| Coca
Cola Championship |
| Saturday
August 22nd |
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Queens
Park Rangers 1
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Nottingham
Forest 1 |
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| M.Leigterwood
25 mins |
D.McGoldrick
57 mins |
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Team
Line Up
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24.
R. Cerny 6/10
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2.
P. Ramage 6/10
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3. Damion Stewart
5/10
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5.
F.Hall 6/10
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29.
G.Borrowdale 5/10
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13.
K.Gorkss (45) 6/10
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7.
W. Routledge 7/10
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18.
Alejandro Faurlin 7/10
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6. M. Leigterwood (c) 7/10
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39.
A.Taarabt 6/10
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10.
A.Buzsaky (66) 6/10
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9.
H.Helguson 6/10
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12.
A.Pellicori 6/10
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8.
R.Vine (61) 6/10
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| Subs
Not Used: T.Heaton, M.Connolly, G.Mahon, P.Agyemang |
| Substitutes
in yellow |
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It's seems to be getting harder and harder to write these match
reports and find something different to say each week.
It's only been five
games so far this season and Saturday was just my second that I've
been too but it was the same old story. Rangers problem leading
up to the visit of Nottingham Forest had been we had been creating
tons of chances (more shots on goal than any other team in the league)
but had scored just twice in the league and one of them was a cross.
Of course many pointed
to the fact that once we started scoring we wouldn't stop but whilst
we have been creating plenty and missing them it was only a matter
of time before confidence was affected and the dominance shown in
recent games would be gone. That's what happened on Saturday in
what had to be the most frustrating afternoon I've spent at Loftus
Road in a long time.
I missed the teams
being read out as we left the pub late but it took me a good half
an hour to work out the number 17 for Forest was David Mcgoldrick
rather than Dexter Blackstock. That was a relief when I realised
our former top scorer was not playing but our former keeper Lee
Camp was in goal and got a mixed reception from the QPR fans as
we attacked towards the Loft in the first half.
Forest started the brighter of the two teams and
could have been in front early when Cerny made an excellent double
save the second part really should have been a goal but was a poor
finish by McGoldrick. The former Southampton man missed another
very good chance when clean through and put his shot wide of Cerny's
goal.
Rangers also had chances as Borrowdale fired over
after a good move involving Routledge on the right. Taarabt went
close after a lovely passing move but he passed the ball just wide
of the post.
It wasn't our best performance by a long way but
we took the lead with an absolute screamer. Leigterwood picked up
the ball on the right wing and cut inside to the edge of the box
before curling a powerful shot into the top corner through a body
of players giving an unsighted Lee Camp no chance.
It was the kind of shot he regularly finds the upper
loft with but this time he had his eye in and scored a brilliant
goal.
That should have been a sign to push on for Rangers but we never
really did and Forest ended the half on top but it was Rangers who
went in ahead at the break.
Jim Magilton made a change at half time taking off
the injured Fitz Hall and on came Kaspars Gorkss. Rangers produced
a pretty poor half of football though and handed the initiative
to Forest from the start by sitting back and inviting pressure on.
Rather than go and look for the killer second goal the team looked
nervous and treated the ball like a hot potato.
An equaliser was coming and it was no shock when
it was poor defending that lead to it arriving. A long ball forward
by Camp was flicked on by Adebola and McGoldrick was given space
by Gorkss and Borrowdale to get in between them and beat Cerny from
12 yards out.
Rangers reacted by bringing on Buzsaky and Vine for
Taarabt and Pellicori but the chances for Rangers were mostly from
long range, Buzsaky forced a good save from Camp whilst Vine went
close from the edge of the box.
Dexter Blackstock came on to a good ovation from
the QPR fans (a better one than when he played for us) and he almost
won it for Forest seeing his goal bound poke saved by Cerny and
bounce towards goal where Ramage cleared off the line.
Rangers could and should have won it after a nice
move on the right saw Buzsaky pick out Helguson with a lovely cross
and with the goal at his mercy he placed his header over the bar,
he really does have a head like a 50 pence piece, how on earth he
misses so many easy chances I'll never know.
In the end a draw was about right to be honest,
Forest played the better football and looked a threat but Rangers
had the better chances. Plenty to work on for Rangers who look a
side low in confidence and in desperate need of someone who can
score goals.
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