the game meant nothing
after this and I lost
the plot slightly screaming
abuse at the scumbags
who had thrown things
on the pitch and brought
more shame on our football
club.
Watford wrapped up the
points with a comedy
own goal. Georges Santos
said farewell to Loftus
Road as he guided a
header back to Jones
but the keeper was too
far across and the ball
bobbled past Jones and
into the empty net.
Poor old Georges, he'd
played so well for most
of the game and most
of his time at QPR but
he'll always be remebered
for this sort of cock
ups.
Scott Donnelly and Ray
Jones came on towards
the end but we never
really looked like equalising
and the game ended with
another home defeat.
The annual lap of honour
was a subdued affair
and was probably a final
chance to see Marc Bircham
and player of the year
Dan Shittu at Loftus
Road before they are
sold in the coming months.
So another season comes
to an end with just
one game left and a
probably hiding at Reading
who need a win and 3
goals to break a few
records. It's safe to
say this hasn't been
the best of seasons
and one I think most
people are happy to
see the back of.
This
summer will see huge
changes at Loftus Road
and hopefully next season
will be a much better
one. The worry is though
that we have finished
the season so poorly
that we look like we
have forgotten how to
win games and thats
not a good way to go
into a new season where
we'll certianly be one
of the favourites to
get relegated.
Man of the Match: Lee Cook
Players Ratings: Jones 6, Bignot 6 (Donnelly 6), Milanese 6, Shittu 6, Santos 7, Ainsworth 7, Bailey 6, Lomas 7 (Jones 6), Cook 8, Nygaard 5, Furlong 7