QPR Lose to Southampton 0-2 at Loftus Road

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QPR Played Southampton at Loftus Road & Lost 0-2 (HT 0-0)

UPDATE:
JOHN GREGORY COMMENTS - OFFICIAL SITE "VIDEO EVIDENCE"
John Gregory was left seething after studying the video evidence in the wake of the 2-0 defeat against Southampton.
After studying both the Southampton opening goal and the carbon copy Rangers effort that was disallowed, the R's gaffer came up with the following verdict: "Our goalkeeper got fouled by Bradley Wright-Phillips for their opener and at the other end their goalkeeper ran straight into Damion Stewart and got the decision.
"I'm absolutely astonished by both decisions.
"The referee has cost us one hundred per-cent tonight.''
Despite the 2-0 defeat, Gregory praised his sides endeavour, commenting: "I thought the lads did everything.
"We lacked a bit of quality, which isn't a surprise with those that were missing, but the desire and commitment was first class.
"We did enough over the 90 minutes to get a point, but yet again we've been let down by poor refereeing decisions.
"The result didn't reflect how well we competed over the course of the game.''QPR

SOUTHAMPTON OFFICIAL SITE - BURLEY'S REACTIONS
George Burley was delighted to see his Saints side finish so strongly as they ground out a vital victory at QPR.

Southampton had the better of an often scrappy game but as the home side tired, George Burley's men took full advantage to the delight of their 3,000 travelling fans.

Grzegorz Rasiak's 19th goal of the season put the visitors in front 10 minutes from time and substitute Bradley Wright-Phillips latched onto a David McGoldrick through-ball to make the points safe in stoppage time.

Saints though did get a lucky break as Rasiak's goal stood despite a possible foul on the keeper - while Dexter Blackstock had an almost identical goal ruled out four minutes later.

Burley said: "I thought both were fouls on the keeper to be honest. Sometimes you get them and sometimes you don't and we deserved that break after last week when we were denied a blatant penalty.

"You have to trust that luck evens itself out over the season. Nine times out of 10 the referee might have disallowed Greg's goal but we got the rub of the green.

"Their goal was a definite foul on Kelvin who was knocked as he went to gather the ball. But in any case we kept going well and deserved the win over the 90 minutes.

It is never easy playing QPR on a tight pitch and the first half was a bit scrappy. Then I moved Mario Licka wide and brought Jhon Viafara inside and we had a bit more bite in midfield.

"I brought on two substitutes to give us fresh legs and in the last 10 minutes the gamer opened up. David played a great ball for Bradley to finish well. He has a real eye for goal and showed a lot of composure.

"He and Kenwyne are both young but they have 15 goals between them now while Greg has 19 so we have good options up front.

"It was a relief to get the win especially after dropping points last week but we have to keep it going. No-one is going to give you anything in this league. You have to earn the right and it is still very tight." QPR

Updated League Table - Table

PA Sports - Match Report - Report

Starting Teams:
QPR: Royce, Rehman, Mancienne, Stewart, Timoska, Baidoo, Lomas, Bircham, Smith, Jones, Blackstock.
Subs: Cole, Bailey, Kanyuka, Furlong, Nygaard.

Southampton: Davis, Pele, Lundekvam, Powell, Rasiak, Wright, Licka, Jones, Baird, Bale, Viafara.
Subs: Bialkowski, Ostlund, Wright-Phillips, McGoldrick, Lallana.

QPR OFFICIAL SITE
Late goals from Grezgorz Rasiak and Bradley Wright-Phillips handed high-flying Southampton maximum points at Loftus Road.

Rasiak cashed in on a Simon Royce fumble to put the Saints in front with eight minutes remaining, before Wright-Phillips - a former Rangers target - set the seal on the visitors victory in stoppage time.

A two goal defeat was harsh on the R's, who were denied what appeared to be a perfectly good 'goal' when former Saint Dexter Blackstock saw his effort chalked out moments after Saints took the lead.

In a first half of few clear cut chances, Blackstock fired wide when faced one-on-one with Kevin Davis, while at the other end Mario Licka forced Royce into two smart saves.

Southampton improved after the break though and when Rasiak and Wright-Phillips continued their productive campaigns in front of goal, Rangers were left contemplating a seventh home defeat of the season.

R's gaffer John Gregory made three changes to the starting XI after the defeat at Hull last weekend.

Shabazz Baidoo, Zesh Rehman and home debutant Sampsa Timoska were all recalled, with Lee Cook (suspended), Marcus Bignot (injured) and Pat Kanyuka missing out.

Championship hot-shot Rasiak led the Saints line, while sought-after defender Gareth Bale lined up at left back.

After an even opening, Southampton squandered a golden opportunity to open the scoring on eight minutes.

Royce's failure to punch clear on two seperate occasions gifted Rasiak with a free header on goal, only for the ball to land a yard or so wide of the right hand post.

On a blustery afternoon in West London, Rangers were made to wait until the 13th minute to create their first opening of the contest.

Jimmy Smith's neatly cushioned chest pass fell into the path of Marc Bircham, who dragged his shot well wide from fully 25-yards.

Play soon switched to the other end, with Licka forcing Royce to dive at full stretch and tip round his 20-yard drive.

Licka was enjoying the freedom of the park and when good interplay involving Bale and Jermaine Wright ended with the ball falling at his feet 25-yards from goal, Royce again had to be at his agile best to parry the ball to safety.

It was a good height for the R's custodian, but credit to him, with the wind swirling round Loftus Road at a rate of knots.

Already minus the services of Cook, Martin Rowlands and Gareth Ainsworth, the R's were dealt another blow midway through the half when Bircham limped off, to be replaced by Stefan Bailey.

Blackstock was his usual lively self and after Steve Lomas and Timoska combined down the left flank, the former Saint wasted no time in pulling the trigger from 20-yards, only to drag his shot wide.

Blackstock should have fired Rangers in front eight minutes before the break.

Bailey's explosive run from the heart of the R's midfield saw him tee up the Rangers top-scorer, only for him to fluff his lines when faced one-on-one with Davis.

Kenwyne Jones fired straight at Royce from an acute angle moments later, yet despite the best efforts of both sides, it remained goalless at the break.

With the wind at their backs, Southampton made a positive start to the second half.

Bale's in-swinging free-kick from the right flank found Darren Powell, who having ghosted in at the back post, should have put the Saints in front.

Thankfully for the R's, his six-yard header finished the wrong side of the post, to the relief of the home faithful.

Rangers were living on their nerve and when Damion Stewart's defensive header fell at the feet of Wright 15-yards from goal in the 65th minute, his volley flew two yards over the bar, with Royce unsighted.

The R's were by no means overawed by their high-flying opponents though and when Smith's corner was only half cleared, Blackstock's impromptu over-head kick was hacked off the line.

The out-of-sorts Rasiak appeared to have left his shooting boots on the South Coast, firing wide from eight yards on 70 minutes, before Wright forced Royce to smother 60 seconds later. Rasiak was first to pounce on the follow-up, only to miss-control the ball at the vital stage, as it rolled away for a goal-kick.

All good strikers persevere though and when Bale's corner kick was fumbled by Royce underneath his own bar, the former Spurs striker pounced to bundle the ball over the line from little more than a yard.

Undeterred, Rangers were on the front foot almost immediately - only to be denied an equaliser by a questionable refereeing decision from Mr Kettle.

It was Royce's opposite number - the commanding Davis - who was at fault this time, dropping the ball in carbon copy style under his own crossbar. Blackstock applied the all-important touch to smash the ball home, but Mr Kettle was on the spot and immediately blew his whistle for a foul on the Saints custodian.

And as if to rub salt in the wound, substitute Bradley Wright-Phillips put the result beyond all doubt in stoppage time, firing past Royce from eight-yards to set the seal on another fruitful away day for George Burley's promotion-chasers.

QPR: Royce,Rehman, Mancienne, Stewart, Timoska, Baidoo, Lomas, Bircham (Bailey 19), Smith, Jones (Nygaard 73), Blackstock.
Subs: Cole, Kanyuka, Furlong.
Southampton: Davis, Pele, Lundekvam, Powell, Rasiak, Wright, Licka (McGoldrick 73), Jones (Wright-Phillips 73), Baird, Bale, Viafara.
Subs: Bialkowski, Ostlund, Lallana.
Scorers: Rasiak 82, Wright-Phillips 90 (+1)
Referee: Mr T M Kettle
Attendance: 14, 686
QPR

SOUTHAMPTON OFFICIAL SITE - LIVE MATCH REPORT
George Burley made just one change restoring Jhon Viafara to the midfield and leaving David McGoldrick on the bench. Kenwyne Jones retained his place in attack with Bradley Wright-Phillips among the substitutes.

QPR had Lee Cook suspended and former Saints striker Dexter Blackstock led the line.

QPR: Royce, Rehman, Mancienne, Stewart, Timoska, Baidoo, Lomas, Bircham (Bailey 18), Smith, Blackstock, Jones (Nygaard 74). Subs: Kanyuka, Furlong, Cole (gk).

Saints: Davis, Baird, Lundekvam, Powell, Bale, Licka (McGoldrick 74), Wright, Pele, Viafara, Rasiak, Jones (Wright-Phillips 74). Subs: Ostlund, Lallana, Bialkowski.

Referee: Trevor Kettle (Berks) Attendance: 14,686

Wright lined up on the left of midfield with Mario Licka in the centre and Viafara on the right in a narrrow set-up on a tight pitch.

Saints defended the end where their 3,000 fans were packed, making a deafening noise to outsing the home crowd.

The visitors were first to threaten with Wright feeding the overlapping Bale whose cross just evaded Viafara at the far post.

Saints should have taken the lead on six minutes when Bale whipped in a free-kick from the left and Royce failed to get a clean punch. The ball looped up in the air and the keeper again flapped without making good contact and the ball dropped for Rasiak who headed inches wide of the left post with the goal seemingly at his mercy.

Bircham fired a low 25 yard drive well wide of the right post on 13 minutes and then Mancienne just managed to kick clear from Viafara in front of goal.

The strong swirling wind blew the ball out of the quadrant just as Bale took a right-wing corner and so he overhit it beyond Rasiak.

Royce just won a race for the ball with Viafara then Bale found Licka whose powerful low 25 yard-drive tipped behind by Royce at full-stretch to his right on on 17 minutes.

A minute later Rangers were forced to make a change sending onBailey for Bircham.

Saints were looking sharp and bright and Viafara played a good ball in to Rasiak who was closed down as he tried to shoot with Baird crying out for a lay-off.

Licka was breaking forward dangerously and found space through the inside left channel but his powerful half volley from the edge of the area was beaten away well by Royce to his right on 20 minutes.

The swirling wind was making life difficult for both teams and especially for Royce who again tried to punch and Pele had a long-range shot charged down.

Davis though soundly caught a high left-wing free-kick from Smith and then Blackstock dragged a low 20-yard shot wide as the home side began to get a foothold in the game.

The first clear chance for QPR came on 36 minutes when Bailey made a surging run through the centre and slipped the ball through to Blackstock. He took it first-time on the run but slotted the shot just past the right post from the edge of the area.

Ray Jones headed just over from a free-kick and then Kenwyne Jones turned strongly past Stewart and quickly rifled in a low shot from the right of goal but Royce saved at the second attempt.

Licka intercepted a loose pass in midfield and found right whose cross was knocked behind by Rehman but the wind carried Wright's left-wing corner over the bar.

Ray Jones did extremely well to hook clear from Kenwyne Jones in front of goal from a Bale free-kick on the right.

Half-time: QPR 0 Saints 0

Burley made a tactical switch at the start of the second half moving Viafara into the centre of midfield and switching Licka to the right.

Bale had a free-kick punched away by the keeper. The ball hit the corner flag and went for a throw which resulted in Baird's 22-yard shot being blocked at close range.

A right-wing free-kick by Bale dropped onto the head of Powell who nodded just wide of the far post.

Kenwyne Jones slipped a good ball through to Rasiak who looked offside but in any case the ball ran away from him to Royce when he seemed set to score on 53 minutes.

Bale drove over from the left edge of the area and then he cut along the byline but was robbed by Rehman for a corner headed away by Ray Jones.

The resulting throw was half-cleared and it dropped for Wright who blazed over from 16 yards on 62 minutes.

Pele won the ball well 25 yards out and set himself for a low shot which was narrowly wide of the right post.

Rangers almost took the lead on 68 minutes but Wright was well placed to clear Blackstock's overhead kick off the line.

Bale did well to get in a cross and Rasiak's lunge prodded the ball over.

Wright drove in low from 25 yards. Royce could only parry and although Rasiak pounced he could not prevent the ball running for a goal-kick before he could try and turn in a shot from the tightest of angles.

Both sides made a switch on 74 minutes in a bid to win it. Saints sent on McGoldrick and Wright-Phillips for Licka and Kenwyne Jones while QPR replaced Ray Jones with Nygaard.

Bale was brought down from behind by Bailey by the left corner of the area. Bale took the kick quickly but hit the sidenetting.

Saints took the lead 10 minutes from time. Bale's wicked inswinging corner from the right was fumbled by Royce and RASIAK bundled in from almost on the line for his 19th goal of the season and his 15th away from home.

QPR thought they had got an almost identical equaliser four minutes later when a long throw was fumbled by Davis and forced home from close range by Blackstock on ly for it to be disallowed for a foul on the keeper by Nygaard.
Saints almost got a second when Wright-Phillips got to the byline to the left of goal, cut back sharply and drew a smart save from Royce at the near post with a stinging shot.
A left-wing corner by Wright was flicked across goal by Lundekvam and flashed just in front of Rasiak lunging in at the far post.
Lomas fouled Pele at full-stretch 22 yards out and in the inside right channel but Bale's whipped free-kick flashed inches wide of the right post two minutes from time.
Saints were given three minutes to hold on but they ended up stretching their lead in the first of them when McGoldrick played a good ball over the top. WRIGHT-PHILLIPS broke through the inside right channel, cut in and drew the keeper before rifling in to the bottom right corner.

Full-time: QPR 0 Saints 2 Southampton
QPR OFFICIAL SITE - TRIPLE CHANGE
Sampsa Timoska makes his full QPR debut, as John Gregory makes three changes to his side for the visit of high-flying Southampton to Loftus Road.
With Marcus Bignot (injured) and Lee Cook (suspended) both unavailable, Gregory has also recalled Zesh Rehman and Shabazz Baidoo to the starting XI.
Timoska will make his home debut at left back, with Pat Kanyuka having to make do with a place amongst the substitutes.
Simon Royce lines up behind a back four of Rehman, Michael Mancienne, Damion Stewart and Timoska, while the midfield consists of Jimmy Smith, Steve Lomas, Marc Bircham and Baidoo.
Ray Jones partners former Saint Dexter Blackstock in attack, as the R's go gunning for a third home league win on the spin. Pre-Kick Off