| Coca Cola Championship | |
| Monday April 13th | |
|
Queens
Park Rangers 3
|
Sheffield Wednesday 2 |
| R.Vine | G.Mahon (og) |
| G.Mahon | M.Tudgay (pen) |
| D.Stewart | |
This certainly wasn't in the script
and I very much doubt anyone expected this happen on the way to
Loftus Road yesterday. I certainly didn't and predicted a 1-0 defeat
in the pub before the game expecting to see another drab encounter,
how wrong could I be. The atmosphere around the ground was certainly strange though before the game with no one really knowing if they should boo, cheer or protest and in the end did none of them for much of the afternoon. The only early sign of protests over the Sousa affair was when Billy Rice read out a statement from the club abut them not sacking de Canio which was bizarre to say the least and were met with boos from around the ground. Quite why they felt the need to read this out was anyone's guess as De Canio left a year ago but it's impossible to work out what's going on at QPR these days.
I'm sure his two sons would have raised a smile at the irony of what was to follow. Mike Keen won the league cup after Rangers came from 2-0 down to win 3-2 in 1967 and it was perhaps fitting that the same score line and pattern followed again yesterday.
Mikele Leigterwood dropped to the bench
in favour of Gavin Mahon whilst Jordi Lopez made a welcome return
in place of Ephraim. Lee Cook also returned in place of Rowan Vine
whilst Heider Helguson made his first start up front for a month. With nothing really on the game both sides players with the freedom that only really happens at this stage of the season with nothing to play for. Sheffield Wednesday started well and caused some early panic in the Rangers defence. A ball into the box wasn't dealt with by Stewart and Tudgay nudged it towards goal only for Cerny to get a touch and palmed it off for a corner. Cerny punched away the corner and Rangers quickly broke and almost took the lead. Mahon found Cook on the left who played
a lovely ball for Routledge to touch it past the keeper only to
be denied by the linesmen's flag. A long ball by Gorkss found Helguson on the left but he dragged his volley wide of the post when a ball square to Routledge would have been the better option. To his credit Helguson didn't let his head drop and linked play very well, he was drifting into space and went to the left to put in an excellent ball for Taarabt who lifted his shot over the bar.
Routledge was next to go close after a good run forward by Connolly saw the defender slide a ball into Routledge and the Rangers winger toe poked it past the keeper but against the inside of the post and out again. Quite how we were not in front is anyone's
guess and another brilliant passing move ended with Lopez put clear
but he shot wide under pressure from a defender. Rangers had done everything but score in the opening twenty five minutes and were quickly made to pay. It was a poor goal as well with rangers asleep from a corner. It was taken quickly and no one reacted. Cerny left a massive gap at his near
post which the Wednesday winger exploited smashing shot towards
the gap, Cerny failed to call for it meaning Mahon threw himself
at the ball and ended up touching it past Cerny for an own goal.
It was all Cerny's fault though despite his finger pointing at Mahon
and he really should have done better. I feared heads would go down at this
point and for the first time some fans began to aim songs at the
director's box but as protests go it wasn't much of one and it all
ended before it had started to be honest. I've read on message boards
since that a few abusive songs were aimed at Flavio, I personally
didn't hear any of them in the lower loft but have no doubt some
people took the chance to vent their spleen at the owner.
Another lovely flowing move followed
five minutes before half time as Routledge burst forward and found
Cook. The move continued with Tarrabt getting on the ball in the
box and laying it off to Lopez who curled a shot towards the top
corner but Grant made an excellent save to tip it over. My mate Neil was then celebrating like mad as we got the ball in the net but he was the only one who didn't see the offside flag which denied Helguson a sixth goal of the season. The half time whistle has been met
with boos at most games this season but despite being a goal down
rangers got the ovation their performance deserved, we really should
have been three or four goals ahead but found ourselves a goal behind. The second half didn't start well for
Rangers as Wednesday pushed forward and improved their performance
and were quickly two goals ahead. A good build up saw Tudgay put
through and he was brought down by Gorkss for what looked and was
a certain penalty. Tudgay dusted himself off and blasted straight
down the middle as Cerny went to his left and Rangers were 2-0 down. The game looked over but I'll be honest
I had a feeling we might come back as we were playing pretty well
and just needed to get one back to launch a fight back.
Rangers had looked a little flat but quickly got back into it. Routledge got onto a ball on the halfway line and burst forward out packing his defender and shot low to the keeper's right. Grant parried it but only as far as Vine for a simple tap in and his first goal since returning from injury. A great personal moment for Vine but
it said it all that he picked up the ball and rushed back to the
centre circle to start again. He did make sure he ran to his family
though in the South Africa Road stand and gave them a wave. It was
game on now and Wednesday looked rattled. The game was wide open now with both
sides having a right go at adding to the score line. Cerny made
an excellent low save whilst at the other end Ephraim (on for the
excellent Lopez) shot wide of the post. An equaliser was coming though and came from an unlikely source. Gavin Mahon signalled to the bench he wanted to come off with an ankle injury but the change was delayed whilst we took a corner. Cook took it and hit the first man only for the ball to come back out to him, he made no mistake with his second effort hitting a brilliant far post cross to Mahon who threw himself at the ball with a diving header which found it's way to the bottom corner. Mahon was mobbed by his team mates and
given a standing ovation as he was substituted seconds later. It
was thoroughly deserved as well, Mahon is not everyone's favourite
but he had an excellent game in midfield and was just about my man
of the match.
You only had to see the state of Gorkss
to know it was an elbow rather than a clash of heads but he was
patched up and brought back on. The referee really should have sent
Sodje off but amazingly gave a drop ball. When you see players booked
for diving and nothing done about an assault you have to wonder
what the referee is thinking. Gorkss played the final fifteen minutes
with what turned out to be a two and a half inch cut that needed
16 internal stitches and 14 external ones. It says it all about
Gorkss that he carried on with this injury and managed to get in
some crucial headers as well. He really has been fantastic since
November and must be in with a chance of the player of the year
award. Rangers kept pushing for a winner and
almost got it when Helguson was put through but he was brought down
right on the edge of the box. I thought it was a penalty at first
but in hindsight it was just outside the box. Lee Cook wasted the
free kick but was soon back in action producing the quality we all
know he has.
We all went mad and all the depression
and anger around the place was gone as we rejoiced over a fantastic
performance. This is QPR though and as the board
went up for six minutes injury time we knew it was going to be tough
as Wednesday won corner after corner. The keeper went up for them
and from one ball into the box he headed just wide of the post. The best chance though came to Potter
who curled a brilliant shot from outside the box which had goal
written all over it but Cerny produced a world class save to turn
it over the bar and really redeem himself for his earlier error. The final whistle was met with a great
roar and celebration, Rangers had been magnificent and fully deserved
the three points. The main difference though at 2-0 was the main reason Sousa and Dowie got the boot in that Rowan Vine was back. He made such a difference to our team floating around, hard to pick up and creating problems for them. He was fantastic and created space for Routledge and Cook to have their best games in ages. I've not enjoyed a game as much all
season and gives some hope that if Flavio can bring in a manager
and let him get on with it without interference we do have the players
that could challenge at the right end of this division. No I don't
think he'll be able to resist having his say either. Rangers go to Wolves next with Mick Mccarthy's men needing a win to secure promotion, it won't be easy but if we show the same heart and desire in that one as we did on Monday then we might delay the promotion part for another week. Man of the Match: Gavin Mahon Players Ratings: Cerny 7, Ramage 7, Gorkks 8, Stewart 7, Connolly 8, Routledge 8, Lopez 8 (Ephraim 7), Mahon 8 (Leigterwood 6), Cook 8, Taarabt 7 (Vine 8), Helguson 7
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Typical
Rangers. Just when the fans are ready pitch fork in hand to let
the board know this is not good enough the team produce probably
their best performance of the season and send us all home with a
big smile on our face. 
A
lovely build up almost brought a first goal as Lopez found Taarabt
and his step over bamboozled the Wednesday defender before laying
it off to Lopez who found Helguson with a wonderful looped pass
and he shot across goal and agonisingly wide of the post. It was
a lovely move and deserved a goal.
Rangers
didn't give up though and continued to dominate creating chance
after chance. Helguson broke through on the right but his shot hit
the post and bounced away to safety. 
Ainsworth
made a change to try and liven things up as Vine replaced Taarabt
to a few boos from the fans but to be fair I thought it was a good
change and turned out to be a match winning one.
It
was all on now for us to get the winner but we were dealt a blow
when Gorkss suffered a bad injury. Substitute Sodje seemed to jump
right at Gorkss with a flying elbow but went to the floor claiming
a clash of heads. 
A
through ball by Vine was chipped past his own keeper by Beevers
but wide for a corner and Rangers grabbed a deserved winner from
the set piece. Cook's corner was cleared back to him (perhaps that
was the plan?) and he took a touch before curling in an absolutely
brilliant cross for Damien Stewart to attack at the far post and
head past Grant for the winner.