Briatore's QPR Crash Against Ipswich...Compilation of Reports and Comments

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IPSWICH 3 QPR 0 -

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QPR Official Site - HART: 'IT'S HARD TO SWALLOW'

Paul Hart admitted that his side's inability to take their chances in the first half against Ipswich Town played a large part in their defeat at Portman Road.

The Tractor Boys scored as early as the fourth minute thanks to Jon Walters, though Rangers had a handful of chances to level the match after the opening goal of the game.

But the R's were made to pay half-time, as Jon Stead stole the show with a double after the break to give Roy Keane's men victory in Suffolk.

QPR manager Hart told www.qpr.co.uk: "I felt the first half performance warranted a better return than we got. We were even unfortunate for the first goal, which took a deflection to loop over the keeper.

"But after that I felt we should have had a penalty and Adel (Taarabt) should have scored from a great cross, he was in front of goal.

"We thought if we could replicate the performance in the first half that we could get a draw. We felt that (we could have gone into half-time leading), I think we lost our legs a little bit."

The Rangers boss also added that his side must improve defensively in the weeks to come, as QPR travel to Sheffield United in third round of the FA Cup before playing Plymouth Argyle at home in the league six days later.

"It's hard to swallow, the goals that are going in at the moment are not great goals - we're the architects of our own downfall," explained Hart.

"As you all know, goals change games QPR


QPR Official Site

Jon Stead was at the double, as Paul Hart suffered his first loss in charge of Rangers at Portman Road.

The home side took the lead as early as the fourth minute, with Jon Walters prodding home - with the help of a Peter Ramage deflection - past Radek Cerny to open the scoring.

The scoreline remained the same until after the break, where Ipswich sealed the points with two goals from Stead midway into the second half.

First, Stead turned his marker before curling the ball past Cerny on the edge of the area, before it was that man again who followed up an initial shot to ensure a maximum return for Roy Keane's men.

R's manager Hart made two alterations to the side that were victorious at home to Bristol City just two days ago.

Adel Taarabt returned to take up a place in midfield, while Damion Stewart came back into the QPR defence after a one-match suspension.

Radek Cerny started in goal for the R's, behind a back four of Peter Ramage, Stewart, Kaspars Gorkss and Tommy Williams.

Akos Buzsaky and Taarabt both started out wide, with skipper Mikele Leigertwood partnering Ben Watson at the heart of the R's midfield.

Wayne Routledge and Jay Simpson headed the QPR attack.

On a bitingly cold Monday afternoon in Suffolk, it was the Tractor Boys who took the lead as early as the fourth minute.

Stern John sent Jon Walters through down the left, before he cut into the area past Peter Ramage and buried the ball - with the help of a deflection off the Rangers full-back - into the back of the net.

Moments later, Taarabt received the ball on midway and drove at the Ipswich defence, before firing just wide of Arran Lee-Barrett's right-hand post.

At the other end, the hosts could - and should - have doubled their advantage when Grant Leadbitter's corner from the right found an unmarked Gareth McAuley, but he could only head wide of the target.

Soon after, Jaime Peters' cross to Walters caused all sorts of confusion when the striker bumped into Cerny from close-range, though Stewart was aware of the danger to clear the ball away to safety.

From the resulting set-piece, Leadbitter put in another superb delivery that was headed just over by Damien Delaney.

Play then switched to the other end, where QPR had their best opportunity to date to score. Good play down the right from the Ramage saw his delivery find the free Taarabt, but he could only head wide.

Rangers won a free-kick down the right moments later, and when Watson's cross found the free-again Taarabt, he missed the target once more - blasting well over the crossbar from just six yards.

The home side were soon back on the offensive. Walters was involved once again, sending Jon Stead away down the left before the striker cut in to shot, but his effort was blocked away by Stewart in the penalty box.

As the half drew to a close, Leigertwood played the ball to Taarabt just past midway before he blasted at goal from well outside the area, but his attempt was caught by Lee-Barrett in the Town goal.

Rangers had the first chance as the second period got underway. Taarabt fed Simpson in the area at a tight angle, but he could only shoot wide of the goal when under pressure from his marker on the right.

Soon after, Watson's corner from the right eventually found its way to Leigertwood on the edge of the area, who blasted well over the crossbar.

At the other end, the Tractor Boys won a free-kick 30-yards out, where Leadbitter shot straight at Cerny.

The R's were helpless only minutes later though, when Town extended their lead to two goals.

Ipswich substitute Owen Garvan played a ball from deep in the 63rd minute up to the edge of the area into the path of Stead, who held off and turned Gorkss with brilliance, before bending the ball into the bottom corner of the goal.

Stead was then in the thick of the action once again, running at the Rangers defence before cutting in and sending in a curling shot that was straight at Cerny in the QPR net.

Play then turned to the other end, where Taarabt received the ball down on the left before shooting well over the goal.

Before Routledge played in a delicious centre to the newly-introduced Patrick Agyemang, who headed over from close-range for the R's.

It was to be Ipswich's day though, and after Walter broke away and into the area down the right in the 78th minute, his shot was parried into the path of Stead, who struck home for number three.

Ipswich Town: Lee-Barrett, Delaney, McAuley, Leadbitter, Norris (Colback 54), Peters, Stead, Walters, John (Wickham 75), Rosenior, Edwards (Garvan 54).

Subs not used: Bruce, Counago, McLoughlin, Brown.

Goals: Walters (4), Stead (63 & 78)

QPR: Cerny, Ramage, Stewart, Leigertwood, Routledge, Buzsaky (Agyemang 66), Gorkss, Watson, Williams, Simpson, Taarabt (Balanta 78).

Subs not used: Hall, Connolly, Faurlin, Taylor, Borrowdale.

Referee: Mr S Tanner

Attendance: 25, 340 QPR


IPSWICH OFFICIAL SITE

A double from Jon Stead and a first-half opener from Jon Walters saw Town finish 2009 on a high with three points at Portman Road.

Walters gave Blues the perfect start with the opener after four minutes and he could have grabbed a second soon after before Adel Taarabt wasted Rangers' best two chances midway through the half.

Stead put Town in command with a superb turn and strike just past the hour and then wrapped up the points with a close range finish - his fifth goal in his last six starts - as Town made it just one defeat in 11 games.

David Norris returned to the side for the first time since sustaining knee ligament damage on the opening day of the season at Coventry, with Walters, Grant Leadbitter and Stern John also included as Roy Keane made four changes to the team that went down at Crystal Palace on Boxing Day.

Jaime Peters' pace was used at left-back to counter the threat of Wayne Routledge and that was tested as early as the third minute when the Canada international did well to thwart the winger as Adel Taarabt threaded a pass through the Town defence.

Seconds later Blues were ahead, John fed Walters down the left and his shot appeared to be deflected off Kaspars Gorkss before beating Cerny.

Stead, cleared to play after Town appealed against his red card at Selhurst Park, almost got on the end of Walters' pass, Gareth McAuley then sending a free header from Leadbitter's corner over the bar.

Walters had a great chance to extend Town's lead on the quarter hour, Peters found him with a superb pass eight yards out but the Blues' skipper couldn't force the ball home.

Damien Delaney headed wide against the club he left to join Town in the summer, Walters showing good strength to carve out an opening for Stead but the frontman's shot was blocked.

Rangers should have been level on 22 minutes, Taarabt failing to find the target with a header from six yards out from Routledge's cross, the same player guilty of another glaring miss a minute later when he volleyed over from a great position following a free-kick from Ben Watson.

Walters had a shot blocked by Tom Williams, McAuley clearing from Jay Simpson at the other end with Taarabt wasting the last opening of an entertaining first-half, almost hitting the corner flag with a 25 yard drive.

Town made a double change on 54 minutes, Norris and Carlos Edwards making way for Jack Colback and Owen Garvan.

Leadbitter curled a free-kick straight at Cerny before Town extended the lead on 63 minutes, Garvan found Stead on the edge of the box and the former England U21 international curled a right footer past Cerny.

Walters had a shot blocked by Williams, QPR then making a first change with Patrick Agyemang on for the ineffective Buzsaky.
Cerny saved well from Stead as Town threatened a third, Arran Lee-Barrett saving low down and comfortably from Peter Ramage's long range effort. Connor

Wickham replaced John for the last 15 minutes, the teenager firing over before Blues made it three, Walters' cross palmed out by Cerny and Stead did the rest from close range.

QPR made a second change with Angelo Balanta on for Taarabt, who faded after a bright first-half but it was Town who continued to carve out openings,

Walters denied by Williams' challenge inside the box and Stead was prevented from grabbing a hat-trick by the outstretched leg of Cerny, the striker then seeing a left foot shot goes inches wide as Blues ended the year in style. Ipswich


Sporting Life

Two goals from Jon Stead inspired Ipswich to a comfortable victory over QPR and their fourth win of the Coca-Cola Championship season.

Stead was only playing because Town appealed the red card he received at Crystal Palace on Boxing Day and he made the most of his reprieve with two second-half strikes.

The first was a superbly taken effort from the edge of the area just after the hour and he doubled his tally 15 minutes later with a simple tap-in.

Town were already ahead by the time Stead netted as they needed just four minutes to go in front after Jonathan Walters finished following a good solo run.

It was a poor showing from Rangers, who tasted defeat under Paul Hart for the first time, although they wasted two good chances to level in the first half, Adel Taraabt the guilty party as he missed the target on both occasions.

The much-needed win means Roy Keane's men end a poor year on a high, with just their third home win of the season, while QPR head into the new year hoping to put a turbulent 2009 behind them.

Ipswich got off to the perfect start when they took the lead inside the opening four minutes.

Stern John fed Walters and he ran towards goal, beat his full-back and fired past Radek Cerny into the bottom corner to notch his sixth goal of the season

Keane's men continued their early dominance and had three golden opportunities to extend their lead.

First Gareth McAuley headed over from a corner when unmarked, before Walters wasted a fine chance as he dawdled and after a scramble the ball hit the post and was cleared.

And from the resulting corner Damien Delaney headed over when he should have at least tested Cerny.

Having found themselves lucky not to be 3-0 down, QPR finally began to stir and fashioned out two fine chances to equalise, with both falling to Taraabt.

The midfielder put the ball just wide of the post with a glancing header from a good position and 90 seconds later he fired over from close range.

QPR were keen to get back into the game and controlled the opening period of the second half. However, they were unable to produce anything telling in the final third and Ipswich keeper Arran Lee-Barrett was not tested.

And then Ipswich stuck the knife in when they doubled their lead just after the hour and it was a fine finish by Stead.

Owen Garvan fed the ball into the striker's feet and he managed to turn his defender with ease before slamming home from the edge of the area.

Ipswich then made sure of the three points when Stead got his sixth of the season by tapping the ball home after good work from Walters with 12 minutes remaining.

And the former England Under-21 striker really should have bagged a hat-trick but he wasted two good opportunities late on in the game.
http://www.sportinglife.com/football/liv....Nightlead. html



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