FULL TIME FROM LOFTUS ROAD - Official Site Match Report

FULL TIME FROM LOFTUS ROAD
Posted on: Sat 26 Sep 2009

QPR 5 (Leigertwood 8; Buzsaky 15, 39; Watson 67; Foster OG 79)
BARNSLEY 2 (Foster 50, Gray 54)

BARNSLEY made a real fight of it in the second half but let QPR off the hook after battling back from three down at the break.

Despite an impressive performance in midweek against Burnley, Reds boss Mark Robins rang the changes at Loftus Road with Nathan Doyle, Ryan Shotton, Carl Dickinson and Andy Gray all coming into the starting eleven. Julian Gray and Rob Kozluk dropped to the bench while injury kept out Darren Moore and Jon Macken.

Barnsley were on the back foot inside the first two minutes when Wayne Routledge managed to dig out a cross from the right that skipped off Stephen Foster's head and dropped nicely for Akos Buzsaky at the back post. The midfielder smashed the ball well but Shotton was in the right place to make a telling block.
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The Reds responded well and Iain Hume's third minute corner caused absolute chaos in the Rangers area. The ball bounced around and eventually fell to Anderson but the Brazilian could not find the top corner and blazed high over.

Barnsley went even closer two minutes later as Anderson's first time pass sent Hume in behind the QPR defence. The striker hit his shot well but the ball just curled wide of the far post with Radek Cerny at full stretch.

QPR grabbed the lead on eight minutes but the Reds really only have themselves to blame after allowing Mikele Leigertwood to run half the length of the field and smack a low drive past David Preece from the edge of the area.

Things went from bad to worse on 15 minutes when Ben Watson picked out a fine pass to split the Reds defence wide, wide open and send Buzsaky through on goal. Buzsaky did not need a second invitation to plant a deflected shot past Preece and into the far corner.

Rangers were rampant and almost had a third on 18 minutes as again Watson picked open the new-look Barnsley defence to put Routledge through and the winger beat Preece from a tight angle only for his effort to cannon away off the foot of the far post.

Barnsley slowly found their feet and Hugo Colace saw a shot cannon away for a corner on 19 minutes after Rangers had failed to deal with Shotton's long throw.

Good play by Doyle then caught Rangers flat-footed on 23 minutes as he found Anderson on the edge of the box but the midfielder was denied a goal as Cerny dove to grab his curling effort. Butterfield then lashed a volley high over the bar moments later as the Reds enjoyed their best spell of the game in QPR territory. It was the right reaction from the visitors.

Barnsley were still looking shaky on the counter attack and good play by Rowan Vine and Jay Simpson gave Martin Rowlands the chance to shoot on 28 minutes but the ball crashed in the Colace and away. Buzsaky then hammered one a foot or so over the top from 22 yards seconds later.

The Reds finally got in behind QPR on the half hour as Jacob Butterfield never gave the ball up and ended up at the byline after Gary Borrowdale had missed his clearance. Butterfield put a goal on a plate for Andy Gray but Damion Stewart was in the right place to put the striker off and the chance went begging.

Adam Hammill then had Cerny scrambling as he curled one from 25 yards on 31 minutes but his effort just flew wide of the post.

Rangers forced to play again on 33 minutes as Watson put Barnsley under pressure from Watson's corner. Stewart saw a header deflect over the top of Preece's goal.

It was a case of one tackle, one booking for Shotton on 36 minutes as the on loan defender went in hard on Leigertwood. It was a nothing tackle but referee Karl Evans was quick to show a yellow card.

Barnsley crafted another fine chance on 38 minutes as Doyle's long ball gave Gray something to attack in the area. Gray knocked the ball down to Hume, who's quick feet found Anderson but Borrowdale appeared from nowhere to stop the Brazilian rolling a shot past Cerny.

QPR ended Barnsley's brave fight in spectacular fashion just moments later. If the Reds' defence had been at fault for the opening goals, there was nothing they could have done about Buzsaky's audacious strike from 35 yards which flew over Preece and into the top corner.

Anderson picked up a booking practically from the restart while Rowan Vine almost added a fourth on 42 minutes when he tricked his way into the area before bringing a fine one-handed save from Preece.

Barnsley started the second half with purpose after an interval rollicking from manager Robins. It was QPR though who crafted the first chance on 48 minutes as Jay Simpson turned well and shot into the sidenetting.

The Reds got a foothold back into the game just two minutes later when Hume swung over a fine free kick from the left and Foster rose highest to nod past Cerny from 12 yards out.

Hume went close again on 52 minutes as he reacted quickest after Shotton's long throw had bounced around on the penalty spot. Hume smashed his shot into a crowd of players but the ball flew clear.

Barnsley had the chance to get right back into it on 54 minutes as Hammill raced towards goal only to be checked in the area by Stewart. The referee pointed straight to the spot but Andy Gray's penalty was saved by Cerny. Thankfully the ball came back out and Gray was able to smash it into the back of the net.

Again Barnsley paid the price for the referees one foul, one booking policy as Kozluk, who had only been on the pitch a matter of moments, held off Buzsaky on half way line. Buzsaky hit the deck and Kozluk picked up a yellow card.

It was turning into a real cracker in the early autumn sunshine at Loftus Road. Simpson hit the sidenetting on the hour mark after finding a yard behind Dickinson. Buzsaky then hammered one high over the bar on 64 minutes after a lightening counter from the home side.

There was almost more drama a minute later after Hammill took on QPR single-handed before curling a shot towards the top corner that brought an outstanding one-handed save from Cerny.

Daniel Bogdanovic then managed to get in behind QPR on 66 minutes and crossed for Gray but the ball just skipped in front of the striker and a golden chance went begging.

Rangers grabbed a killer fourth goal they simply did not deserve on 68 minutes. Buzsaky did well down the left to cross and Vine knocked it down to Watson who crashed a volley goalward. Preece managed to get both hands on the ball but it agonisingly squirmed out of his grasp and across the line.

Preece had to work again on 70 minutes as he saved well from Adel Taarabt, who let fly from the edge of the box.

Rangers grabbed a fifth on 79 minutes as the Reds failed to deal with Buzsaky's right wing corner. Kaspars Gorkss nodded the ball back across the six-yard box and a combination of Foster, Stewart and Simpson turned the ball over the line.

Still the chances came for the men in red and Hammill swung over a fine free kick on 83 minutes that gave Shotton a great free header at the back post but the defender completely missed the ball and the opportunity went begging. Hammill then crossed on 88 minutes to give Colace half a chance but the midfield volleyed well wide of the mark.

It really summed up the Reds day in stoppage time when Campbell-Ryce looked to take a quick free kick only to smack the ball into Watson four yards away. The referee waved play on - rather inexplicably - and Rangers almost crafted a sixth as Rowlands burst into the area only to be halted by a combination of Foster and Preece.

QPR: Cerny, Stewart, Leigertwood, Routledge (Faurlin 68), Vine (Taarabt 68), Buzsaky, Gorkss, Rowlands, Watson, Simpson (Pellicori 79), Borrowdale.
Subs: Heaton, Ramage, Mahon, Ephraim.

BARNSLEY: Preece, Doyle, Foster, Shotton, Dickinson, Anderson, Colace, Butterfield (Kozluk 56), Hammill, Hume (Bogdanovic 59), A. Gray (Campbell-Ryce 75).
Subs: Rusling, Devaney, J. Gray, Thompson.

Referee
Karl Evans (Lancashire)
Assistant Referees
John Farries (Oxfordshire) and Eamonn Smith (Surrey)
Fourth Official
Barry Holderness (Essex)

Attendance - 12,025

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