-
Rovers return ends on sour note for Gareth
Lancashire Evening Telegraph
BLACKBURN fan Gareth Ainsworth took a nostalgic trip down Memory Lane on Saturday but his big day ultimately ended in disappointment as QPR crashed out of the FA Cup.
The Rangers wideman had waited 14 years for the chance to face the club that released him as a teenager but, despite impressing as a second half substitute, he could not prevent the Londoners from slipping to a 3-0 defeat at the hands of his childhood heroes.
"Blackburn won and Burnley lost today, which is usually a good thing for all Blackburn fans, but on this one day I'm just a little bit disappointed," admitted Ainsworth, who spent two years at Rovers as an apprentice.
"It's unfortunate but they were two quality finishes from Craig Bellamy and a good header from Toddy, so we lost 3-0 and probably deserved to do so."
Saturday's third round tie was the first time Ainsworth had been back to Ewood as a player since former Rovers manager Don Mackay took the decision to release him on his 18th birthday in May 1991.
The 32-year-old, who is QPR's top scorer this season with five goals, had hoped to start the game but, bizarrely, Rangers manager Ian Holloway left him on the bench and it was only when Ainsworth entered the fray as a 55th minute substitute, with his side already 2-0 down, that the Londoners began to pose Rovers problems.
"When I found out I was left out of the starting eleven I was absolutely devastated by that, and then when they scored two goals I was even more devastated," said Ainsworth.
"I think the plan was to maybe get me on in the second half at 0-0 and cause some havoc, but, unfortunately, that never happened and we were left desperately trying to get back into the game, which was always going to be difficult against a Premier League team.
"I thought Blackburn were different class and Craig Bellamy, in particular, scored two great goals.
"He's a friend of mine actually, I used to play in the Championship with him, and I'm really proud to see him at Blackburn because he's a quality player."
With Rangers' FA Cup dreams over for another season, Ainsworth admits he will now be following Blackburn's Cup progress with even greater interest and he believes Mark Hughes' side could have what it takes to go one better than last season's semi-final appearance.
He added: "I really hope they can. I'd forgive them for beating us if they go on and win it.
"It's a tough pill to swallow getting knocked out, especially as I had all my family here.
"But I got a great reception off all the fans and I want to thank everyone connected with Blackburn for that.
"I just hope I'll be back again at some point. I've got three or four years left in the game and if we can get in the Premier League or we draw them in one of the cups then, hopefully, I'll be back with even more venom than I had today."
http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/lancashire/rovers/sport/ROVERS3.html
Welcome to QPR REPORT - A completely unofficial and unaffiliated fan site focusing on G-d's Chosen Team, Queen's Park Rangers (QPR) FC. (Visit also QPR Report Messageboard and Follow on Twitter.) QPR Report accepts no sponsorship, advertising or financial contributions. In 2008, QPR Report was named as one of the top two blogs in the Football League
QPR Report Twitter Feed
Monday, January 09, 2006
Ainsworth Devestated About Not Starting & Disappointed about Losing
Blog Archive
-
▼
2006
(945)
-
▼
January
(93)
- QPR 2 Leicester 3 - Holloway's Post Match View
- Some Historic Games vs Leicester at Loftus Road
- Not a Single QPR Player in Taylor's 33-Man U-21 Fo...
- Recent News: QPR Sign Youssouf and are trying to s...
- Steve Yates Turned 36
- Crouch Hits the Quarter Century Mark
- Lomas Calls for Patience While he Gets Match Fit
- Nick Blackburn, Bungs & Buying a Goalie
- Ex-QPR's Martin Allen Profiled
- Ex-QPR Leroy Rosenoir Leaves Torquay
- Former England Captain Gerry Francis on Eriksson's...
- Chelesea Reserves Beat QPR REserves 1-0 .. Doherty...
- Furlong on the Season, his Playing & His Fitness
- Agents Debate
- Ex-QPR News: Cochrane Set to Leave Crewe...Griffit...
- Thirty Years Ago Today...QPR's Last Defeat on Our ...
- Miller and Bean Join Brown and Presumably soon Stu...
- Holloway - FA Not Interested in His Bung/Agents Ideas
- Bristol City's Bid for Bournemouth's James Hayter
- Others on Corruptions in Football
- Marc Devlin: Never Offered - and Never Been Offer...
- Mark Kennedy Profiled and Interviewed
- Holloway "Clarifies" re his Comments About Bungs
- Managerial Comments
- Luton Defeat QPR 2-0
- Dave Bassett Assesses Who'll Make the Playoffs - "...
- Bean Joining Blackpool on a Free
- One QPR Let Get Away... Dougie Freedman Turns 34
- Holloway on Bung allegetion Not News & FA Charge r...
- QPR's CFO, Chris Pennington Departing
- FA to Investigate Holloway's Bung Assertions
- Mirror Reveals....Holloway says offered 'Bung' for...
- Holloway Recounts his £30,000 "bung" Offer...Nick ...
- Benito Carbone
- Carbone to QPR?
- QPR's Simon Osborn Turns 34
- Aston Villa's Goalie Wayne Henderson, Joining Brig...
- Shaun Cooper signs new Bournemouth contract, so de...
- Ex-QPR, Dean Wilkins Coaches Brighton Youth to Cup...
- Birthday Greetings to....Steve Lomas, Turning 32
- Twenty-Five Years Ago Today...QPR 1 Chelsea 0
- Holloway on Walcott/Arsenal...Newell/Agents...Prem...
- Further Match Reports
- Mick Leach would be 59
- Paladini Q & A - Interviewed by QPR Net
- Holloway - More on Bungs
- Mike Sheron Q & A
- Jan Stejskal Turns 44
- Further Match Reports of Queens Park Rangers 1 Sou...
- Holloway's Response to Mike Newell's Bung Assertions
- Further Reports & Holloway/Burley Comments on QPR ...
- Holloway Comments on QPR 1-0 Win over Southampton ...
- Polish Defender, Martin Kus Joins QPR...Six Month ...
- Southampton News & Perspective
- Holloway Hoping Evatt Can Improve & Prove Himself
- Youth Goalie, Sean Thomas in the Squad
- Profiled: QPR's New Loan Signing, Blackburn's Andy...
- Injury & Transfer News
- QPR & Agents Fees - £131,600 Spent in Last 6 Month...
- Gerry Francis On Not Accepting "Bungs"
- Holloway on New Signings & Promotion Push
- Ex-QPR Youth, Lyndon Duncan, Turns 23
- Holloway on Selling Evatt & Bean...and on Gallen's...
- Happy 34th Birthdays to Mike Sheron & Alan McCarthy
- QPR Charged by FA for Stoke City Fracas
- Ainsworth on Top Six Push
- Reserves: Wycombe 2 QPR 2
- Ainsworth Devestated About Not Starting & Disappoi...
- Former Caretaker Manager, Ian Dowie Turns 41 - (Ex...
- No title
- Additional Reports
- Holloway's Comments re Game & Transfers
- Match Reports of Blackburn 3 QPR 0
- Blackburn vs QPR - Today's Teams
- Ex-QPR, Ian Watson Turns 62
- 35 Years Ago...Gordon Jago Replaces Les Allen as M...
- Blackburn vs QPR
- Venables Turns 63: One of QPR's All-time Most Infl...
- Holloway - QPR Can't Afford Marcus Stewart...Chair...
- Birthdays of Two Former QPR Assistant Managers
- Ugo Released...Others Also Going
- Burnley's Steve Cotterill Assesses Games
- Holloway's Comments
- QPR 1 Burnley 1
- QPR Lineup vs Burnley
- QPR's Board of Directors Issues Statement Rejectin...
- Remembering another New Year's Day Game vs Burnley
- Missed Birthday! Scott Donnelly Turned 18, Christm...
- Burnley Look to QPR Game
- Also Happy Birthday to ex-QPR Brian Law
- Tony Currie Turns 56 - Ex Watford, Sheff United, L...
- "Ding, Dang, Doo..." Holloway on Defending his Job
- Further Match Reports of Crewe 3 QPR 4
-
▼
January
(93)