***photos to follow
‘They’re like a rock band…but s***’
I can’t believe I fell for it. I was weirdly optimistic beforehand. Who cares that we’ve 3 draws and 21 defeats in Shepherd’s Bush since 1950? I had channelled my inner gypsy: the trousers I’d picked up from the dry cleaners were surely the charm needed to break the curse. I’d already decided that if they worked, they were coming next season. Reedy tried breaking the optimism; we were nowhere near the side we were last season – when we’d been beaten comfortably, again. Very true, very true. But QPR aren’t world beaters either, even if a certain Josh Scowen claimed the other week they were a ‘bigger team than Barnsley’. With less than 12,000 home fans there today, I’m not so sure – though they can certainly claim to have more supporters willing to pay £38 on the day for a middling second division game. Criminal.
After our undercover efforts to get into The Defectors Weld last season (hide your colours), we decided on a meet up in Notting Hill this time. Only knowing the place from some film I’ve never seen, I imagined Notting Hill to be some kind of middle to upper class loveliness. It reminded me of Reading. Fortunately, the pub was pleasant enough (Windsor Castle) though I noticed it claimed to be in Kensington. Yeah right. Dave even paid me for the Sunderland tickets I bought 2 months ago. While the group split between an uber and the bus, Phil went missing. He later claimed QPR wouldn’t let him in; I suspect he baulked at the £38 asking price…
The match started well. 5 mins in, a free kick is curled to the back post by Hammill, for the header across goal and Mills….to clear the bar from 6 yards. Beautifully crafted, only lacking the finish. That feeling of ‘it’s not going to be our day’ starts very early at Loftus Road, though Andy did point out when we’d made 10 mins without conceding. We spent the half looking the better side, but only had one other effort worthy of the name; a half volley from 20 yards by Hammill, tipped over. We’d been the better side, still created very little, and scored less. It didn’t look good.
We came out a different side. Not literally, we were just s*** from start to finish. And if it took Fulham 4 minutes of the second half to score last week, it takes their West London compadres 3, as Josh Scowen picks up the ball and floats a 25 yarder curler into the far corner. I thought Townsend should have done better from that distance, but to be fair, it’s the kind of goal Davies concedes too. (I seem to remember wondering after the last goal we conceded from outside the box, when the last time WE got one. I’m still wondering. Everyone else has midfielders who can kick a ball. Why don’t we?) It was their first shot on target.
Hecky tried mixing it up, bringing on Hedges and McBurnie for Hammill and Moore, but it made no difference. Then, after QPR were down to 10 men for a rash challenge on the byeline, he brought on Mahoney, the winger from Bournemouth, and went 3 at the back. With QPR running clean through twice, it’s fair to say the lack of a 4th defender made more difference. One of these was direct from a THROW-IN. I know I'm a keen fan of hyperbole, but this must be the worst defending I've EVER SEEN. Mahoney was ignored for large spells by his own team, who appeared incapable of switching play quickly. Who was it had 10 men? Townsend, by the way, saved both, one being particularly impressive. The sending off meantime, surprised Reedy, Dave and I, we all thought it was yellow at best from where we were, but our entire bench jumped up as it was in front of them. The ref stayed impassive for a few seconds, stood where he was (while everyone else was running around) and brandished the red. Nothing like giving yourself time to think.
We did though have the one chance, the one ‘nearly’….as a ball is flighted in (Mahoney?) and McBurnie headed it down….Moncur sidefoots it into the corner…right in front of us….it beats the keeper….and a defender sticks his leg out on the line. Ba5tard. Another year, another loss at Queens Park Rangers. If there’s an upside, I don’t think we’ll be here next season.
Onwards and upwards! (Not that I believe it.)
*** Mills. I thought Pearson very unlucky not to keep his place after last week, but Mills did well. Shame he missed that early chance though. How things could have been different!
** Yiadom. Not a vintage performance, and effectively marked at times, but was trying to make things happen.* McBurnie. He was everywhere. Looks rangy and dishevelled, but puts himself about. Doesn’t look like a footballer, but looks better than owt we have up front. Go figure.
Despatches:
It was a shame to hear a few boos at the end, however badly we’d played 2nd half. That said, I flounced out at the end and went to Westfield for a bit of retail therapy to cheer myself up. (I needed a suit.) I came out even more depressed. Shopping centres are awful places, aren’t they? The players? Moore looked like a carthorse. Bradshaw kept failing to control the ball with his shins. Oh, and I nearly forgot, was put clean through by Moncur….and got outpaced to it despite a headstart. It is a COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME threading balls through to our forwards. They can’t run. Moncur was ok, including an early 50 yard run through the heart of the pitch, and got a shot off (on target as I remember, but didn’t trouble the keeper). Hammill disappeared 2nd half, whileWilliams….Williams. Great to see him back, making tackles and giving the ball straight back to them. He does it ALL the time. So that meant Gardner could push up and be useless (the Potts role?) Lindsay and Penniless looked comfortable in defence.
Away: c700. I couldn’t believe it either. Who are these people willing to pay £33 (advance) or £38 (on the day) if they weren’t loyal enough (sorry) to be one of the 210 regulars who nabbed the £10 s*** seats in the corner? Course, we were some of the 210, and with some rather efficient stewarding preventing us going through another entrance, we had to enter the stand at the correct place…before we moved along to sit where we wanted. It’s one advantage of supporting a team who never fill this stand. And I can get a bus from Shepherd’s Bush to Camberwell. A cheap day out all round!
The Damage:
£10 ent
£3 prog
= £13
Drink du jour: Some pale ale or other.
The Tunes:
Utopia (Bjork)
Parallel LInes (Blondie)
Staring At The Sea (The Cure)
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