QPR Win at Southampton - Various Match Reports & Comments

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UPDATED LEAGUE TABLE

QPR Official Site - Southampton 1 QPR 2

Rangers turned the formbook upside down to clinch a valuable, yet thoroughly deserved victory at St Mary's.
First half goals from former Saint Dexter Blackstock and fellow front-man Ray Jones made it two wins on the bounce for new R's boss John Gregory.
Victory was no less than QPR deserved, on an afternoon when each and every player shone against a Southampton side occupying a play-off place at the start of the day.
Rangers led 2-1 at the break, with Blackstock and Jones on target after Jermaine Wright's early goal gave Southampton a dream start.

Wright arrived bang on cue to volley home Mario Licka's cross on two minutes, albeit with the aid of a heavy deflection.

It took Rangers a good 15 minutes or so to settle, but in truth, all John Gregory's men had to show for their early efforts was a fierce Martin Rowlands strike which Kelvin Davis tipped to safety.

But Rangers are a resolute bunch under the new management structure, and when Lee Cook found Blackstock six-yards from goal, the former Southampton striker bagged only his third goal in QPR colours.

And the first half comeback was complete four minutes before the break, when teenager Jones fired home after robbing Davis of possession by the corner flag.

The new gaffer named an unchanged side for his first away match in charge of the R's.

Paul Jones and Dexter Blackstock lined up against their former Club, the latter for the first time since joining QPR in the summer, while Marc Bircham retained the captain's armband.

Chelsea loanee Jimmy Smith was named amongst the R's substitutes, as was fit-again Club Captain Kevin Gallen.

Rangers trailed inside 110 seconds, to a deflected Wright goal.

Licka's cross from the left flank fell perfectly for the former Ipswich Town midfielder, who - with the aid of a deflection off Damion Stewart - volleyed the ball past the unsighted Paul Jones.

And but for a fantastically timed tackle by Zesh Rehman five minutes later, Bradley Wright-Phillips could've made it two, after Rangers yet again failed to deal with a Rudi Skacel set-piece.

The R's were second best all over the park in the opening exchanges, as Gregory cut a frustrated figure in the QPR technical area.

And his worse fears were almost compounded on 12 minutes, when a trademark Gareth Bale free-kick from fully 25-yards, forced Paul Jones into a fine save.

Undeterred, Rangers should have scored themselves on 16 minutes through Rowlands.

Lee Cook played provider, teasing his way into the box before laying the ball on a plate for Rowlands, whose powerful near post strike was superbly tipped to safety by Davis.

Matthew Rose was forced from the fray midway through the half, with Pat Kanyuka replacing him.

His arrival prompted a defensive reshuffle, with Marcus Bignot moving to left back, Rehman to right back, and Kanyuka partnering Damion Stewart at the heart of the back four.

Grzegorz Rasiak almost doubled the hosts' advantage on 24 minutes, rising tallest to meet a Gareth Bale cross, which Paul Jones did well to gather at the first attempt.

Jones had to be at his agile best again on the half hour, diving full length to his left to tip round dangerman Licka's deflected free-kick.

Despite continually struggling to get to grips with their high-flying opponents, Rangers were on terms on 35 minutes and what a goal it was too.

Blackstock returned to haunt his former Club with a splendid header, but only after Rowlands and Cook played their part in a terrific, free-flowing move.

The former arrowed an inch-perfect 70-yard ball into the path of Cook, who after two unsuccessful attempts at beating the first man, whipped in an enticing cross, which the former Saints striker finished with aplomb.

The travelling QPR faithful were in dreamland six minutes later when Jones - with Davis attempting to usher the ball out of play by the corner flag - intercepted and curled home a delightful finish from the tightest of angles.

Neither side offered anything in the way of goalscoring attempts in the opening 10 minutes of the second half, prompting Saints boss George Burley to introduce livewire Nathan Dyer.

The Southampton substitute made an immediate impact, volleying an innocuous effort on goal, which Jones did well to tip round.

Gregory responded by introducing debutant Smith and Steve Lomas on 62 minutes, with Bircham and Bailey making way.

But it was Southampton who continued to pose the greater threat in the final third, with Dyer seeing his shot blocked by a combination of Jones and Stewart.

Stewart almost put the game to bed at the other end two minutes later, rising high to meet Cook's corner kick.

The Jamaican international made a terrific contact, but the ball sailed a yard or so wide of Davis' left hand post.

Rangers were beginning to enjoy the lion's share of possession as the match reached its final 15 minutes and when Rehman found Smith in a wide position, the highly-rated youngster sent in a splendid centre, which Blackstock fired over from an acute angle.

Rehman was enjoying the freedom of the right flank from his unorthodox full-back position and after beating two men with ease, the former Fulham man shot high and wide from fully 25-yards.

The toot on referee Mr D'Urso's whistle at full time signalled the start of a QPR party in the away end - and they had every right to celebrate, after more than playing their part in an enthralling away day for the R's.

Southampton: Davis, Makin, Pele, Baird (Jones 70), Bale, Skacel, Licka, Viafara, Wright (Dyer 57), Rasiak, Wright-Phillips (Surman 77).
Subs: Miller, Ostlund.
Scorers: Wright 2
Bookings: Licka 90
Sending Offs:
QPR: P Jones, Bignot, Rehman, Stewart, Rose (Kanyuka 21), Rowlands, Bircham (Lomas 62), Bailey (Smith 62), Cook, R Jones, Blackstock.
Subs: Royce, Gallen.
Scorers: Blackstock 35, R Jones 41
Bookings: Rehman 43
Southampton

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SOUTHAMPTON OFFICIAL SITE REPORT
nigo Idiakez and Djamel Belmadi were ruled out by a tight hamstring and a groin problem respectively.

That meant a league debut for Mario Licka in the centre of midfield with Jermaine Wright on the right. Chris Makin switched to right-back with Gareth Bale returning on the left.

Former Saints Dexter Blackstock and Paul Jones lined up against their old club for QPR who left new loan signing Jimmy Smith on the bench.

Saints: Davis, Makin, Baird, Pele (K Jones 69), Bale, Wright (Dyer 56), Licka, Viafara, Skacel, Rasiak, Wright-Phillips (Surman 77). Subs: Ostlund, Miller.

QPR: P Jones, Bignot, Rehman, Stewart, Rose (Kanyuka 21), Rowlands, Bircham (Lomas 62), Bailey (Smith 62), Cook, Blackstock, R Jones. Subs: Gallen, Royce.

Referee: Andy D'Urso (Essex) Attendance: 25,185

Saints took just 108 seconds to take the lead as Skacel crossed from the left, pulling back to WRIGHT on the edge of the area.

He met it first time on the drop with what looked a routine shot to save but it presumably took a deflection to fly past the wrongfooted Jones for the midfielder's first goal for the club to the delight of the club's biggest crowd of the season.

Saints almost stretched their lead on 11 minutes when they won a free-kick 25 yards out. Bale got the nod over Skacel and clipped over the wall towards the bottom right corner. But Jones, 40 in April, defied the years to get across well to his left to make a great fingertip save.

But Rangers went close on 16 minutes when Rowlands got free to the right of goal and whipped in a fierce angled shot which Davis did well to beat round the near post.

Licka was surprised to find play waved on as he got free on the right and he overhit the cross from a good position.

The visitors were forced to make a change on 21 minutes when Rose limped off to be replaced by Kanyuka.

Bale's deep cross was met at the far post by Rasiak climbing well but Jones was well positioned to save.

Saints got another central free-kick, this time 30 yards out and this time Skacel hit it. The shot took a deflection off the wall but Jones got across well to his left to tip round the post on 28 minutes.

The resulting corner was met at the near post by Rasiak whose glancing back header flew over the bar.

Out of the blue Rangers equalised on 33 minutes - and almost inevitably it was former Saints striker BLACKSTOCK who got it with a clinical diving header from a Cook cross on the left. As the defence switched off, he was left free to steer his third goal for QPR just inside the right post.

And astonishingly the visitors took the lead seven minutes later thanks to a misjudgement by Davis who tried to let the ball run out of play to his left.

But Ray JONES darted round the back to nick the ball away and from an almost impossible angle at the edge of the area he rolled an inch-perfect shot into the unguarded goal.

Bignot was booked for a foul and Viafara had an 18-yard shot blocked by Stewart. He then had a long-range drive saved by Jones in the first of two minutes stoppage time.

Half-time: Saints 1 QPR 2

Rangers began the second half strongly, applying early pressure while Saints laboured to get going.

A long throw by Makin was flicked on by Viafara but hooked clear by Bignot as the game stagnated into a dour midfield battle with neither side finding any fluency.

That prompted Gorge Burley to send on Dyer for Wright on 56 minutes in a bid to add pace and width to open up the game.

Saints went close two minutes later when Rasiak failed to control cleanly in the box and Wright-Phillips pounced to hook in a shot which Paul Jones tipped away to his left.

Rangers made a double switch on 62 minutes sending on Lomas and Smith for Bircham and Bailey who both took their time leaving the field.

Rowlands clipped a 25-yard left-sided free-kick over the bar and then Viafara had a cross blocked by Lomas at the expense of a corner which was cleared by Stewart.

Saints made a second change in a bid to get back into the game with Kenwyne Jones coming on for Pele with 21 minutes remaining. It almost had an immediate impact as a left-wing free-kick by Skacel came to Jones at the far post but his shot was well saved by Paul Jones.

Viafara dropped into the centre of defence as Saints went 4-3-3 in an attempt to find an equaliser. But Rangers almost stretched their lead when Stewart put a free header wide from a left-wing corner.

Cook had a 28-yard free-kick blocked by the wall. then Blackstock ghosted in unchecked at the far post but prodded over from a right-wing cross which had been allowed to travel right across the face of goal.

Burley played his final card with 13 minutes remaining sending on Surman for Wright-Phillips.

Bale hung up a good cross from the left but Rasiak's looping header was saved and then Licka fired over from 25 yards after optimistic appeals for a penalty when Surman's shot hit Stewart in the face.

Rasiak headed wide from a Skacel corner on the left then Bale worked space for a cross which was turned behind by Bignot for the first of two corners on the left. the second saw Bale turn sharply and curl a right-foot shot which Paul Jones saved.

In the final mi ute Licka was booked for clipping the heels of Cook as he threatened to break through.

Five minutes were added, giving the home fans a lift and they urged the team on as Bignot cleared from Kenwyne Jones in the box.

An overhead kick by Dyer appeared to hit the hand of Stewart at close range and then Skacel just failed to keep the ball in as he nicked it away from Paul Jones.

Full-time: Saints 1 QPR 2
Southampton

SOUTHAMPTON MANAGER POST MATCH COMMENTS
George Burley admitted his Saints side gifted QPR their shock 2-1 victory at St Mary's this afternoon.

Despite taking a second-minute lead with Jermaine Wright's first goal for the club, Saints were unable to secure a fifth successive win for the first time since 1994.
They were undone by a free header from their former striker Dexter Blackstock and a howler from Kelvin Davis just before the break.

The keeper was attempting to let the ball run out of play but Ray Jones nipped in behind to nick the ball and squeeze home a shot from an almost impossible angle.
Despite second-half pressure, Saints were unable to prevent a first home defeat since March.

Burley said: "We started very well and almost totally controlled the first half but we gave them two presents for their goals which was very disappointing.
"They were giftwrapped which was hard to take after starting so well and to go in 2-1 down at half-time was disappointing to say the least.

"We had so much of the play that it was a real bodyblow to go behind. We camped in their half and created some good chances and no-one could foresee us conceding a goal but it was a game where the breaks did not go for us and you are going to get those.
"We huffed and puffed at the start of the second half but in the last 20 minutes we did everything but score.

"I suppose it was inevitable that Dexter would get a goal. It so often happens that a player goes back to his old club and scores and he is always dangerous in the box.
"The winner was a sickener but that is the nature of the goalkeeping position and Kelvin Davis has been outstanding since he came to the club.

"It was a bad mistake and he knows he should have kicked it out of play but he has been first-class for us in the last few weeks.
"That winning run has now come to an end and we now have two weeks to regroup and get ready to go again.

"It was very disappointing, especially in front of our biggest crowd of the season. They gave us tremendous support and, as always, we are very grateful to all those who turned out."
Southampton

OBSEVER
Gregory maintains the Rangers revival
Jamie Jackson at St Mary's - The Observer

AT THE finish this was the right result. Although the match was of chequered quality, Queen's Park Rangers took their chances better and executed more control. That proved decisive and gave QPR their first away win and a maximum six points since John Gregory took over as the manager at Loftus Road at the end of last month. It also ended a run of four consecutive Saints victories, when another would have equalled a mark last set 25 years ago under Lawrie McMenemy.
'We started well, with a very bright first half,' George Burley, the Southampton manager, said. 'We maybe handed QPR the goals which you can't afford to do in this league. But that is what it's like in this division. You win four on the trot, make some silly mistakes, and lose.'

The winner from Ray Jones was certainly a gift, courtesy of the Southampton goalkeeper Kelvin Davis. He attempted to let an innocuous ball run out, but instead Ray Jones nicked possession before finishing smartly from an acute angle. Had Davis apologised to the dressing room? 'Sure,' said Burley, of the man he signed for £1 million from Sunderland in the summer. 'There's nothing really you can say. But I'm sure he will save us again in the future. That's being a goalkeeper.'

As soon as Burley's team had broken from their pre-match huddle, they grabbed the initiative by scoring. Actually, it took just over two minutes, but it felt immediate. Rudi Skacel, a £1.6m summer signing from Hearts, played it into the Rangers area from the left, and Jermaine Wright side-footed it home. It was simple, but only because the visitors had been caught square while they were asleep.

Burley, looking dainty in red shorts, chose to spend the game in the technical area, directing and manoeuvring his players. Gregory was more circumspect. Yet by the end, it had proved the better and more rewarding approach. In a mediocre half of clumsy passing and touch, though, any hint of subtlety had come from Burley's men.

In the ninth minute, Grzegorz Rasiak, who has eight goals this season, passed to his strike partner Bradley Wright-Phillips. He fed Wright who quickly played in Mario Licka. It came to nothing, but at least indicated how football can be played. However, disaster then arrived for the home side and their fans who, following two goals from Rangers in seven minutes, had to listen to 'One-nil and you fucked it up' from their opposite numbers. Before Davis's nightmare came a header from Dexter Blackstock, once of Southampton. It was well directed beyond the keeper, but it arrived against the flow of play. 'To go in 2-1 down was a massive blow,' said Burley.

After 10 minutes of the restart he chose to swap Wright for Nathan Dyer. It was a straight switch, the diminutive winger taking his place on the right, when there possibly appeared a case for Burley to rejig his team's shape by pushing a third man forward. 'We tried that with 20 minutes to go, but it never worked when Kenwyne Jones came on,' Burley explained. 'So we swapped Andrew Surman for Bradley Wright-Phillips.'

Southampton did enjoy a late flurry of corners, with Rasiak appearing the sole player capable of invention for his side. It offered Southampton hope, but came to nothing. It was that kind of afternoon for the home side. Gregory will be pleased with the start to his new job, but the media won't because he refused to come out and speak to any of them and banned all his players from offering their views. For them in particular, that was a shame.
OBSERVER

INDEPENDENT
Southampton 1 QPR 2: Blackstock haunts old friends as Davis dips
By Conrad Leach at St Mary's Stadium
Published: 01 October 2006

The old boys' act came to Southampton's aid at first but it was simply a cruel illusion as it began their undoing on the South Coast. The assistance came from Paul Jones, now in QPR's goal, but who once spent five years in the Saints' colours. However, the equalising goal that lent impetus to the visitors came courtesy of Dexter Blackstock, sold for £500,000 at the end of August after a couple of years on the fringes of the first team. Things then got even worse thanks to a terrible, match-losing mistake by the home goalkeeper Kelvin Davis.

The Saints were going for five consecutive wins for the first time in 25 years but ended up with their first home defeat of the current campaign, derailing their attempts to put more pressure on Cardiff and Birmingham at the top.

This deserved win made it two out of two for QPR's new manager, John Gregory, showing he has settled back into managing after three-and-half years away. Yet, after guiding his team to a 2-0 win against Hull City last week in his first game in charge, this was a different proposition.

Southampton were third from top at the start of the day and within two minutes they took the lead with a simple goal. From the left, a high cross by Rudi Skacel drifted to Jermaine Wright and the midfielder hit his volley from 12 yards beating Paul Jones, who reacted slowly.

But Gregory appears to have instilled his side with some fighting spirit. The London club were level after 34 minutes and six minutes later were ahead. QPR had gone close when Martin Rowlands tested Davis from 15 yards out but when Blackstock met Lee Cook's cross, his header was too well-placed for the goalkeeper. The striker at least showed the affection he retains for the club by not celebrating his strike.

The goal that ultimately gave Gregory's men victory came from a horrible mistake by Davis. He attempted to dribble past Ray Jones but lost the ball and from a tight angle the 18-year-old rolled his shot into the empty net. Something upset Gregory so much he refused to talk later. Meanwhile, a disappointed George Burley said: "Davis has been outstanding. But mistakes for both goals cost us."
INDEPENDENT

Goalkeeping clanger consigns Southampton to first home defeat
Telegraph Andrew Warshaw (Filed: 01/10/2006)
Southampton (1) 1 QPR (2) 2

This should have been the game when high-flying Southampton equalled a 25-year-old record with a fifth straight win in all competitions. Instead, John Gregory, the new Rangers manager, brought his team to the south coast and watched them win away for the first time this season despite falling behind with virtually the first attack of the game.

Full houses have been few and far between since the Saints were relegated from the top flight, but there has been a real buzz again around St Mary's such is the progress made under George Burley. Yesterday his side got off to a dream start with just 90 seconds on the clock. Rudi Skacel, who joined for £1.6 million in July – his fifth club in three years – crossed from the left and Jermaine Wright finished with a sublime side-foot volley.

Gareth Bale, their highly-rated left-back linked to a string of Premiership clubs, almost doubled Southampton's lead with a 25-yard free kick that Paul Jones, now 38, and back at the club where he spent five years, just clawed to safety.

Southampton's football during this period was crisp and positive; another driving run from Bale almost provided Grzegorz Rasiak, the division's top scorer, with his ninth league goal of the season. The former Tottenham man rose above his marker, but directed his header straight at Jones.

It was an ominous start for Gregory just a couple of weeks after succeeding Gary Waddock. Martin Rowlands forced a smart save from Kelvin Davis, but that was all Rangers offered up front – until the 34th minute when they conjured an equaliser totally against the run of play.

A speculative cross into the box caught out the Southampton back-line and Dexter Blackstock powered a diving header beyond Davis for his third goal of the season.

There was no celebration from the former Saints striker, who joined Rangers in August for £250,000, having been on the south coast since he was a trainee.

However, six minutes later, Davis was picking the ball out of his net again after handing Rangers a gift-wrapped second. In what will surely go down as one of the clangers of the season, the Saints keeper opted to let the ball run out play for a goal kick, only for 18-year-old Ray Jones to sneak in and prize it away before shooting from a tight angle into an unguarded net.

Having been comfortably in command, Saints now had to chase the game. Nathan Dyer replaced the goalscorer, Wright, to add more pace to their attack, and Jones immediately turned away a goalbound effort from Bradley Wright-Phillips.

Rangers responded by stiffening their midfield, sending on both 19-year-old Jimmy Smith, signed on loan from Chelsea last week, and the experienced Steve Lomas.

Burley played his final card by replacing a defender with Kenwyne Jones and switching to a three-pronged attack. But the new formation resulted only in giving Rangers more possession and, to their credit, the visitors almost made it count instead of sitting on their lead, much to the delight of 2,000 travelling fans.

Defender Damion Stewart should have put the game beyond reach with a free header, but missed the target.

Southampton staged a late rally, but couldn't prevent their first home defeat of the season. So, not good enough on the day, but was it just a blip on their long road towards promotion? Only time will tell.
Independent


Sunday Mirror - SOUTHAMPTON 1-1 QPR Peter White At St Mary's

JOHN GREGORY has started turning things round for Rangers on the pitch, but he is already badly letting down their loyal fans.

After the new Rangers boss saw his side clinch their first away win in the Championship since last March, he flatly refused to convey his thoughts on the game to the supporters via the media.

Furthermore, Gregory slapped a ban on any of his players talking to the press.

By contrast, Saints manager George Burley was only too happy to discuss the game, even though it resulted in a shock defeat for his side, the first at home this season.

Saints looked to be on their way to victory when Jermaine Wright gave them the lead in the third minute and they had further chances to extend their advantage before being caught out by two sucker punches inside six minutes.

First, after 34 minutes, former Saint Dexter Blackstock dived in to head home Lee Cook's cross from the left.


Then home goalkeeper Kelvin Davis gifted the visitors a second with an horrendous error of judgement.

Davis went to the edge of his box and tried to shepherd the ball out of play, only to allow Ray Jones to rob him and score from the tightest of angles.

Burley admitted: "We started brightly enough and when we were a goal up I thought we would go on to score three or four.

"But then we handed them a

couple of goals and that was a big blow. I'm not blaming Kelvin, because he has been outstanding for us.

"He tried to let the ball run out of play, but their player managed to keep it in and then shot into an empty net.

"But Kelvin is still a very good keeper and I'm sure he will save us plenty of times in the future."

HOW THEY RATED

SOUTHAMPTON

Davis 5, Makin 6, Baird 6, Pele 6 (Jones 5), Bale 7, Wright 6 (Dyer 6), Licka 5, Viafara 7, Skacel 6, Rasiak 5, Wright-Philips 6 (Sermon 6).

MANAGER Burley 6

QPR

Jones 7, Bignot 6, Rehman 7, STEWART 8, Rose (Kanyuka 6), Rowlands 7, Bircham 6 (Lomas 6), Bailey 6 (Smith 6), Cook 6, Jones 7, Blackstock 7.

MANAGER Gregory 8

REFEREE A D'Urso 6

MAN OF THE MATCH

DAMION STEWART

Very solid at the heart of Rangers' rearguard
Sunday Mirror