QPR vs Ipswich - Additional Reports

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Independent
Queen's Park Rangers 1 Ipswich Town 3: De Vos lifts Ipswich spirit with deserved first victory
By Conrad Leach -Published: 26 August 2006

Bank Holiday weekend in west London with the Notting Hill Carnival only two days' away but Queen's Park Rangers did nothing for the locals' spirits by becoming Ipswich Town's first victims of this new season.

It may have taken the Tractor Boys five games to make a mark on this campaign for the right reasons but it was no less deserved. That the Suffolk side had to go a goal down before they imposed themselvesmade their comeback even more impressive. When QPR took the lead after 59 minutes it was a slight shock.

That they only held it for 10 minutes was testament to Ipswich's powers of recovery and re-found belief in playing a neat, passing game. Kevin Gallen was on hand at the far post to bustle his shot past Lewis Price from Lee Cook's cross.

Yet three minutes later the Suffolk side were level. Damion Stewart was adjudged to have fouled Gavin Williams, harshly in the view of QPR's manager Gary Waddock. Contact appeared minimal at best, and then Simon Walton's penalty sneaked under Paul Jones's arm.

An indication of Ipswich's revived spirit showed through when Alex Bruce, son of Steve, the Birmingham City manager and possessor of a nose most boxers would be proud of, came back on after treatment for his badly bloodied face.

With a full complement of players, Jason De Vos stuck out a leg from a Mark Noble corner for their second before the substitute Dean Bowditch made sure of the points with his header four minutes from time.

Having also hit the frame of the goal twice and moved out of the relegation zone, the Ipswich manager Jim Magilton, who only took over this summer, was naturally a happy man, as he said: "This could be the springboard for our season."

Queen's Park Rangers (4-4-2): P Jones; Rose, Rehman, Stewart, Milanese (Baidoo, 77); Gallen, Lomas (Bircham, 72), Ward, Cook; Blackstock, R Jones Substitutes not used: Cole (gk), Kanyuka, Oliseh.

Ipswich Town (4-4-2): Price; Wilnis, Bruce, De Vos, Harding; Noble, Walton, Williams (Currie, 90), Richards; Lee (Haynes, 88), Clarke (Bowditch, 77). Substitutes not used: Naylor, Sito.

Referee: L Mason (Lancashire).
Independent

TELEGRAPH
Ipswich break their duck By Tom Cary (Filed: 26/08/2006)

Ipswich Town shrugged off the lethargy that has consumed them over the past few weeks to inflict a first home defeat this term on QPR at Loftus Road last night.

The Suffolk side came from a goal behind to earn their first win of the campaign in some style, though they needed the not inconsiderable fillip of a controversial penalty to do so.

"It was definitely the turning point of the game," said QPR manager Gary Waddock. "It looked like the ref changed his mind. He wasn't going to give it but then he did. I don't think anyone in the ground thought it was a penalty."

The moment came in the 61st minute when Gavin Williams waltzed into the area and flung himself prostrate at the merest of touches by Damion Stewart. Simon Walton side-footed the ball low under the body of Paul Jones.

"If it wasn't a penalty, well, we deserve a bit of luck," said the Ipswich manager, Jim Magilton. "The way everyone at the club has responded and applied themselves, well it's terrific. I feel the luckiest man on earth."

It certainly was lucky, turning the game on its head just minutes after the hosts had taken the lead. In the 58th minute Dexter Blackstock had swung a hopeful cross in from the left wing. The ball found its way through to Rangers captain Kevin Gallen, who controlled it with his right and managed to apply the softest of left-footed touches to nudge it past Lewis Price.

The visitors, who had been on the ropes from the outset, showed good invention down the left wing, where Dan Harding was overlapping well with Matthew Richards.

Billy Clarke then rattled the crossbar as Ipswich grew in confidence but the game erupted after the interval with two goals in quick succession. And once Ipswich levelled, there was only going to be one winner.

First Walton hit a post with a volley from the right of the area, then, from Mark Noble's corner, Alan Lee rose to flick the ball on to Jason De Vos at the far post, who managed to bundle it home.

Ipswich added a third four minutes from time when the influential Gavin Williams surged down the left, beat his man and produced a cross that rebounded to the substitute Dean Bowditch, who managed to guide his header past Jones.
Telegraph

The Times August 26, 2006
New-look Ipswich finally find their form
By Kaveh Solhekol
Queens Park Rangers 1 Ipswich Town 3

IPSWICH TOWN supporters were rubbing their eyes in disbelief last night after watching their side win for the first time this season.

Three points seemed unlikely when Kevin Gallen gave Queens Park Rangers the lead from close range soon after the interval but a controversial penalty converted by Simon Walton, a tap-in by Jason De Vos and a header by Dean Bowditch gave the visiting side the victory that they deserved.

“We showed a lot of character and passed the ball in a manner that is befitting of this club,” Jim Magilton, the Ipswich manager, said.

The Suffolk team were unrecognisable from the side that lost 3-1 away to Leicester City two weeks ago. The arrival of Mark Noble and Walton, signed on loan from West Ham United and Charlton Athletic respectively, has added bite to their midfield.

Gary Waddock was convinced that Damion Stewart was unlucky to concede a penalty after challenging Gavin Williams in the 61st minute. “Everyone knew it wasn’t a penalty,” the QPR manager said.

QUEENS PARK RANGERS (4-4-2): Paul Jones — M Rose, D Stewart, Z Rehman, M Milanese (sub: S Baidoo, 76 min) — K Gallen, S Lomas (sub: M Bircham, 71) N Ward, L Cook — D Blackstock, Ray Jones. Substitutes not used: J Cole, P Kanyuka, E Oliseh. Booked: Bircham

IPSWICH TOWN (4-4-2): L Price — F Wilnis, J De Vos, A Bruce, D Harding — M Noble, G Williams (sub: D Currie, 90) S Walton, M Richards — B Clark (sub: D Bowditch, 76) A Lee (sub: D Haynes, 87). Substitutes not used: R Naylor, C Sito.

Referee: L
The Times