QPR Reserves Lose to Gillingham

-
Gillingham Official Site

Gillingham 3 QPR 1
Goals from Frannie Collin, Paul Shields and a deflected effort from new boy Gavin Grant helped a strong Gillingham side to victory over second placed Q.P.R in Tuesday afternoon's Pontin's Holiday Combination fixture at Priestfield Stadium.
Bobby Paterson's side dominated for much of the ninety minutes but Gills keeper Paul Crichton still had to pull off a string of fine saves, and if Georges Santos hadn't missed a second penalty late on then the Gills win may not have been as comfortable as it turned out.
From the start Rangers were forced onto the back-foot and Grant should of opened the scoring in the 2nd minute when doing all the hardwork, breaking through and rounding the keeper, he failed to hit the target.
Danny Spiller fired over before Crichton made a good save at his near post beating out Adam Miller's shot.
The Gills opened the scoring in the 12th minute when Grant set up Collin on the edge of the area and his shot seemed to be deflected past Jake Cole.
Six minutes later it was two-nil. A great ball over the visitors defence from Brent Sancho sent Shields clear and he drove the ball home from twelve yards.
Rangers then came back into it. Crichton pulled off a cracking save, diving full length to his left, to touch Lee Cook's curling free-kick onto the post and minutes later Luke Townsend stabbed wide from 10 yards.
Sancho was perhaps a bit lucky not to concede a penalty when he flattened Santos in an aerial challenge but just before the break referee Hopkins did award the visitors a spot kick. A misdirected header from Ashley Dumas put the pressure on the defence and Andy Hessenthaler pulled down Shabazz Baidoo in the melee that followed. Santos slotted home low to Crichton's left.
Former Forfar striker Shields, who led the line well, had three decent shot's at the start of the second half.First firing over, then across the face of goal before Cole blocked his third effort.
The Gills went 3-1 up in the 57th minute. Half-time substitute George Purcell slipped the ball inside to Grant and his shot crashed off defender Ian Evatt and dropped into the corner of the net. It is definitely one for the dubious goals panel.
A minute later and Grant fed Shields just inside the area but the Scot saw his low shot cannon back out off the base of a post.
Spiller put a free-kick just over and Purcell diverted a seemingly goal bound effort from Grant wide before Rangers ended the game strongly.
Santos had the best chance to pull a goal back from his second penalty of the afternoon in the 77th minute after Dumas had fouled him. However this time he dragged his spot kick wide.
Left back Matthew Hislop should also have scored when he broke the Gills offside trap and was clean through on Crichton but the youngster probably had too much time and the keeper blocked his low shot.
Gillingham - Crichton, Clohessy, Dumas, Hessenthaler (Purcell, H/T), Sancho (Chappell, 68 mins) , Rose, Spiller, Stone, Shields (Partleton, 70 mins), Grant, Collin.Unused subs - Ebili & Herbert.

QPR - Cole, Munday, Hislop, Miller, Evatt, Rose (Johnson, 60 mins), Donnelly, Santos, Baidoo (Bailey, 70 mins) , Townsend, Cook.Unused subs - Sandercombe, Jones & Yelland.

Report by: Richard Day
http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10416~754759,00.html?ptvParm=