QPR Lose 0-3 at Home to Southampton

-
QPR 0 Southampton 3
QPR with 1 point from 3 games -
Barnsley 4 4
QPR 3 1
Preston 3 1
Sheff Wed 4 0
http://www.sportinglife.com/football/live/tables/cc_champ.html

League Table

QPR: Camp, Barker, Stewart, Mancienne, Bolder, Blackstock, Rowlands, Sahar, Curtis, Ephraim, Leigertwood. Subs: Cole, Bignot, Cullip, Nardiello, Nygaard.

QPR Official Site


Rangers slumped to a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Southampton, as the heartbreaking events of the last week took their toll on John Gregory's side.

Ray Jones' untimely death seven days ago was clearly still playing on the minds of the QPR players, as they succumbed to a second home league loss of the campaign.

A first half brace from Grzegorz Rasiak and a second half header from Bradley Wright-Phillips put Rangers to the sword, in front of the watching Flavio Briatore.

On an emotional afternoon in W12, Gregory gave debuts to three new signings, in the shape of Chris Barker, Mikele Leigertwood and Ben Sahar.

Southampton boss George Burley refused the temptation to blood his new additions, Stern John and Jason Euell, with both players having to make do with a place on the substitute's bench.

After a minute's applause to honour the life of teenager Jones, both sides enjoyed an equal share of possession in a quiet opening.

The first chance of the contest arrived on the quarter hour.

Hesitancy in the heart of the R's defence allowed Wayne Thomas the time and space to manufacture a shot, which Lee Camp tipped over the bar.

But there was to be no respite and when Youssef Safri's resultant corner was flighted into the six-yard box, the unmarked Rasiak stooped to head home.

Rangers' first effort of the match arrived a minute later, when Sahar's shot on the turn from fully 25-yards was held by Kelvin Davis.

Buoyed by creating their first opportunity of otherwise quiet opening, Rangers grew in confidence as the half progressed, with Martin Rowlands stinging the palms of Davis with a 30-yard free-kick in the 25th minute.

The R's had vocal appeals for a spot-kick waved away five minutes later, when Rowlands appeared to be dragged back by Jermaine Wright as he bore down on goal.

Rasiak was very nearly the beneficiary of a poor piece of defending from Damion Stewart moments later. The Jamaican international appeared to be day-dreaming when he allowed the Polish front-man to nip in behind him and when his poor back pass was under-hit, Camp stood tall to block the goalscorer's effort from an acute angle.

With Rangers struggling to cope with the Saints quick-fire counter attacks, Rasiak could and probably should have made it two in the 41st minute.

Fine wide play from Nathan Dyer eventually led to the ball landing at the feet of the Saints striker, but he hesitated, slipped and then blasted high and wide from 15-yards.

The second goal Southampton's first half display fully deserved arrived on the stroke of half-time.

Jhon Viafara broke at pace from a QPR corner and when Camp came charging out of his box to send the roaming midfielder crashing to ground, referee Mr Thorpe played an advantage, which allowed Rasiak to tap home into an empty net.

Camp was booked for his involvement in the build-up to the goal, despite Saints' vocal appeals for the goalkeeper to be dismissed.

The R's number one came to Rangers' rescue in the first minute of added time, charging out yet again, this time to thwart Bradley Wright-Phillips.

But there was nothing the Rangers custodian could do to prevent Saints adding a third goal at the start of the second half.

Speed-merchant Dyer again provided the assist, tricking his way past Rowlands and Barker with ease before delivering an inch-perfect cross, which the unmarked Wright-Phillips headed home from close range.

Camp had to be at his agile best again to prevent Wright-Phillips from doubling his tally in the 58th minute, when he saved with his feet, while at the other end, Leigertwood teed up Hogan Ephraim, who curled an opportune effort inches over the bar.

Stewart atoned for his own error when he cleared Rasiak's chip off the line after gifting the Pole a free shot on goal, before Camp denied the same player a hat-trick, when he dived full-stretch to tip his towering header over the bar.

As players from both sides left the field of play, Ray Jones' name could be heard echoing around Loftus Road. It was a fitting end to an otherwise difficult afternoon for everyone associated to Queens Park Rangers Football Club.

QPR: Camp, Barker, Stewart, Mancienne (Cullip 83), Bolder, Blackstock (Nygaard 68), Rowlands, Sahar (Nardiello 68), Curtis, Ephraim, Leigertwood.
Subs: Cole, Bignot.
Bookings: Camp 45, Cullip 90 (+1)

Southampton: Davis, Thomas, Wright-Phillips (Saganowski 72), Rasiak (John 83), Wright, Surman (Euell 63), Viafara, Dyer, Makin, Vignal, Safri.
Subs: Bialkowski, Ostlund.
Scorers: Rasiak 17 & 45, Wright-Phillips 48
Referee: Mr M Thorpe
Attendance: 15,560 QPR

Southampton Official Site
eorge Burley made two changes to the side which beat Stoke, both enforced by injury. With Darren Powell sidelined by an ankle problem and Rudi Skacel out with an ankle, Chris Makin came into the centre of defence after shaking off a hamstring strain while Gregory Vignal returned at left-back.

The midfield and attack remained the same so there was no place in the starting line-up for new signings Jason Euell or Stern John who were both on the bench.

QPR fielded two debutants in deadline say signing Mikele Leigertwood from Sheffield United plus Ben Sahar.

But their day was dominated by memories of striker Ray Jones who was killed in a car crash last week. All the players wore his name on their shirts as a tribute and the number 31 will be retired.

However the mood was lifted somewhat by news of a £100m takeover by Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore.

QPR: Camp, Curtis, Mancienne (Cullip 83), Stewart, Barker, Rowlands, Leigertwood, Bolder, Ephraim, Sahar (Nardiello 69), Blackstock (Nygaard 69). Subs: Bignot, Cole.

Saints: Davis, Wright Thomas, Makin, Vignal, Dyer, Viafara, Safri, Surman (Euell 64), Rasiak (John 83), Wright-Phillips (Saganowski 73). Subs: Ostlund, Bialkowski.

Referee: Mike Thorpe (Suffolk).

Before kick-off there was a minute's applause in memory of Ray Jones whose family lined up on the pitch with three blue and white wreaths laid in the centre circle.

Saints began brightly with Rasiak stinging the keeper's palms from 18 yards inside 20 seconds.

Safri curled in a left-wing free-kick but Camp caught it cleanly and then Viafara fired high over from 30 yards.

Safri found Dyer in space on the right but the winger's cross drifted to the keeper. Rowlands played a neat one-two with Bolder but was robbed by Viafara as he tried to dart into the box.

Surman's long-range shot hit a hand, giving Saints 25-yard free-kick but Safri hit the wall. Wright-Phillips was first to the loose ball and crossed for Dyer who tried to chest back for Surman but Stewart cleared.

Saints escaped on 15 minutes when Blackstock went down under a challenge by Thomas as he burst through on goal behind the back line but the referee waved away penalty appeals.

Saints broke and won a corner on the right. The ball came through to Thomas beyond the far post and his powerful blast was pushed onto the roof of the net by Camp for a corner on the left which led to the opener on 17 minutes.

Safri whipped the ball and RASIAK climbed well to power home a header from eight yards for his third goal of the season.

Vignal was hurt by a tackle from Rowlands who then beat the wall with a 30-yard free-kick but Davis saved comfortably in front of the big bank of Saints fans.

Davis pushed out a Rowlands free-kick from the left and Viafara booted clear. then Rowlands sprinted past Wright in the box and went to ground on the half hour.

He angrily claimed a shirt-tug while Wright insisted it was a dive as the duo squared up to each other in temper as referee Mike Thorpe waved away the penalty claims - but did not book the player for a dive.

On 33 minutes Rasiak intercepted a weak backpass from Stewart and rounded the keeper. But he was forced wide on the right and as the defence backtracked he tried a shot from an almost impossible angle. The recovering keeper blocked with Wright-Phillips screaming for a pull-back in space just inside the area.

Wright-Phillips jinked into the box and tried to square for Rasiak but the ball ran just behind his strike partner.

Surman failed to connect cleanly with a low 30-yard drive which went well wide of the right post as Saints continued to dominate.

Four minutes before the break, Dyer burst into the box and unselfishly laid off for Rasiak who slipped with only the keeper to beat. He recovered and worked a half-opening for a shot but fired over with Dyer, Wright-Phillips and Surman all in space and in support.

Rasiak helped out in defence and nodded a Rowlands free-kick behind to give QPR their first corner in the final minute of the half.

Wright headed clear and Saints broke to score. Viafara burst through and was upended a yard outside the box by the keeper.

The referee played a superb advantage as the ball broke for RASIAK in support in the inside left channel and he slotted into the empty net. Camp was booked for his challenge which would surely have brought a red card if the goal had not been scored.

Saints almost got a third with another break. The keeper again came out of his area to block Wright-Phillips and then appeared to handle outside the box as Surman tried to chip over him. Wright-Phillips picked up the loose ball but Camp recovered his ground to save the blast.

Half-time: QPR 0 Saints 2

Saints began the second half as they ended the first with Wright-Phillips charging forward and finding Rasiak who laid off for Viafara but his shot flew well wide from 20 yards.

Blackstock robbed Safri and tried to play through for Sahar who was stopped by a crunching tackle from Thomas.

Saints got a third on 49 minutes as Dyer cleverly darted between Barker and Ephraim and hung up a cross for the unmarked WRIGHT-PHILLIPS who had a simple task to head in from six yards.

Sahar twice had half-chances in the inside left position. the first he fired over and the second ran tamely through for Davis to save.

Wright-Phillips had a low drive blocked by Camp's legs from the edge of the area and then Ephraim curled one over after good work by Leigertwood as the home side refused to lie down.

Saints almost got a fourth on 63 minutes when Wright-Phillips teed up Dyer whose 18-yard volley flew inches wide.

Burley then gave a debut to new signing Jason Euell on the left of midfield in place of Surman.

Rasiak lifted the ball delicately over Camp and into the net from 20 yards only to be flagged offside and then Leigertwood hit a 22-yard low drive wide of the left post and Rowlands clipped over from similar range.

Former Saints striker Blackstock made way for Nygaard and Nardiello came on for Sahar as John Gregory made a double switch in attack on 69 minutes.

Nygaard was warned for pushing in the box and then Nardiello hooked over as the ball pinged around the goalmouth.

Saganowski replaced Wright-Phillips with 17 minutes remaining and Rasiak was denied a hat-trick a minute later by an acrobatic clearance off the line by Stewart.

The Pole flicked delicately over Camp towards an empty net but the defender got back well to hook out from under the bar.

Rasiak went agonisingly close again a minute later meeting a Vignal free-kick with a thumping header which was tipped over by Camp who then punched a Vignal free-kick off the head of Euell.

Saganowski could only prod through to the keeper under pressure from Mancienne who was hurt and made way for Cullip with John coming on for Rasiak seven minutes from time.

Euell poked a shot from the left of goal but Camp smothered and then John broke through one-one-one and rounded the keeper but was robbed by a sliding tackle from Stewart just as he was about to slot into an empty net.

Safri's corner from the left picked out the unmarked John who nodded inches wide. And Saganowski just failed to get on the end of a cross from Euell put away down the left by John.

Four minutes were added and Cullip was booked for tugging down Saganowski as the Pole spun past him 30 yards from goal. Vignal drove the free-kick against Rowlands.

Full-time: QPR 0 Saints 3 Southampton

QPR: Camp, Barker, Stewart, Mancienne, Bolder, Blackstock, Rowlands, Sahar, Curtis, Ephraim, Leigertwood.
Subs: Cole, Bignot, Cullip, Nardiello, Nygaard.

Southampton: Davis, Thomas, Wright-Phillips, Rasiak, Wright, Surman, Viafara, Dyer, Makin, Vignal, Safri.
Subs: Bialkowski, Ostlund, Saganowski, Euell, John