QPR Reserves Crash 6-1: "Furs on Target" is the Headline of the Club's Official Report

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[QPR Reserves lost tonight 6-1 to Southampton. The poor result was contrasted by a match report on the club's official site headlined "Furs on Target." In some good news, in the Championship, QPR's relegation Rivals Leeds and Luton both lost.]

The Club Official Site noted that "Joe Gallen and Joe Dunbar take charge in the absence of Richard Hill, while gaffer John Gregory will be watching from the stands."QPR

Official Site - FURS ON TARGET

Paul Furlong was on target, but a superb second half display from the Saints put Rangers Reserves to the sword on Tuesday evening.

The R's led 1-0 as the clock ticked down towards half-time, but a goal just before the break and five more in the second half clinched a comfortable victory for the hosts.

Despite conceding six goals, R's custodian Jake Cole impressed, as did Stefan Bailey and Under-18 skipper Andrew Howell.

Southampton included seven first team regulars in their line-up, while Rangers started with the fit-again Stefan Moore on the right hand side of midfield.

After Cole came to Rangers' rescue with a series of fine saves in the opening exchanges, it was Furlong who handed the R's a surprise 23rd minute lead.

After cruelly being denied a last minute goal for the R's against Plymouth on Saturday, the evergreen striker picked his place from the spot, after Shabazz Baidoo was sent tumbling to the ground inside the box.

The lead lasted until just before the break though, when Bradley Wright-Phillips fired past Jake Cole from 15-yards.

Buoyed by their goal on the stroke of half-time, Southampton went ahead on 54 minutes, when Wright-Phillips cut in from the left flank, coasted past Pat Kanyuka and drilled home his second of the night beyond Cole.

The inspired Wright-Phillips was also at the heart of the hosts' third goal three minutes later, getting to the by-line and sending an enticing ball into the box, which Leon Best converted with aplomb from close range.

Saints all but sealed the result on 61 minutes, when Inigo Idiakez spotted Cole out of position and sent a stunning free-kick into the back of the net, when both his fellow players and Rangers defenders, were expecting a cross.

Bradley Wright-Phillips bagged a brace

Substitute Jamie White unleashed a venomous 16-yard drive past Cole to make it five on 78 minutes, before Idiakez set the seal on a comfortable home win with a sixth in the first minute of added time.

Southampton Res: Bialkowski, James, Pele, Cranie, Mills, Belmadi, Licka, Idiakez, Dyer, Wright-Phillips, Dyer.
Subs: Rudd, Dutton-Black, White, Baseya, Poke.

QPR Res: Cole, Goode, Howell, M O'Brien, Kanyuka, Milanese, Moore, Bailey, Furlong, R Jones, Baidoo.
Subs: Goodchild, Coyne, Maguire, Rose, Brown. QPR Official Site

SOUTHAMPTON OFFICIAL SITE
Saints Reserves hit QPR for six at Staplewood to make it 10 wins out of 10 for the season.

A thumping 6-1 win moved Stewart Henderson's men within touching distance of the Pontins Holidays Combination League title as a strong side turned on the style after the break.

Despite battering the visitors, Southampton were held 1-1 at half-time. They dominated the game but fell behind on 24 minutes to a dubious penalty when Pele was harshly called for a foul

Paul Furlong scored with the visitors' only shot on target while Saints repeatedly went close.

They had efforts by Mario Licka and Leon Best disallowed for offside after three and 40 minutes.

And Rangers keeper Jake Cole kept his side in it with point-blank range saves to deny Pele and Best. He also tipped over a spectacular long-range drive from Inigo Idiakez.

The pressure finally told on the stroke of half-time when Bradley Wright-Phillips drove through a crowd of bodies from eight yards.

Half-time: Saints Res 1 QPR Res 1

Saints effectively wrapped up the game with three quickfire goals soon after the break.

On 55 minutes Wright-Phillips scored his second after good work by Josh Dutton-Black who put him through on goal.

Four minutes later Wright-Phillips turned provider passing across the face of goal to give Best a tap-in.

And on 62 minutes Idiakez scored an outrageous 35-yard free-kick from out near the right touchline. He shaped to cross it but then spotted that the keeper had moved off his line and cheekily beat him at his near post.Substitute Jamie White made t 5-1 on 78 minutes with a low effort from the edge of the area.

Baseya shot against the base of a post before Idiakez wrapped it up in injury-time with a spectacular effort from 25 yards.

Saints Res: Bialkowski, James, Pele, Cranie, Mills, Belmadi (Dutton-Black 45), Licka, Idiakez, Dyer (White 74), Wright-Phillips, Best (Baseya 74). Subs: Rudd, Poke.
Southampton