QPR 1-1 Coventry
Dexter Blackstock saved QPR's blushes with an equalising goal with only three minutes to go against ten-man Coventry at Loftus Road.
Well, one word and one word only can be used to describe today at football and that is 'COLD'. I think I am right in saying that the temparature didn't rise anywhere above freezing all afternoon and I personally, would not have grumbled too much had the game been called off today. But unlike our Premier League neighbours just down the road, the game was on and one thing myself and PK were very much looking forward too on a freezing cold day, was the now becoming famous soup, which was back on sale today, but remarkably and VERY disappointingly, sold out by twenty to three!?!
Onto the game and QPR had the better of the first half with new signing, Wayne Routledge looking extremley lively, but, while they enjoyed the majority of the possession, they found little end product. The highlight of the half, came when the Championship's most annoying whingebag, Clinton Morrison, whinged and moaned his way into winding up the home supporters and then was just inches away from slicing the ball into his own net. Had it gone in, it would have brought the house down.
The Sky Blues were reduced to 10 men on 35 or so minutes, when Wright's high and reckless challenge on Helguson warranted a red card from referee Keith Stroud and this was probably the worst thing to happen to the game from Rangers point of view. Delaney stung the hands off Westwood in the Coventry goal just before half time.
Rangers were well on top in the second period, with Blackstock and Helguson missing great chances to give the R's the lead. In fact, Helguson was not having the best of days at all and gave away a needless, if not debatable free kick on the right hand side of the box on 72 minutes. With everyone expecting a cross, Fox caught everyone out and curled his free kick low into the right hand corner to give the ten men the lead.
Rangers then began to pour forward and Helguson's day got even worse. When the Coventry defender micued, the ball fell to Helguson, who sliced his effort that actually went out for a throw, when in truth, he had the time to take a touch and wave at the cameras before putting the ball home. But with all these decent chances missed and two VERY decent handball penalty appeals waved away, a bizarre goal brought the R's level with three minutes to go - Cerny's long punt upfield somehow found Blackstock in the box who bundled the ball past the advancing Westwood and into the net.
QPR: Cerny, Delaney (Ledesma 73), Stewart, Leigertwood (Di Carmine 81), Routledge, Blackstock, Gorkss, Rowlands, Connolly, Ephraim (Hall 88), Helguson. Subs: Mahon, Alberti.
Lofty's Man of the Match - Gorkss and Stewart were pretty much solid in the R's defence, which looked more assured with Matt Connolly returning to it, but today's award goes to R's debutant, Wayne Routledge.
In summary, this was yet another disappointing result and for me, although there was lots of possession, there didn't seem to be enough movement and people making runs and space in the QPR side. As mentioned, Coventry going down to 10 men certainly didn't help the game as when they went one up, the defended for their lives and credit to them for their performance. But if you look at things positively, despite 5 draws, we are now unbeaten in 6 games. In Routledge, I think we have made an excellent signing and when Lee Cook returns, I have no doubt these two wingers will supply the ammunition for the forwards and the goals will surely arrive.
Come on you R'sssss!!
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