QPR's Greatest-Ever Comeback? Ten Years ago Today.....

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Ten Years Ago Today: January 19, 1997: Port Vale 4 QPR 4

QPR have been involved in some rather dramatic comebacks in their time: Two obvious ones that will spring immediately to mind for all QPR supporters of age: Coming from 0-2 down at half-time at Wembley in the 1967 Final vs WBA. And the 1984 0-4 comeback at home to Newcastle by Alan Mullery's QPR.
And then there was the Port Vale game, a decade ago, today. The opposition was a little less "grandiose" than WBA or Newcastle; the significance of the comeback was perhaps a little less. But in terms of accomplishment, this was definitely quite a comeback - Especially since this was accomplished at Port Vale.

At half-time, Stuart Houston/Bruce Rioch's QPR were 0-4 down at Port Vale.....Final Score: QPR scored 3 goals in the last five minutes. Final score. Port Vale 4: QPR 4. (5,736 were there to see it.)

QPR's scorers; Holwyn (OG), Impey, Murray, Spencer.

QPR's Team:
Roberts
Brevitt - Ready - McDonald - M. Graham
Brazier -Murray - Peacock - Sinclair
Hately -Spencer
Impey, Maddix, Dichio

MATCH REPORT
Venue: Vale Park, Burslem Attendance: 5736

Port Vale: Musslewhite, Hill, Tankard, Jansson, Griffiths (Howlyn), Glover, McCarthy, Porter, Mills, Naylor, Guppy

QPR: Roberts, Graham, Brevett, Murray, McDonald, Ready, Spencer, McDermott, Hatley, Brazier, Sinclair. Subs: Dichio, Impey, Maddix

Match Report: Last week TWOVIEW looked back at an encounter where Wrexham and Blackpool got involved in a thriller when Wrexham came from 3 goals down to get a 3-3. This week we take things a stage further and whisk you back to 1997 where Queens Park Rangers amazingly turned over a 0-4 half time score line to pull of a dramatic 4-4 draw at Vale Park.

Port Vale, who at the time were enjoying some impressive performances in the 1st Division, aided by the wing play of Steve Guppy and Jon McCarthy got off to a good start in this televised Sunday match from January 1997.

In the 24th Minute it was Port Vale centre half Dean Glover who got a touch on to a waist high right wing cross inside the penalty area to put Port Vale in the driving seat. With Vale dominating the match things got even better on 35 minutes when a deep Steve Guppy cross from the left wing was headed home at the far post by Striker Lee Mills to make it 2-0.

On 41 minutes it was 3-0 when Tony Naylor touched back a right wing cross in to the path of Swedish Midfielder Jan Jansson who drilled home low from just inside the penalty area. Then 4 minutes later things got worse for QPR when defender Brazier (og) headed in to his own net right on 45 minutes.

At half time Port Vale looked untouchable and Television pundits who were covering the game tipped them to continue the route in the Second Half. Things didn't quiet work out this way and it was QPR who got back in to the game when Port Vale's ex Ajax defender Jermaine Holwyn (og) headed in to his own net from a deep QPR cross on 66 minutes.

With 5 minutes of normal time remaining the home side still looked comfortable, then one of the most drmatic turn of events took place… On 85 minutes a deep QPR cross was headed out by the Vale defence only for the ball to fall to Andy Impey just inside the penalty area. Impey swung his boot at the ball to produce a spectacular goal that bounced in off the underside of the cross bar to reduce the score to 4-2.

Soon after QPR struck again on 88 minutes when Paul Murray latched on to a long ball and chipped the stranded Musslewhite to make it 4-3. The Port Vale defence looked in a state of shock and following a brief altercation between Dean Glover and Rangers Striker Dichio in the goalmouth following Murray's goal the match was again underway.

Almost inevitably in the last minute QPR again broke forward down the left. A pin point cross from Impey met the head of Dichio in the 6 yard box only for Vale keeper Musslewhite to pull of a brilliant one handed save. To no avail however and the lose ball fell to QPR stiker John Spencer who gleefully fired home from a tight angle to make it 4-4, sparking scenes of wild celebration from the visiting QPR supporters behind Musslewhite's goal.

Goal times:
Glover (Port Vale) 24 mins
Mills (Port Vale) 35 mins
Jansson (Port Vale) 41 mins
Brazier (og) (Port Vale) 45 mins
Holwyn (og) (QPR) 66 mins
Impey (QPR) 85 mins
Murray (QPR) 88 mins
Spencer (QPR) 90 mins
Report