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| Welcome to .... |
Another season, another pasting at Loftus Road, and for some of us, an even more dire nite than usual, if one includes projectile vomiting on Shepherd’s Bush high street. I ate a Mediterranean lamb stew and knocked it back with a pint and a half of Erdinger. I thought it was the speed I ate and drank these things, but my innards today tell me there was more to that ‘stew’ than met the eye. Tho any restaurant with a cat eating her dinner at the table (sat on a chair) outside is normally fine by me. (Her name was ‘Boss’ and she was a 6 month old cutie).
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| Nearly there... |
Of course, that was before I got IN the pub. Christ, we should get those 2 guys at the door in our defence. No away fans, so half our lot pretended to know nowt about football (easy) or had to be picked up at the door by Phil (resplendent in a blue away shirt. How does THAT work?) It appeared that if you rocked up in the office attire of jumper and collared shirt, you were in. Still, Erdinger on tap. In plastic glasses. So, they root out the riff-raff and still charge you the earth for the honour of drinking from plastic. I problies felt sick before I left the pub.
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| The view from the top tier. |
On to the match and at least we’d made the effort to buy a ticket in advance, limited view, £28. (As expected, there was plenty of space, so we sat where we liked and plonked ourselves right behind the goal). Marvellous view (as long as the rows in front were empty – they were), and about 6 inches of leg space. Brentford was similar. Is West London populated by dwarves? But pity the poor few (Stu) who bought a ticket on the night: THIRTY SEVEN F***ING QUID. Now, obviously, Stu only paid cos he likes our company, rarely sees us, and is a masochist anyway. But this is CRIMINAL. (Bearing in mind I wouldn’t even have paid the £33).
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| I wasn't aware it had closed... |
I missed the kick-off, and thereby the chance to see Ben10 mascot us for the hundredth time. That kid’s made more appearances than Hassell! I had a good feeling too. For the first time since EVER, I felt I was going to QPR confidently knowing we are a better team than them. This lasted for about 3 minutes, or however long I was in the ground when we conceded. A cross, a flick, and the ball just hit the heel of a forward and trickled in. Jammy ba5tards. Still, poor defending, and there was plenty of it 1st half.
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| Match action |
Thereafter, both sides looked decidedly average. Scowen put his foot through a couple of shots (over) while Marley (centre forward!) had one chance blocked with Kent blazing the rebound over. Later, we went 2 on 1 and while Kent overlapped, Armstrong pussied a ridiculous sidefoot effort to the keeper. Pathetic. Then, with time ticking at the end of the half, Marley rounds a defender, fires across the keeper…and it’s cleared off the line. Well covered, dammit. QPR meantime hit the bar from a header and Davies dived low to his left to save a sweetly connected 20 yarder.
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| The salubrious surroundings of the concourse. |
2nd half, I don’t think either side got going. Mowatt was dragged off in midfield and a re-shuffle brought Bradshaw up top, Scowen moving centre and Marley out wide. We still looked s***. Or at the very least ‘unlikely to score’. Then a ball was whacked out wide by QPR, it hit their man and proceeded to drop kindly for him to run onto and cross. Jammy ba5tards. And he whips in a beautiful cross to the front post where MacDonald and their bloke challenge to get the last touch. Apparently it’s MacDonald. Jammy ba5tards. (Only kidding, great cross).
The game meandered on, then Hecky threw on Hedges and Hamill for the last 20. Finally, we look like something going forward and a hopeful long ball is flicked on with his boot by Hedges and Bradshaw runs on, rounds the keeper and strokes it home. We have pulled one back. The atmosphere is still flat. We know. That’s it for another evening at Loftus Road. 3 draws, 20 defeats and counting…since our last win here. It comes to something when fans are reminiscing about a draw, once (Martin Bullock scoring the equaliser, despite trying to clear the bar from under it).
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| A late free kick is wasted. |
*** James. Put his foot on the ball, rounded people, ran at people, gave himself time and space.
Otherwise, I’m struggling, so….
** Kent. Looked dangerous 1st half. (I know, I couldn’t believe it either) then disappeared 2nd (I could believe that). I’m obviously not the only one exasperated with this fellow, cos one Reds fans was giving him some right abuse, inviting him to p*** off back to Liverpool. Unless it was Waddington, and he was talking about Hamill…
* Hamill. At least there was some threat once the maestro came on.
Londontykes' Top 3:
1. James 2. Hamill 3. Roberts
Despatches:I can barely think of a morsel to write about the rest. Yes, the centre halves cleared a few balls, but yes, the goals came from crosses. As Stuart said ‘2-1 flattered both teams; it had nil-nil written all over it.’ Another crap nite in the Bush. And Bristol City equalised.
Onwards and upwards!
Drink du jour: Erdinger on tap.
Away: 526 Reds fans wishing they were somewhere else from the 1st minute onwards.
The Damage:
28 ent
I refuse to give ‘em any more of my money.
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| Loftus Road panorama |
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| Full time. Another defeat in Shepherd's Bush. |
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