F.A. Cup Third Round
Saturday January 6th  
   
Queens Park Rangers 2

Luton Town 2

D.Blackstock R.Vine
S.Baidoo W.Feeney
   

The Third Round of the FA Cup was a blank Saturday for a few years if you are a QPR until we gained promotion and the last two years have seen us suffer 3-0 hammerings so expectations were not exactly high for the "glamorous" home tie against Luton Town.

Rangers received a boost before the game as Ray Jones finally signed a new contract with a three and a half year deal agreed the day before the game.

John Gregory made just one change the side that beat Colchester as Jimmy Smith returned to start his new loan spell at the club in place of Kevin Gallen.

The game was subject to two pitch inspections before the game and as the heavens opened and almost flooded the pitch in the opening minutes it didn't look like the game would get finished. Credit to both sides though who played on in spite of the conditions and Lee Cook enjoyed himself tearing his full back apart all afternoon with a scintillating performance.

Rangers dominated much of the first half with Jimmy Smith twice going close from long range and he was denied a blatant penalty when he was hacked down in the box.

Rangers opened the scoring with Cook again supplying the goal with a brilliant corner to the near post and Blackstock headed in for his first goal since November.

It looked like a case of how many we would get at this stage but the last minute of the half Luton equalised. It was a good goal as Luton passed it well and cut us apart with Rowan Vine finishing the move off to make it 1-1.

Luton began the second half as they finished the first with a goal to take the lead. A ball into the box saw some confusion as Royce and Mancienne leaving it to each other and Feeney got his body on the ball and steered it.

Rangers were stunned and Luton went on to dominate for long period with Richard Langley shoving the boos down fans throats as he ran the midfield until Marc Bircham came on for Lomas later in the half.

Lee Cook began to get back into the game and created more chances for Rangers to get back into it. A good run down the left found Blackstock but he scooped his shot over the bar. Blackstock had another chance soon after heading a Cook corner towards goal but Morgan headed it off the line.

Shabazz Baidoo and Paul Furlong came on for one last push and within minutes we grabbed an equaliser. A Cook corner was met by Stewart and a scramble ensued with Baidoo ending up putting the ball in with more than a hint of handball. Luton's players went mad rightly screaming handball but the ref had seen nothing and gave the goal. Perhaps they should had a woman ref eh Mr Newell?

Rangers pushed for a winner but Furlong, Smith and Baidoo all missed chances as the end ended in a 2-2 draw.

Still Rangers remain in the cup for now and will face Blackburn Rovers at home if we win the replay in a game that will be a lunchtime kick off due to Live BBC coverage.

Man of the Match: Lee Cook