Leicester City v. QPR (3 Jan: Championship - Match 28) [R]

[Atouk]

Leicester City -- 17th, 26 GP, 7-11-8, +1 GD, 32 points
v.
QPR -- 12th, 27 GP, 11-4-12, -4 GD, 37 points
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3 January 2005 15:00
The Walkers Stadium
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Rangers News:

Paul Furlong is available today because Rangers have appealed his suspension. Furlong was due to begin a four match ban today (three for the red card and an extra one for reaching five cards!). Mark Devlin thinks the video provides a good chance for getting the red card rescinded (http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10373~608188,00.html), and noted that the FA can double suspensions if they think an appeal is frivolous and QPR wouldn't have appealed if they didn't think the sending off was in error.

Jamie Cureton is available, having served a three-match ban for a straight red.

The Opponent:

Leicester City have three losses and a draw in their last four. Here are their last six (most recent first):

A Sheffield United L, 0-2
H Rotherham L, 0-1
A Nottingham Forest D, 1-1
H Reading L, 0-2
A Leeds W, 2-0
H Plymouth W, 2-1

The First Meeting:

Rangers pulled off a marvelous come-from-behind win on September 25th at Loftus Road for a 3-2 victory after being 0-2 down at the half. One goal from Lee Cook, two from Paul Furlong.

Our thread:
http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=140075

The Series:

Rangers lead the all-time series, 20-8-16. This year's first meeting was the first in any competition since the 94/95 Premier League season, with Rangers winning at home and the teams playing to a 1-1 draw at Leicester. Before that one season, the teams hadn't met since 86/87.

The Referee:

Phil Dowd has been assigned. Of his 18 matches this season (48 yellows, 3 reds), 12 have been in the Premiership (4 Championship, 1 League One, 1 League Cup). On New Year's Day, he worked Portsmouth/Norwich. He's handed out reds in his last two matches and three of his last five. His last QPR match is a 0-2 home loss to Fulham at this level in 00/01.

[Atouk]

We're underway.

QPR starting XI:
Day; Bignot, Shittu, Santos, Edghill; Rowlands, Bircham, Miller, McLeod; Gallen, Furlong.

Bench:
Cureton, Branco, Bean, Best, Cole.

Padula not even on the bench? Don't know if he's injured.

[Atouk]

6:30 in and Leicester has been awarded a penalty (Shittu and Edghill making the challenge?). Commentator is very surprised, because first challenge was around the 18, ref let play continue, but later called the penalty.

Penalty made.

Leicester 1-0 QPR

[King Rooney]

come on leicester!!!!!

[King Rooney]

close to 2-0

[Atouk]

Leicester's Scot Gemmill left due to injury in the 14th minute; Johannes Gudjonsson came on.

Leicester's David Connolly, who scored the goal, received a yellow card in the 18th.

Martin Rowlands went into the book in the 27th minute.

Match stats are showing possession about even (52/48 Leicester) and while each team has 1 shot on goal, Leicester leads in overall shots, 4-1. Rangers lead in fouls, 9-4, meaning Leicester has more free kicks, 11-6.

[Atouk]

I stepped away for a minute, but Santos may now be playing up front. He was caught offside just a minute ago and beat the offside trap a minute later.

Rowlands hit the back of the net a minute ago, but Dan Shittu was found to be fouling his man. Damn.

[Atouk]

In injury time, Leicester was on a clean breakaway, but Bignot did well to break it up.

The R's have been doing well the last 20 minutes or so and began to pressure Leicester well. We're definitely in this thing.

Leicester 1-0 QPR
HALF TIME

[Atouk]

23,754 in attendance.

We're underway in the second half. R's have started well with nearly all the possession in the first five minutes.

[Atouk]

Rowlands puts it in the net, but the referee has again ruled it out. Looks like Furlong may have been called for the foul this time. Ouch.

[Atouk]

Danny Tiatto came on the 70th for Lilian Nalis for Leicester.

Jamie Cureton came in for Adam Miller in the 72nd. For now, he's staying in the midfield and we've still got Furlong and Gallen up top.

[Atouk]

Tiatto was booked for failing to stand 10 yards from the free kick (he kept doing it before the kick and eventually was booked right as we took the kick). The ball was then moved 10 yards to just to the edge of the 18. Santos takes and it was deflected out of play. Resulting corner came from McLeod, Rangers kept possession, but eventually gave up a goal kick.

Running out of time -- about 9 minutes plus stoppage time.

[Atouk]

Leon Best enters for Gallen. Armband goes to Bircham. Just a couple of minutes left.

[Atouk]

A scramble with about two minutes left in injury time didn't go in. Cureton's shot went off Best, Shittu's shot on the rebound was wide.

A QPR corner just as the three minutes of injury time ended resulted in a goal kick.

Not a bad performance, yet it's still our eighth straight away loss.

Leicester 1-0 QPR
FULL TIME

Next up: Saturday in the FA Cup vs. Forest at Loftus Road

[art]

Well Im about to leave for the airport and wasnt able to really listen well (the connection here in St Thomas sucks) but by the sounds of it QPR once again played well enough to get something but were somewhat unlucky. If you recall our season kinda started like this, we were playing inconsistently but when we were good we were unlucky, then it all turned around when the luck came back to us. Perhaps we're on the verge of that again. The Furs situation is huge over the next few games.

[Northside Rovers]

Damn Refs. I hate them all.

[Atouk]

The Furs situation is huge over the next few games.Excellent news! The FA has rescinded Paul Furlong's red card! (http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10373~609852,00.html) He'll still miss this weekend's FA Cup match for accumulating 5 cards, but will receive no further suspension!