Coca Cola Championship
Saturday December 26th

Queens Park Rangers 2	Bristol City 1

J.Simpson 31mins	N.Maynard 57 mins
M.Leigterwood 40 mins

	Team Line Up

	24. R.Cerny 7/10

2. P.Ramage 6/10	5. F.Hall 6/10	13. K.Gorkss 7/10	20. T.Williams 5/10


10. A.Buzsaky 5/10	6. M.Leigterwood (c) 5/10	15. B.Watson 5/10	18. A.Faurlin 5/10
16. M.Connolly (83) 6/10			11. P.Agyemang (62) 5/10

	7. W.Routledge 6/10	23. J.Simpson 5/10
		29. G.Borrowdale (83) 6/10

Subs Not Used: Taylor, Pellicori, Balanta, Taarabt
Substitutes in yellow

Boxing Day is a game many looking forward to and this one was no different. I had arranged initially for my wife and her family t come to the Bristol City game which was to be my sons first taste of QPR, aged eight months his first home game.

Things never work out that well though, I was still ill and after my son Freddie was rushed to Hospital a few days before the game with breathing difficulties he did well to make it out for Christmas but any hope of going to football was well and truly off. I've seen some excuses for getting out of home games but my Son has really raised the bar by slowing his breathing down in an attempt to avoid the football.

So rather than sit in the cold this game took place with me in Shepherds Bush eating Christmas cake at my Mums whilst Freddie looked confused at all his new presents. I've been told I didn't miss much in fact what I did miss was one of the most farcical moments of the season by all accounts.

Rangers made changes to the side that drew with Sheffield United. Jay Simpson started up front with Buzsaky back in the side in place of Taarabt whilst Faurlin came in for Agyemang in a diamond midfield. It really is Groundhog Day at QPR, didn't we do this under Sousa last year? Fitz Hall was back in place of the suspended Damion Stewart.

Bristol City started the stronger of the two sides going close on several occasions as Rangers struggled to find any rhythm. We took the lead though against the run of play after a corner was half cleared as far as Hall and his high ball into the box was well controlled by Simpson and he fired home from close range.

Rangers made it 2-0 with a quick break through midfield. Ramage found Leigterwood on the right and he cut inside before shooting low into the bottom corner for his fourth goal of the season.

So two goals up at half time but we'd been a bit lucky and the second half would follow that pattern with the visitors well on top and they got back in it with a superb goal. Nicky Maynard with is back to goal controlled the ball with his chest then flicked the ball over his head and volleyed past Cerny for a superb goal. City were back in it and as they looked set to equalise Hall was fortunate to get away with a last ditch tackle which Maynard claimed was a penalty.

Paul Hart reacted to this by sending on Borrowdale and Connolly for Buzsaky and Simpson leaving Rangers with six defenders on the pitch and two holding midfield players, Rangers never even had a player on the opposition box for the last ten minutes as the crowd turned and booed the defensive approach which through more luck than judgement ended with a narrow win for QPR.

We badly needed the win but that has to be more of the more bizarre things I've heard done at QPR in recent years.

We did at least win the game though, our first boxing Day win since 2002 so despite the boos and a tantrum thrown by Martin Rowlands on the pitch it was a good result.