QPR Reserves Lose to Charlton Reserves: Very Young QPR Team

-
UPDATED:

Charlton Reserves 3 QPR Reserves 0

RESERVES LOSE
Posted on: Tue 25 Mar 2008
Rangers' second string lost 3-0 at Charlton this afternoon, succumbing to three first-half goals at the Addicks' Sparrow Lane training ground.

Steve Brown's side began with a 4-3-3 formation, but the Youth Team boss altered things as the hosts created wave after wave of attack.

Once the young reserve side switched to a more orthodox 4-4-2 set-up, it was a far more even contest.

"We started poorly and that's just not good enough for this Football Club," Brown told www.qpr.co.uk. "We have played a lot better this season, and the way we started was disappointing."

On a more positive note, there were some impressive individual displays that stood out for Brown.

"Matt Pickens was once again excellent in goal," he said, "and it was great to see Danny Maguire come on for the last half hour or so, following his lengthy spell on the sidelines."

Brown was also enthused by the performance of Romone Rose, who was forced off in Friday afternoon's Youth Alliance Cup defeat against Colchester United.

"Romone has been struggling recently with illness, but he looked really lively this afternoon," added Brown. "He was a constant threat and I have been really pleased with the progress he is making." QPR


CHARLTON OFFICIAL SITE
Three-sy does it
Charlton's reserves side extended their lead at the top of the Pontin's Holidays Combination League to five points with a comfortable 3-0 win over Queens Park Rangers at the Addicks' Sparrows Lane training ground on Tuesday afternoon.

First-half goals from Rashid Yussuff, Luke Varney and Ben Godfrey were enough to see off an inexperienced Rangers side, who did well to battle back in the second period.

There was also an invaluable 90 minutes for Dean Sinclair, Kelly Youga and Jonathan Fortune, while Varney looked sharp in his 45 minutes after missing the West Bromwich Albion match on Friday with a slight foot injury.

The Addicks, with a great chance of winning the Pontin's Holidays League this season, started well and put the visitors under intense early pressure.

It took only five minutes for Mark Kinsella's men to make their early possession count as Yussuff latched onto a quick throw from Youga before driving a left-foot shot into the top corner of the net. It was the 18-year-old's third goal in his last five reserve outings.

Varney was looking dangerous as he drifted into positions on the left wing and in the 18th minute he got his reward. Yussuff dispossessed Rangers midfielder Billy Coyne and played a precise throughball in front of the striker who saw his first shot saved by Pickens before slamming home the rebound.

Two minutes later and the Addicks were three goals in front. Some silky skills from Danny Uchechi gave him room for a shot and Godfrey was on hand to tap home the striker's scuffed effort as it trickled across goal.

A shell-shocked Rangers could easily have buckled but they managed to restrict the Addicks to a number of long-range efforts.

However, a Godfrey header from a Scott Wagstaff cross was inches away from finding the back of the net just before the half-time whistle.

Varney was replaced at the break with winger Steven Lozano-Calderon, but the half started with Rangers' first shot on target, a scuffed drive from distance by Chris Arthur that failed to trouble Rob Elliot.

There was a bit more fire and passion about Rangers in the second-half and substitute Ramone Rose was booked for a very late tackle on Paulo Monteiro. The striker almost made a more positive impact in the game a few minutes later, but his ball through to Arthur was wasted by the striker, who fired high and wide.

Addicks substitute Lozano-Calderon was seeing plenty off the ball after his introduction and just past the hour mark he came close to scoring a fantastic individual goal. Having skipped past three hooped shirts he clipped a chip over the advancing goalkeeper only to see his shot trickle agonisingly wide of the right-hand post.

Godfrey forced Rangers keeper Pickens into action four minutes later with an angled drive, before Calderon came close again, this time firing over when stretching to connect with a right-wing cross.

There was one further chance for the Addicks to add to the scoreline in the closing minutes when Wagstaff's header was blocked on the line by what looked to be a defender's arm, but the referee waved play-on much to the dismay of the young winger.

Charlton: Elliot; Long, Monteiro (Powell 80), Fortune, Youga; Wagstaff, D Sinclair, Yussuff, Uchechi; Godfrey (Perkins 84), Varney (Lozano-Calderon 46). Subs not used: Lee, Harkin.

Goals: Yussuff 5, Varney 18, Godfrey 20.

QPR: Pickens; Wright (Rose 39), Ford, Harris, Brown; Morgan, O'Brien, Smith (Maguire 54), Coyne; German (Smart 81), Arthur. Subs not used: Crowther, Lawrence.

Booked: Rose. Charlton



CHARLTON OFFICIAL SITE
Trio start for second string
Luke Varney, Jonathan Fortune and Kelly Youga will all play for Charlton's title-chasing reserves against Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday afternoon.
The match was due to take place at The Valley later the same day, but has been switched to take place behind closed doors at the Addicks' Sparrows Lane training ground (2pm). The game is not open to the public....
Charlton: Elliot, Long, Youga, Sinclair, Monteiro, Fortune, Uchechi, Yussuff, Godfrey, Varney, Wagstaff. Subs: Powell, Lee, Harkin, Lozano-Calderon, Perkins.
QPR: Pickens, Wright, Brown, O'Brien, Ford, Harris, Morgan, Smith, German, Arthur, Coyne. Subs: Rose, Crowther, Lawrence, Maguire, Smart.
A full match report will be available on the official website later. Charlton


QPR Official Site - IN RESERVE
In a late change to the original kick-off time, QPR Reserves will now lock horns with Charlton Athletic at 2.00pm this afternoon (Tuesday).
The Pontins Holidays Combination League fixture, which was originally scheduled to kick-off at 7.00pm at The Valley, is now behind closed doors at the Addicks' Training Ground. QPR

QPR Official Site
QPR Reserves: Pickens, Wright, Ford, Harris, Brown, Coyne, O'Brien, Smith, Morgan-Cummings, German, Arthur. Subs: Crowther, Lawrence, Maguire, Smart. QPR

Charlton Official Site Last Week
"Charlton's reserve-team clash with London rivals Queens Park Rangers at The Valley on Tuesday night has been called off. Charlton