QPR Slip Up at Home to Leicester - Match Reports and Comments

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QPR Official Site - MAGILTON: NOW WE MUST RESPOND
- Jim Magilton admitted his charges were second best after Leicester City tonight ended Rangers' unbeaten home league record, which had stretched back to March.

The R's had taken a first-half lead courtesy of Adel Taarabt's delightful finish, but Matty Fryatt gave the Foxes victory, netting either side of the break.

And Magilton said that although he was pleased with some of his side's play, they did in the end come up short, revealing to www.qpr.co.uk: "Leicester didn't have to work particularly hard for both goals.

"It was a game where we moved the ball quite well at times, but it's very disappointing overall.

"I think one or two of our lads thought that it was going to be a natural continuation of how we finished the game at Derby, where we were creating chances at will.

"Unfortunately in this game there are no magic switches, you can't switch on or off. Defensively tonight we were second best - and I think we got our just rewards."

An individual error from a Radek Cerny goal kick was ultimately the deciding factor in an end-to-end clash at Loftus Road, but Magilton refused to blame his goalkeeper.

"He has got wonderful self-belief and at the end of the day, he's been great for us," said Magilton.

"We're not going to hang him out to dry.

"Unfortunately when goalkeepers make individual mistakes, the ball always ends up in the back of the net - but he's a top class player."

The R's boss added that he felt the absence of Gavin Mahon - who picked up an injury in training on Thursday - was felt by his side, though Magilton refused to make excuses, citing that his players must now focus on the visit of Crystal Palace to Loftus Road on Tuesday night.

"I think he (Mahon) was a loss without any shadow of a doubt, but we're not going to use him as an excuse.

"Leicester are playing with confidence, their front two worked extremely hard and put our defence under extreme pressure tonight. They're on an excellent run and belief is high within their team.

"It is important that we bounce back against Palace. Hopefully I'm smiling on Tuesday night.

"I'm encouraged by our recent fine form and I'm not going to go over the top with one loss.

"We'll see how we are against Palace, it'll be a real test of character for us - let's see who's prepared to stand up." QPR


Leicester Official Site - Pearson Proud Of His Heroes
- City boss Nigel Pearson was delighted his two games this week not only yielded full points but also hoisted the club level on points at the top of the Championship table with Newcastle United.

Tonight's magnificent battling win at free-scoring and much-fancied QPR capped the week in style and Pearson said: "It was a very good performance. When you look at the two games we have played this week, they have shown different sides to us but what was particularly satisfying tonight was that we knew it would be a tough game.

"They had been playing some excellent football so we had to be at our best. In the first half they did have some chances or some promising situations for them but on the whole I thought we created chances throughout the game and in the second half in particular I thought we looked a particularly dangerous side. But you have always got to do the other side of the game and I thought we defended very well as a team."

It was a very impressive 90 minutes' performance, and it had to be as they were defending their lead right up to the final whistle after a free-kick had been blocked.

Pearson said: "We have had good performances before but it is satisfying becuase tonight's fixture was quite rightly billed as a game that was going to be tough for us. They are a very good footballing side, like I said they score a lot of goals, so we knew it would be tough.

"Whether or not it is our best performance of the season or not I don't know but the point is we have had two tough away games this week, both televised and we have won them both which is nice but it will count for nothing when we turn up on our own patch for another very big game."

That is next Saturday against West Brom at the Hawthorns and Baggies boss Roberto Di Matteo was at Loftus Road no doubt filling a noteboook about the sort of resilience and determination his side will be facing. Leicester


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QPR Official Site - QPR vs Leicester City 1 - 2
17,082 Referee:
Rangers were unable to continue their recent fine form, as Leicester City took all three points in front of a season's best crowd at Loftus Road.

In front on the live Sky Sports TV cameras, Rangers took the lead when Adel Taarabt finished superbly well when through on goal.

But goals either side of half time from Matty Fryatt put pay to ambitions Rangers had of moving up to second place in the Coca-Cola Championship before kick-off.

The Leicester striker headed home from close range just short of the break, before a mistake from a Radek Cerny goal kick gifted the Foxes hotshot with his second of the game.

MPU Hoops boss Magilton made just one change from the R's side that was victorious last weekend away to Derby County.

After returning from a virus and completing around half an hour as a substitute at Pride Park, Mikele Leigertwood slotted into the centre of midfield in place of the injured Gavin Mahon.

That meant with Cerny in goal, Peter Ramage, Damion Stewart, Kaspars Gorkss and Gary Borrowdale made up the R's backline.

In midfield, Leigertwood and Alejandro Faurlin supported wide men Akos Buzsaky and Taarabt.

Wayne Routledge partnered hotshot Jay Simpson in attack.

The R's - who prior to kick-off boasted the best home record in the Championship with 16 points gained from six matches in W12 - took to the field amidst a firework extravaganza, and it was they who went on the offensive from the off.

Typically, the R's first opportunity of the game was created on the back of a lovely passing move.

Ramage, Buzsaky and Simpson combined well before the latter shot for goal from an acute angle, but Foxes custodian Chris Weale dived to his right to comfortably hold the effort.

Play soon switched to the other end, and when Andy King drilled an effort on goal from 25-yards out, Cerny comfortably caught the ball down low with both hands.

The game was only in its early stages, though chances were aplenty. Only a last-ditch tackle could prevent Routledge finding the target from the edge of the area, after a fine pass from Buzsaky.

Moments later and the R's were again on the attack. Another free-flowing move - this time between Leigertwood, Faurlin and Taarabt - saw the Spurs man through on goal down the left, but Wayne Brown was aware of the danger to slide the ball away for a corner.

Leicester were far from spectators in this already pulsating encounter though, and after a Jack Hobbs header from deep played Martyn Waghorn through on goal, he could only shoot straight at Cerny when under pressure from the Rangers backline.

The visitors were soon on the offensive again, and only a superb intervention from Gorkss could stop Fryatt finding the target from a tight angle down the right.

The R's were now perhaps the better of the two sides in terms of territorial possession, and a Taarabt effort only marginally missed the target when the midfielder blasted at goal from fully 30-yards out.

Rangers goalkeeper Cerny was far from untested in the hosts' goal though, and he did well to single-handedly beat the ball away to safety after Fryatt again found space to drive an effort on target.

Soon after in this end-to-end encounter, Faurlin almost found the opening goal of the game when he fired in a free-kick on goal just short of the area, though Weale was on hand to tip the ball away for a corner.

The Foxes' reprieve was only short lived though, as moments later Taarabt fired the R's into a deserved lead in the 33rd minute.

After originally playing a through ball to Simpson, Taarabt's pass came off the back of a Leicester defender and fell to his feet from 12-yards out.

The Tottenham loanee made no mistake thereafter, coolly slotting the ball home into the bottom corner of the net to hand Rangers the opening goal of the game.

Taarabt, in truth, could have doubled the R's lead just seconds later, but his driven shot was just wide of Weale's left-hand post.

Rangers' joy at taking the lead was short lived though, as just four minutes after Taarabt's strike, the Foxes were level.

After Danny N'Guessan burst down the left, he played a delicious cross to Fryatt. The Leicester forward couldn't miss from three-yards out, as he headed the visitors level going into the interval.

Leicester had proved in the first half just why they sat in 5th place going into this encounter, and soon after the break the Foxes, in truth, started the stronger.

After a mix-up in the R's defence, the ball fell to full-back Robbie Neilson 12 yards from goal, but the Leicester defender could only blast wide of the target.

Moments later, Rangers set about getting a goal that would regain them the lead, and when Simpson touched the ball back to Buzsaky on the edge of the area, the Hungarian international saw his effort curl agonisingly wide of the Foxes goal.

Play then switched to the other end, and Leicester took a 64th minute lead - Fryatt bagging his second goal of the game.

Cerny's goal kick fell only as far as the Foxes frontman, and when through on goal, Fryatt was coolness personified to slot pass the advancing R's goalkeeper.

Rangers weren't too disheartened by the Foxes' second goal of the game though, and Buzsaky again only narrowly missed the target with another fizzing shot from distance.

Now trailing, R's gaffer Magilton acted to try and bring his side back into the match, bringing on Rowan Vine to replace Ramage.

And it was a move that was almost instantly rewarded. After Buzsaky played the ball into the box to Simpson, the Rangers striker dummied for Routledge.

Through on goal, Routledge seemed certain to find the target, before Foxes custodian Weale came rushing out of his goal to thwart him.

Leicester were unlucky not to add a third when Wayne Brown headed for goal from a Waghorn corner, but substitute Fitz Hall was on guard to head the ball off the line.

Buzsaky should have fired home an equaliser for the R's after Routledge centred from the right, but he could only blast high and wide of the target.

QPR: Cerny, Ramage (Vine 67), Stewart (Hall 55), Leigertwood, Routledge, Buzsaky, Gorkss, Faurlin, Simpson, Borrowdale, Taarabt (Agyemang 86).
Subs not used: Heaton, Alberti, Ainsworth, Parker.
Goals: Taarabt (33)
Leicester City: Weale, Neilson, Brown, Oakley, King, Fryatt (Gallagher 75), Berner, N'Guessan, Waghorn (McGivern 90), Wellens, Hobbs.
Subs not used: Logan, Morrison, Howard, Dyer, Kermorgant.
Goals: Fryatt (37 & 64)
Referee: Mr J Moss
Attendance: 17,082 QPR


Guardian - Cerny clanger a gift for Fryatt as Leicester move up to
Mikey Stafford at Loftus Road guardian.co.uk, Friday 30 October 2009

Coming into this match Queens Park Rangers were the league's form side, going out of it Leicester City are joint top – for a few hours at least. England manager Fabio Capello took in a rare Championship match and was treated to a highly entertaining encounter, settled by two goals from Matty Fryatt, with a little help from a vociferous away end.

Leicester's pursuit of Edgar Davids this week died on the vine so it looks unlikely the former Tottenham man will be plying his trade in the Championship this season. One current Tottenham player doing so quite impressively is Adel Taarabt.

With 10 minutes on the clock he brilliantly evaded three Leicester tackles before Wayne Brown put a stop to his trickery with a perfectly timed last-ditch tackle. It is just as well the Moroccan's control is so honed because he loathes to pass the ball.

Thrice he shot from distance to no avail and perhaps it would be prudent of the QPR coaching staff to show him the video of his 33rd minute opener, as it came about when he attempted a rare pass, to Wayne Routledge. Understandably a little ring rusty it instead rebounded off Brown and the attacker finished with aplomb from 12 yards. QPR's lead lasted just five minutes. Damion Stewart lost Fryatt as Dany N'Guessan crossed from the right, allowing the striker to nod home from just four yards.

The visitors began the second half the stronger and it was no surprise they went ahead just past the hour mark, even if the circumstances were a little unusual. Leicester's travelling support contributed to a season-high attendance here and they may also claim an assist on the goal.

Radek Cerny in the QPR goal may have been a little unsettled by the away end's less than subtle taunting at his goal-kicks and in the 64th minute he inexplicably played one directly to Fryatt, who advanced into the area before shooting across the hapless Czech.

Routledge, Jay Simpson and Alejandro Faurlin all went close for Jim Magilton's side but to no avail. Much to Cerny's dismay and his tormentors' delight. Guardian


Telegraph/Sany Mcaskill
Queens Park Rangers 1 Leicester City 2: match report

They might have ridden their luck time and again before mugging Reading for a point at the Madjeski on Monday night, but in bringing Queens Park Rangers' three-match winning streak to an end last night – and their first home defeat this season – Leicester City have demonstrated an important quality as they swept into second place in the Championship with two goals from Matty Fryatt. That of learning from their mistakes.

This performance could not have been more different from Leicester’s draw at Reading, when they were easier to read than a Roald Dahl novel.

Reading need home help while Luigi De Canio linked with QPR return
QPR extend unbeaten run to eight matches against ReadingTrue, the home side were often poor here, but Nigel Pearson’s midfield four were compact and his defence operating on the same frequency. And with the youthful Wayne Routledge and Adel Taarabt intent on making a nuisance of themselves, Taarabt especially, they had to be.

The Moroccan was brought to the country amid much hype by Tottenham, tipped as the next Zinedine Zidane. True, Taarabt was flash, but too much story and no punch-line. But not at QPR, he isn’t.

Dribbling like an dehydrated Doberman, the 20 year-old set course for goal in the 33rd minute, played a one-two with Jay Simpson and swept the ball past Leicester keeper Chris Weale. It was slicker one of Flavio Briatore’s blazers.

Nigel Pearson would have been well within his rights had he been a bit miffed. His side had known what to expect – at least it seemed like they did from the way they started – and what’s more they almost scored in the sixth minute, when Matt Fryatt fizzed a shot across goal which Martyn Waghorn, sliding in to intercept at the far post, and almost reached it.

There were grounds for Leicester optimism, however.

Damion Stewart, the big QPR centre-back, was looking dodgy, leaving the door open for Waghorn in the 14th minute. The defender was mightily lucky that Radek Cerny slammed it in the striker’s face.

But when Dany N’Guessan swung in a cross from the left, Stewart was caught static, leaving Fryatt to head in from close range, completely unmarked.

Waghorn, whose rear end was by this stage in serious danger of friction burns so often was he sliding into the area to strain for a cross, almost got onto the end of a tasty one from N’Guessan as the second half restarted.

But it was Fryatt who was again in the right place at the right time when Cerny fluffed a goal-kick with 25 minutes to go. The ball went straight to the forward, who kept his composure and slotted it into the corner.

Match details

QPR: Cerny, Ramage (Vine 68), Stewart (Hall 55), Gorkss, Borrowdale, Routledge, Buzsaky, Leigertwood, Faurlin, Taarabt (Agemang 86), Simpson.
Subs: Heaton, Alberti, Ainsworth, Parker.
Leicester City: Weale, Neilson, Brown, Hobbs, Berner, King, Oakley, Wellens, N'Guessan, Waghorn (McGivern 90), Fryatt (Gallagher 76).
Subs: Logan, Morrison, Howard, Dyer, Kermorgant.
Referee: Jon Moss (W Yorkshire). Telegraph




Sporting Life - FRYATT AT THE DOUBLE FOR LEICESTER By Andy Sims, Press Association Sport

Matty Fryatt halted QPR's surge up the Coca-Cola Championship as fellow promotion hopefuls Leicester stole a march on the Londoners with a 2-1 victory at Loftus Road.

Adel Taarabt fired Rangers ahead just after the half-hour mark but, for once, the free-scoring hosts could not add to their tally and Fryatt's brace - the winner courtesy of a howler from home keeper Radek Cerny - secured City's third straight win and lifted them up to second, level on points with leaders Newcastle.

Rangers' reputation as the division's entertainers - they had scored four goals in each of their last three games - had clearly spread as England boss Fabio Capello joined fellow Italian Flavio Briatore in the directors' box.

Capello may have winced at some of the defending on show, but two in-form sides produced an end-to-end encounter in front of a season's best crowd of 17,082.

However, the majority went home disappointed after Rangers lost their unbeaten home record and blew the chance to go third.

The teams traded blows in the opening quarter of an hour, with Fryatt twice going close and Jay Simpson and Wayne Routledge threatening for Rangers.

Leicester thought they had taken the lead in the 16th minute when Martyn Waghorn slid in to convert Dany N'Guessan's cross, but the on-loan Sunderland frontman was flagged offside.

At the other end, a free-kick from £3.5million Argentinian Alejandro Faurlin was destined for the top corner until Chris Weale stuck out a palm.

Rangers went ahead in the 33rd minute when Taarabt burst forward, played a one-two with Simpson on the edge of the area and expertly swept his right-foot shot past Weale.

The on-loan Tottenham midfielder had another crack moments later, skipping past Andy King before firing just wide.

But it was Leicester who struck next, the lead lasting just five minutes before Rangers failed to deal with N'Guessan's cross and Fryatt's simple header ended his six-game goal drought.

Waghorn was inches away from putting City ahead after the break when he just missed another N'Guessan centre.

But they were gifted the lead in the 64th minute when Cerny attempted a short clearance which Fryatt read and duly dispatched back past the veteran Czech for his 10th goal of the season.

Weale bravely denied Routledge to protect the lead and Akos Buzsaky missed a gilt-edged chance to snatch a point when he blasted over from 10 yards with five minutes remaining. Sporting Life


LEICESTER OFFICIAL SITE
QPR vs Leicester City
1 - 2
Date:
30/10/2009 Venue:
Loftus Road
Attendance:
17,082 Referee:
J Moss



Two goals from Matty Fryatt, either sside of the break, gave Leicester City a tremendous win over a powerful QPR side at Loftus Road tonight for a second successive away win.

City are now level on 27 points with Newcastle at the top of the Championship table and they had to come from behind to get there in a frantic, all-action clash that had tension and excitement right to the last seconds.

City boss Nigel Pearson made two changes from the side that won at Reading. Back into the side came Bruno Berner and Dany N'Guessan for, respectively, Ryan McGivern and Paul Gallagher who were on the bench. Monday night's goal hero Martyn Waghorn kept his place up front.

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And it was City who were first to show, a Berner pass sending Matty Fryatt in but he was turned back by sound defending. To underline the blistering pace of the action, moments later at the other end a shot on the turn by Gary Borrowdale found the side netting before the see-saw swung again, a Fryatt driven cross just eluding Waghorn in the middle.

The home side then threatened, a Wayne Routledge run ending with a shot deflected to safety then Wayne Brown made a brilliant saving tackle when Adel Taarabt, on a super run, got all the way through into the area but again City were not sitting back.

A cut-back by Fryatt to N'Guessan was only just deflected away from the winger then City did have the ball in the net, from Waghorn's touch off a Fryatt cross from the left but it was off-side and Rangers then came on strong, Peter Ramage getting in on the right for a cut-back only just cleared, Alejandro Faurlin bringing a great top-corner save from Chris Weale from a free-kick and Taarabt twisting and turning but denied a clear shooting chance.

But he was not denied moments later as, in the 32nd minute, he pounced on the ball after it had broken off a tackle and steered the ball home from near the edge of the area.

The same player came close to doubling the lead moments later but sent the ball wide and soon City were back on terms.

Good work by N'Guessan on the left saw his cross headed home by Fryatt in the middle in the 36th minute to level this pulsating encounter, no more than the visitors deserved and both side strived for the advantage but that was how it stood at the interval.

The second half was no less frantic from the start, Waghorn being given just off-side in an early chance then an N'Guessan run and cross was only inches away from being converted by Waghorn in the middle, a Wellens cross then being headed wide by N'Guessan.

Oakley then broke from midfield and when he was checked in the area, the ball broke to Robbie Neilson whose shot was wide of the near post but Rangers replied when a Buzsaky shot flew very close to the target from distance.

But in the 63rd minute, City took the lead. A bad kick out by keeper Radek Cerny went straight to Fryatt and the City man ran in and made no mistake with a cool finish to set up a very tense finish to what had always been an exciting contest.

It was all a bit backs-to-the-wall for City and Weale made a great save from Routledge who had burst into the area, taking a cut on the head for his pains. Bandaged, he continued and City came close to sealing the win when, from a corner on the left, Brown saw his header deflected away from danger by Fitz Hall.

Deep in injury time, City had to defend a free-kick 30 yards out but as soon as the shot rebounded off the wall, the final whistle sounded and the Blue Army roared their approval.

City: Weale; Neilson, Hobbs, Brown, Berner, Oakley, A King, Wellens, N'Guessan, Fryatt, Waghorn. Subs: Logan, McGivern (90 for Waghorn), Morrison, Howard, Dyer, Kermorgant, Gallagher (75 for Fryatt).

Booked: Neilson, N'Guessan, Oakley.

QPR Cerny; Ramage, Stewart, Leigertwood, Routledge, Buzsaky, Gorkss, Faurlin, Simpson, Borrowdale, Taarabt. Subs: Heaton, Hall (54 for Stweart), Vine (66 for Ramage), Agyemang (85 for Taarabt), Alberti, Ainsworth, Parker.

Referee: J Moss
Attendance: 17,082 Leicester


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