The Dowie Era Opens With a Win

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UPDATED: Dave McIntyre BBC 606 A solid start
by David M - BBC Sport (U1628513) 19 July 2008

A straightforward 3-1 win at Stevenage and some new faces in action.

As expected, there were debuts for new signings Peter Ramage, Samuel De Carmine, Matteo Alberti and Emmanel Ledesma.

Rangers went ahead when Hogan Ephraim finished well after linking up with De Carmine, who earlier headed a Ramage cross against the post.

Youngster Romone Rose cut inside and fired in the second just a minute after half-time, before Ledesma hit the bar with a free-kick.

Alberti scored at the far post with the help of a deflection and Rangers seemed to be cruising, but Stevenage pulled a goal back and finished pretty strongly.

Rangers started with Camp in goal and Ramage, Rehman, Stewart and Barker across the back.

Ainsworth started on the right, with Ephraim on the left and Bolder and Rowlands in the centre of midfield. Ageymang and De Carmine were up front.

Every outfield player was replaced at half-time, with Connolly coming on for Ramage and Delaney for Barker.

Walton partnered Hall at centre-back and in midfield, Mahon was paired with Ledesma with Rose on the left, Alberti the right and Blackstock and Balanta up front. Reece Crowther came on for Camp with a few minutes left. Mikele Leigertwood did not play because of an Achilles problem.

All the new signings showed signs of promise. Ramage has always been a solid defender and Alberti took his goal well.

De Carmine was unlucky not to score and looks a typical Italian striker – a drifter who will annoy some by fading from games and impress others with his ability to find space and drag defenders out of position.

Ledesma struck his free-kick well, showed plenty of nice touches and went close near the end with a left-footed shot. He was clearly taken aback by the pace of the game at times though and, like De Carmine, will need time to adjust to the English game.

Iain Dowie was pleased with all three and the general performance, although there’s no update on when he might be able to include Kaspars Gorkss.

His move looks unlikely to be rubber-stamped in time for him to play at Northampton and Radek Cerny, who didn’t play today, is expected to miss Wednesday’s match as well.

Plenty of Rangers fans were there today. If you were one of them let’s have your thoughts on the game, especially the new signings.

Cheers. BBC


QPR Official Site - STEVENAGE 1 QPR 3

Rangers opened their pre-season campaign with a comfortable 3-1 victory against Stevenage Borough.

Goals from Hogan Ephraim, Romone Rose and Matteo Alberti saw the R's ease into a three goal lead, and although Iyseden Christie pulled one back for Boro,' Iain Dowie's men were good value for their win.

No fewer than 22 players featured for the R's, on an afternoon when the 1,200 visiting Rangers fans got to see goalscorer Alberti, Peter Ramage, Emmanuel Jorge Ledesma and Samuel Di Carmine all make their QPR debuts.

In an entertaining opening, Ephraim's ambitious 25-yard drive flew over, while at the other end Steve Morison forced Lee Camp into his first save of the new campaign.

Patrick Agyemang's pace was causing Boro' all sorts of problems early on and when he nipped in front of Luke Oliver in the ninth minute, only a superb last-ditch tackle from Ronnie Henry denied the front-man the goal his run undoubtedly deserved.

The woodwork saved Stevenage two minutes later, when Di Carmine met Ramage's out-swinging cross, only to see his diving header bounce back off the post.

Di Carmine's movement was a joy to behold and when he combined with Ephraim on the quarter hour, the diminutive winger cut inside from the left flank and curled a textbook 12-yard strike beyond Carl Muggleton.

Buoyed by their goal, Rangers - after a sluggish start - continued to pepper the Boro' backline, with Gareth Ainsworth stinging the palms of Muggleton with a stooping back post header.

Stevenage substitute Christie brought the best out of Camp with a powerful low drive ten minutes before the break, before Di Carmine's misfortune in front of goal continued, when his close range shot was diverted off the line.

As expected, Dowie made wholesale changes at the break, with no fewer than ten substitutions, including new signings Ledesma and Alberti, entering the fray.

Undeterred, the R's raced into a two-goal lead inside the opening 60 seconds of the second period, as Rose latched on to Angelo Balanta's pass before firing past Muggleton at his near post.

Rangers had vocal appeals for a spot-kick waved away when Dexter Blackstock was bundled to ground inside the box five minutes later, but the visitors weren't to be denied.

Moments after Ledesma smashed an 18-yard free-kick off the frame of the upright, Alberti made it three with a coolly taken right footed strike from an acute angle.

Stevenage continued to plug away and they were rewarded four minutes later, when Christie headed home unmarked from inside the six-yard box.

But it was Rangers who finished in the ascendancy, with Ledesma firing inches wide in the final minute.
Stevenage Borough: Muggleton, Anaclet (Westcarr 73), Laird, Henry, Oliver (Albrighton 76), McMahon (Wilson 63), Cole (Drury 77), Martin, Mills (Bridges 70), Thomas (Boylan 66), Morison (Christie 25) (Buchanan 80).

Goals: Christie 64

QPR: Camp (Crowther 85), Ramage (Connolly 46), Rehman (Walton 46), Stewart (Hall 46), Barker (Delaney 46), Ainsworth (Alberti 46), Bolder (Mahon 46), Rowlands (Ledesma 46), Ephraim (Rose 46), Agyemang (Blackstock 46), Di Carmine (Balanta 46).

Goals: Ephraim 15, Rose 46, Alberti 60

Referee: Mr M Russell

QPR Official Site