Team Line Up
		1. Lee Camp
16. Matthew Connolly		13. Kaspar Gorkss	3. Damion Stewart		2. Damien Delaney (c)
20. Emmanuel Ledesma		6. Mikele Leigterwood	7. Daniel Parejo		17. Lee Cook
Matteo Alberti
		19. Angelo Balanta	9. Dexter Blackstock
			Samuel Di Carmine
Substitutes

The first round of the Carling Cup hasn't been a game we've looked forward to for a long time. The first round usually means QPR face a lower league side and get beat.

This year we were drawn with a tricky looking away trip to Swindon but as ever with us football fans almost 2,000 of us ignored logic and travelled in the pouring rain to see if Iain Dowie could fare any better in the cups than his predecessors and we were rewarded with an absolute feast of football.

I took advantage of my summer hours at work and had a half day so me and Carly were able to get an early train to Swindon and enjoy the delights of the town centre before the game with a few beers in Wetherspoons and a steak meal before a slow walk to the ground.

We had tickets in the Arkells Stand so were under cover and away from the rain whilst around 700 fans were stuck behind the goal getting soaked.

We got the ground just as the teams were coming out so as we found our seats it was a case of trying to work out who was playing. The first player we spotted was Lee Camp wearing a lime green goalkeeper's kit and back in goal for his first start of the season.

Iain Dowie fielded a strong side but had made a few changes. Matthew Connolly and Damion Stewart got the nod in defence with Hall and Ramage rested. Damien Delaney wore the captain's armband on the day he was called up to the Republic of Ireland squad so well done to him.

Daniel Parejo made his first start in place of the injured Gavin Mahon whilst Angelo Balanta was the other change in place of Patrick Agyemang.

After the coin toss Rangers swapped ends to attack the goal where the QPR fans were sitting and the game kicked off with the QPR fans standing up and making some noise.

It was obvious from the start that this was going to be a different Carling Cup experience. Rangers were looking to get the ball down and play and some of our football was sublime. Ranger's attacks were going down the right with the outstanding Ledesma cutting inside and outside his man to cause early havoc.

Daniel Parejo was orchestrating things from midfield picking out passes and dictating the pace of the game. He found Ledesma who had space to run at his full back before seeing his deflected shot go wide of the post. Rangers almost scored from the corner with Gorkss flick on just evading Blackstock at the far post.

It was a sign of things to come and the first half an hour was really a case of attack v defence as Swindon rarely got out of their own half.

Balanta and Parejo linked well in the middle to create a chance to Blackstock and he really should have scored after getting away from his man but rather than shooting with his left he looked to take the ball onto his right and gave the keeper a chance to compose himself and make the save, Parejo looked furious with Blackstock for this and in the next attack he took matters into his own hands by shooting just wide of the post.

Rangers were dominating and it was great to watch but at the back the danger signs were there for all to see. A Swindon corner to the far post left Morrison with a free header which he wasted. Lee Camp was called into action for the first time when Paynter dropped off Stewart and curled a brilliant shot towards the top corner but Camp was equal to it and produced a magnificent save. Rangers Number One was the chant from the away end and the watching Tim Flowers seemed impressed.

Rangers soon went on the attack again in a very open game and continued to miss chance after chance. A lovely build up in midfield between Parejo and Ledesma produced a chance for the overlapping Connolly who broke into the box and shot across the keeper but it was just turned wide of the post.

Blackstock had two more chances to open the scoring, the first coming after Ledesma teased his man and played a defence splitting pass to Dexter but his shot was well saved. He went close again after Ledesma placed a cross into the middle and Blackstock's looping header drifted just over the bar.

On the left wing Lee Cook was coming inside to get involved and a good run with the ball at his feet saw him create a chance for Balanta but he dragged his shot wide.

Ledesma and Leigterwood both had shots from distance and it was no exaggeration to say we should have been five goals ahead before we hit the half an hour mark.

A foul on Lee Cook won us a free kick outside the box which Parejo took charge of and he forced the keeper into another good save.

The QPR fans were loving the performance and a few new songs for Ledesma began including "He's Tall He's Quick his name's a porno flick Emmanuel, Emmanuel" which I found amusing.

Rangers blew another great chance when a long ball forward caught the keeper out and Blackstock took the ball round him but it bounced high and rather than getting it under control for a tap in or squaring it to Cook or Balanta for an open goal he volleyed the ball to the far post to no one n particular and was on the end of a bollocking from lee Cook.

Rangers finally took the lead on thirty the minutes and after all the pretty football it was a scrappy goal. Daniel Parejo took a corner on the left and Delaney flicked the ball on for Balanta to scramble it in from a yard out. It was the least Rangers deserved and credit to Balanta for what was fast becoming a very impressive performance.

No sooner had the first burst of we're going to Wembley finished than Rangers managed to fall apart.

A hopeful cross on the left into the box found Cox and he turned and smashed a shot past Camp with the keeper having no chance.

Rangers looked shocked but were soon back in the grove and back to missing chance after chance. Ledesma headed wide from close range and missed a great chance after his skill got him clean through only for him to wait too long and shoot straight at the keeper.

Parejo burst forward and curled a shot inches wide and just as a second goal looked inevitable for Rangers we fell behind.

The impressive McNamee burst forward and picked out the unmarked Paynter and with Stewart and Gorkss looking at each other the in form Swindon forward arrowed a header into the top corner. It was a harsh lesson for Rangers and despite absolute battering their opponents for most of the half we were now behind.

It was becoming laughable to be honest as from the kick off we created more chances and it seemed to be written in the stars that we were going to lose this game. This bloke behind me said if we lose this then we really never will win a cup match again.

Another free kick from 30 yards out almost brought us level. Parejo lined it up and whipped a fantastic shot over the wall with pace and power and the ball swerved wickedly in the air before hitting the post and going wide.

As the half time whistle went I couldn't believe we were actually losing the game but it was all so typical Rangers. In fairness to Swindon they had hung in and looked dangerous on the break but even the most biased Swindon fan would have trouble justifying their lead. It could honestly have been 8-2 to QPR at half time such were the chances we had missed.

The second half got off to a dream start though and I hadn't even got back to my seat when we equalised. It was a familiar goal as well. Balanta won the ball and played it wide to Lee Cook who fired in a cross to the far post where Blackstock rose and headed past the keeper to open his account for the season. After a half of missing chances we had taken our first of the second half.

Rangers now had the bit between their teeth and went looking for the third goal as Ledesma laid the ball off to Leigterwood who curled a shot just over the bar.

It was wave after wave of attacks and we soon got the winning goal from a corner. Parejo curled a brilliant ball into the middle and it was knocked down to Delaney whose shot found the back of the net. I'd give a better description of the goal but a pole was blocking my view so I had no idea who scored until I phoned my dad on the way home.

Rangers now relaxed and looked to keep the ball and played some lovely football. The chances didn't come as freely but when they did we tested the keeper with Balanta going close from outside the box.

Ledesma was booked for arguing with the ref after he began to get frustrated with the referee and that is something he's going to have to work on as some of his antics are going to get him sent off this season.

Iain Dowie made a change taking off Blackstock and bringing on Di Carmine for his debut and the Italian had a run at the Swindon defence but shot wide of the post.

Swindon began to come back into the game and typical of Rangers we began to sit back and invite pressure on which made for an exciting end to the game. McNamee was causing problems on the left all night and his cross into the box saw Paynter break clear but his goal was ruled out for offside.

Ledesma then made way for Alberti and the game continued to be very open with both sides having chances. Swindon were pushing forward with four up front in the end to try and force extra time and they won several free kicks and corners around the box which Gorkks and Camp combined well to keep out.

At the other end Rangers had more chances to grab a fourth when Parejo almost scored direct from a corner and a cross from the Spanish star looked very inviting to the far post, shame no one read it and it ended up drifting out for a goal kick.

The referee then signalled for five minutes injury time and panic set in with extra time meaning I'd miss my train home and really we didn't deserve to do anything other than win this game.

Swindon were well up for it and looked for an equaliser although it was Rangers who went closest to scoring during injury time as Balanta broke free on the break only to be denied again by the keeper.

The final whistle was met with a big roar of relief from the away end and the players all looked very happy with the nights work.

On the way home the buzz among the QPR fans was obvious. This may have just been a narrow in score line Carling Cup win but it felt like the start of something bigger.

The football Rangers played was breathtaking at times with such skill, pace and style going forward. The new boy Ledesma again shined brightest but he wasn't alone with Balanta, Parejo and Leigterwood all outstanding for Rangers.

A word on Swindon who never gave up and looked a decent league one outfit, their odds of 40/1 to win the League one title look very tempting on this showing.

Iain Dowie has certainly impressed me early on with the way he has his side playing but he will be concerned with the number of chances we missed. Rangers have bigger and tougher tests to come starting on Saturday but this was a very good night's work and a very entertaining game.

Man of the Match: Emmanuel Ledesma

Player Ratings: Camp 7, Connolly 7, Delaney 7. Gorkks 7, Stewart 5, Ledesma 8 (Alberti 6) Parejo 8, Leigterwood 8, Cook 7, Blackstock 7 (Di Carmine 6), Balanta 8