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BBC - QPR 1-0 Southampton
Richard Langley's first-half penalty was the difference between QPR and Southampton as Nigel Quashie missed from the spot against his old club. Danny Higginbotham felled Gareth Ainsworth after 21 minutes and Langley sent Paul Smith the wrong way. Theo Walcott justified Arsenal's interest in him but the winger missed an equaliser when he shot over the bar.
Quashie was unlucky too as he was brought down under pressure from Steve Lomas but his kick hit the post.
QPR manager Ian Holloway: "We didn't get close to Blackburn last week and that was definitely a lot better. "They have got quality kids but we got in close, got in tight and got in their faces. "We rode our luck a little bit but I enjoyed the performance. We looked like a proper team."
Southampton head coach George Burley: "In the second half we got on top. We pinned them back and got the penalty after a good move but unfortunately we missed it.
"If we had knocked that in, I think we would have gone on to win the game.
"We've got a lot of hard work to do and it's not going to change overnight. It's going to take time."
QPR: Royce, Bignot, Shittu, Santos (Taylor 78), Rose, Ainsworth (Donnelly 88), Lomas, Langley, Cook, Baidoo (Moore 84), Furlong. Subs Not Used: Milanese, Evatt.
Goals: Langley 21 pen.
Southampton: Smith, Lundekvam, Powell, Higginbotham, Dyer (Fuller 45), Quashie, Oakley, Belmadi, Prutton, Blackstock (Jones 68), Walcott. Subs Not Used: Cranie, Bialkowski, Mills.
Booked: Powell.
Att: 15,494
Ref: M Jones (W http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_1/4590230.stm
Southampton Official Site Report
QPR 1 Saints 0 - report
George Burley went with an attacking formation fielding both pacy wingers Nathan Dyer and Theo Walcott. The 16-year-old played despite continuing speculation linking him with a move to Arsenal.
The duo were interchangeable on the flanks with Djamel Belmadi pushed forward to support Dexter Blackstock.
Burley welcomed back three players from injury. Matthew Oakley returned in the centre of midfield, Darren Powell came into the centre of defence and Danny Higginbotham made his first appearance under the new boss.
However Chris Baird was ruled out by a dead leg and Marian Pahars was not quite ready for a place on the bench.
Saints were looking for their first win at Loftus Road (against either QPR or Fulham) since Jason Dodd made his debut in a 4-1 victory here back in October 1989.
QPR were without Kevin Gallen, Marc Nygaard, Marc Bircham, Tom Doherty and Martin rowlands but welcomed back Steve Lomas and Matthew Rose from injury. Andrew Taylor on loan from Blackburn was on the bench.
QPR: Royce, Bignot, Shittu, Rose, Cook, Ainsworth (Donnelly 86), Santos (Taylor 78), Langley, Furlong, Baidoo (Moore 83), Lomas. Subs: Milanese, Evatt.
Saints: Smith, Prutton, Lundekvam, Powell, Higginbotham, Dyer (Fuller 45), Oakley, Quashie, Walcott, Belmadi, Blackstock. Subs: Cranie, Mills, Jones, Bialkowski.
Referee: M Jones Attendance: 15,494
Saints suffered a set-back even before kick-off. Darren Kenton was hurt during the warm-up so David Prutton was promoted from substitute with Matthew Mills moving onto the bench.
Burley looked to be trying an innovative formation which was effectively 4-2-3-1 with Oakley and Quashie holding and three livewire midfielders pushing up to support Blackstock whenever possible.
Smith got down smartly to his right to stop a low 20-yard drive by Cook as the home side began brightly.
Walcott showed the first glimpse of his pace winning a corner from Bignot. Walcott's flag-kick was met by a thumping header by Powell which beat the keeper but was cleared off the line by Bignot on five minutes.
Powell was judged to have brought down Baidoo who spun past him in the D of the penalty area. But Furlong's blast was blocked by the breaking wall.
Langley strode forward but hammered well over rom 25 yards. Then Prutton and Blackstock combined to set up Belmadi whose dipping volley flew wide on 12 minutes.
Powell survived an appeal for handball in the box. Powell nodded behind in a mix-up with Lundekvam but Higginbotham headed away the dangerous corner.
QPR took the lead on 20 minutes when Cook's long rang blast was beaten out by Smith. Higginbotham was first to the rebound but miscued the clearance and as he tried to retrieve the damage he pushed Ainsworth in the back.
The referee pointed to the spot and LANGLEY sent Smith the wrong way, stopping his run with more than a mere shuffle before blasting just inside the right post.
Belmadi almost produced and instant response but his 18-yard low drive was comfortably saved. Prutton's low cross was kicked away from Walcott on the edge of the area and then Higginbotham headed out a dangerous cross.
Saints thought they had gone further behind on 34 minutes when another Cook shot was palmed out by Smith and Furlong was on hand to sweep into the roof of the net from six yards - only to be ruled offside as he posed for a celebration!
Southampton almost levelled two minutes later when Blackstock used his strength to hook the ball back into the goalmouth. Walcott showed great technique to keep the volley down but Royce beat out the blast and Walcott fired over from the rebound with the goal seemingly at his mercy - although the ball would not quite come down for him.
Furlong had a tame 18-yard shot comfortably saved and then Belmadi was fouled just as went to shoot from 20 yards and almost level with the right edge of the area four minutes before the break. Quashie hit the free-kick into the wall.
Good work by Oakley found Dyer down the right. His cross was laid off by Blackstock for Walcott whose 18-yard shot was charged down in the final minute of the half.
One minute was added but neither side posed a threat.
Half-time: QPR 1 Saints 0
Saints replaced Dyer with Fuller at the start of the second half as they reverted to a more orthodox 4-4-2. Baidoo had a shot deflected behind by Lundekvam and from the corner Santos had a header blocked.
Powell got in the way of a Furlong drive and Lundekvam was stuck by a long-rage effort from Rose.
The large contingent of travelling fans were pumping up the volume with continual chants of "George Burley's Red and White Army" - but their team were unable to match the intensity.
Quashie was doing his best to drive the side on and fired high over from 20 yards to jeers from fans of his former club
Walcott surged forward but was unable to control the return pass from Quashie. At the other end Smith comfortably saved Cook's 20-yarder.
Royce punched clear a cross by Prutton who had been found by Higginbotham's crossfield free-kick as Saints stepped it up in response to the support from their fans.
Belmadi's low drive went through the wall from a 28-yard inside right free-kick but Royce got down to his left to smother. Powell was booked on 71 minutes either for the foul or the scuffly melee which followed.
Santos was stretchered off clearly in a lot of pain 15 minutes from time.
While Rangers were down to 10 men, Saints won a penalty of their own. Walcott showed good control and drive to reach the byline. He just kept the ball and pulled back for Belmadi who laid off to Quashie. The skipper was bundled off the ball but got up to take the spot-kick himself and slammed against the base of the right post.
It came back at him without anyone else touching it and so the referee blew for an indirect free-kick as the QPR fans jeered their former hero.
It was the first penalty Saints have missed in open play since April 1997 when Jim Magilton had his effort saved in a 2-0 win over West Ham.
Before the resumption, Taylor replaced Santos. Smith saved a Cook free-kick whipped in low from the right.
Walcott was booked for a foul of frustration on Lomas with seven minutes left as Moore came on for Baidoo.
Cook's shuffle teed up Langley whose 20-yard sidefoot was easily saved. Rangers sent on Donnelly for Ainsworth four minutes from time.
Moore nutmegged Lundekvam to bear down on goal but smith was off his line quickly to block as four minutes were added.
In injury-time Langley teed up Moore who tried to let the ball run and then miscued wide of the left post and then Belmadi sent a deep swinging cross-shot wide of the far post from the left.
Full-time: QPR 1 Saints 0
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