With Rangers enjoying an extended run in the FA Cup, albeit via a third round replay, Sheffield United made their second visit to Loftus Road in a month as we searched for a victor and with the winners earning a trip to Bolton as a reward for their efforts in a weeks time.
For the second time this season I decided against making the trip, as I have also decided to do on Saturday so I’ll be reporting from the comfort of my bed again I’m afraid. I’m unsure of who from the Lofty Heights gang made the effort on a cold night in W12, although I do know that Jenson, Sam and Karl did go, the poor things!
Paul Hart selected the same starting eleven that earned the 1-1 draw at Bramall lane 10days ago.
Rangers started the game off the brighter of the two teams and it wasn’t long before the first chance of the game was made by the R’s.
Ramage’s throw in was taken down by Simpson and he poked it to the edge of the box to the advancing Leigertwood, fresh from signing his new contract extension, his effort flew just wide of the post.
Rangers were soon back on the attack with Routledge down the left side and his pass to Faurlin was just outside the area and the Argentine’s curling effort was palmed away by Blades ‘keeper Bunn.
Bunn was again called into action, this time rather unexpectantly. Agyemang burst down the left hand side and drilled his cross into the Sheffield United six yard box, the ball cannoned off Taylor and Bunn was on hand to superbly tip the ball around for a corner.
With Rangers seemingly in complete control it was a shock when United took the lead.
Montgomery floated his cross over to the back post, Williamson was allowed time to pull the ball down and then fired home from close range, poor defending by the Rangers defence.
Buoyed by their goal it was the Blades who started to take control of the game.
Gary Borrowdale was lucky not to concede a penalty for a shove on Ched Evans as the Welshman controlled a cross and was looking to pull the trigger, former R’s striker Bradley Allen in the commentary box couldn’t believe how it wasn’t a penalty and the R’s lived on.
Then Rangers were given another lifeline, this time by the crossbar!
James Harper’s long ball released Ched Evans, who beat the Rangers offside trap, and with only Cerny to beat his effort cannoned off the bar and into safety.
There was one last Rangers effort before the half come to an end.
Borrowdale sent in a cross at the second time of asking, it was met by Kaspers Gorkss and his effort was cleared off the line by Geary.
Well the half time interval involved me concentrating on the snooker that I had on in the background during the first time and proved to be far more entertaining and pleasurable, I was half tempted to turn the commentary off but I stayed loyal to the cause and braved the radio waves.
The second half seemed to start with Rangers being the more lively of the two teams.
Several chances were dragged wide as the R’s looked to claw their way back into the game.
The announcement of the attendance of today’s game was announced 12minutes into the second half. 5,780 in total made the effort to watch this FA Cup tie. The only time that Rangers have had less fans in the stadium this year was in the 2nd round of the League Cup vs Accrington Stanley! Hearing many reasons for not attending being read out, many of them were along the lines of the poor football that was being played by the R’s and some were blaming Paladini, some were blaming the lack of money spent and that they would prefer it if we spent money on players and not compensation packages for the lengthening list of former managers that we have.
During the time I wrote that paragraph, between 50mins and 65mins, absolutely nothing of any note happened in the game.
Sheffield United made the first substitution of the game and what a telling sub it was!!
Within seconds of coming on Jamie Ward was clear through on goal and his shot that was straight at Cerny trickled over the line to make it 2-0 to United.
Paul Hart instantly made his first sub of the game. Faurlin came off and was replaced by Taarabt. The sub was greeted by a chorus of boo’s and chants of “You don’t know what you’re doing!”
Straight from the kick off Sheffield United scored a third!
Gary Borrowdale gave the ball away to Jamie Ward and Richard Cresswell anticipated the early cross and made it 3-0 to the visitors.
The fun didn’t end there!!
Rangers went up the other end and were awarded a very controversial penalty! Taarabt’s volley was blocked and put out for what seemed to be a corner but for some reason a penalty was given, much to the commentators surprise!!
Akos Buzsaky stepped up to the plate and made no mistake from 12 yards out.
So between 46 minutes and 66minutes minutes absolutely nothing happened and then between 67minutes and 71 minutes we get three goals! Crazy! Absolutely crazy!
A second QPR substitution was made on 75 minutes. Antonio German coming on for Jay Simpson.
Well once again the game died down again when you really would’ve hoped that a fighting sprit would be displayed but unfortunately it really didn’t sound like it.
Bradley Allen in the commentary position then started to talk about the stability of the club and how these last few years he feels that we haven’t had the stability that we had which bought the success in the 70’s with Dave Sexton at the helm, Gerry Francis in the 90’s and Ian Holloway in the 00’s.
Just I’ve written that Rangers won a free kick. Buzsaky took the free kick and Damion Stewart met the ball and flicked the ball into the back of the net! 3-2 and only 90 seconds left!!
Unfortunately the fairy tale ending never came around and the score remained 3-2 to the Blades. From listening to the commentary and from texts I received from a few people that went tonight it was a well earned victory.
Again I do state that I wasn’t there tonight so if I’m not accurate with what I say then I am prepared to be shot down for any of my opinions that I put now. We just don’t seem to be a stable club at the moment and it’s now slowly becoming evident on the pitch. The appointment of Paul Hart was very rushed and I think it could soon be the downfall of our season. Time after time tonight I continually heard of a long ball being played from defence to attack and completely bypassing our midfield. You look at the quality of players we possess in the middle of the park and we are choosing to play hoofball when we are more than comfortable playing the ball on the floor and knocking it around. It worked for us earlier in the season, the only thing we lacked then was a plan B. I fear that the trigger will be pulled again shortly on another manager and that it’ll come too late in the transfer market and we’ll be stuck with a load of loan players we don’t want, I hope I’m wrong but I fear for me being right!!
All that is left to do is award a Man of the Match. I haven’t awarded it as I don’t deserve to seeing as I was laying on my bed for the duration of the game so I asked three people I that I knew were at the game. I received four candidates from the three of them, Spark (obviously a joke), Faurlin but the winner with two votes is....... Kaspers Gorkss.
QPR: Cerny, Ramage, Stewart, Leigertwood, Routledge, Buzsaky, Agyemang, Gorkss, Faurlin (Taarabt 69), Simpson (German 80), Borrowdale.
Subs not used: McWeeney, Hall, Connolly, Balanta, Ephraim.
Goals: Buzsaky (71), Stewart (88)
Bookings: Gorkss
Sheffield United: Bunn, Montgomery, Morgan, Evans, Williamson (Ward 67), Harper, Taylor, Cresswell (Henderson 74), Seip, Geary (Walker 81), Quinn.
Subs not used: Bennett, France, Stewart, Little.
Goals: Williamson (19), Ward (68), Cresswell (70)
Bookings: Evans
Referee: Mr K A Woolmer
Attendance: 5, 780
