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Sheffield United 0 QPR 3. (In the aftermath of today's game, Kevin Blackwell left Sheffield United.)
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Sheffield united official Site - Club statement
" Following the home defeat to QPR, Sheffield United and Kevin Blackwell have jointly agreed to part company with immediate effect...Sheffield United
- Updated Table
QPR Official Site - WArnock Comments - BLADES WIN DELIGHTS GAFFER
- QPR gaffer Neil Warnock was quick to praise his charges following the R's superb 3-0 victory against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
- First-half goals from Hogan Ephraim, Jamie Mackie and Adel Taarabt made sure that it was a day to remember for the Hoops, much to the delight of the Rangers boss.
- "It's a great result for us - I thought we played some great football," Warnock told www.qpr.co.uk.
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"It's difficult when you buy a lot of players, but they've fitted in well.
"The only bit of fortune we had was when it was 3-0 and they should have had a penalty, but when you look at it from the referee's angle, it's almost as if Clint Hill gets his foot to the ball.
"I don't think that would have changed the game. It would have given them a lift, but I thought we very much deserved the result."
He added: "We've had to be a little bit careful. Heidar Helguson played 90 minutes on Wednesday against Liechtenstein, that's fantastic isn't it!
"It's absolutely pathetic. Adel Taarabt travels all over the world to have a fantastic game that everyone's been waiting to see against Equatorial Guinea.
"Someone said to me have I missed Taarabt? We're better off when he only comes in on Friday, he doesn't disrupt training as much!
"Last year Hogan Ephraim had two chances to score here when he was through on goal, but Paddy Kenny made two great saves.
"It was pleasing from my point of view to see him put it away like that. The second goal was a super goal as well." QPR
Sheffield United Official Site
The Blades made a disastrous start to the home npower Championship campaign after conceding three goals in the opening 23 minutes against QPR.
Neil Warnock got the better of Kevin Blackwell for the first time in four meetings, although he was helped considerably by the officials.
Referee Kevin Woolmer handed Rangers a first half penalty and turned away United's appeals for a spot kick on three separate occasions. Goals from Hogan Ephraim, Jamie Mackie and Adel Taarabt secured the victory for the visitors.
New loan defender Bartley started - Ertl switching to right back to accommodate him - and other than that boss Blackwell went with the same personnel that drew at Cardiff, helped by Evans recovering from an ankle problem.
Rangers boss Warnock, as expected, named Lane old boy Kenny in goal and the visiting squad also included former Blades, Derry and Leigertwood. United kicked towards the Kop in the first half forcing Kenny to defend in front of the fans who once adored him but he was given a hostile reception at kick-off.
Kenny was fouled from United's first set-piece and he would have been pleased that the home fans' attentions soon turned to the referee. Mr Woolmer failed to spot fouls on both Evans and Ward - the latter in the penalty area - just before QPR broke away to score with 11 minutes gone. Taarabt found EPHRAIM in space down the left and the winger approached Simonsen unopposed before sliding into the corner of the net.
Mr Woolmer then booked Montgomery, despite him winning the ball in a challenge with Taarabt, and worse was to follow as QPR extended their lead to three with two goals in the space of three minutes - with the referee again involved!
However, the visiting side's second was a well worked move that opened up United's defence. Ephraim found the space to turn back onto his right and deliver a cross to the back post where an unmarked MACKIE attacked the ball and beat Simonsen with a header.
Ephraim was again involved as Rangers added their third on 23 minutes. After receiving another pass from Taarabt, the winger's shot was parried by Simonsen, who was then adjudged to have fouled Taarabt as they challenged for the loose ball. There was shocked faces around the ground as the referee pointed to the spot and TAARABT accepted the gift, slotting home the spot-kick.
Blackwell switched to 4-4-2 with Cresswell joining Evans in attack and Quinn moving wide and the remainder of the half saw the Blades on the attack. Kenny pushed over Cresswell's header from Montgomery's cross and then Evans headed wide from Ertl's delivery.
Referee Woolmer then topped off his first half performance by waving away two more United penalty appeals - one clear-cut in front of assistant referee Fearn.
On 41 minutes Evans looked to have escaped Hill until the defender lunged in and took away the legs of the striker. The decision of a corner was all the more amazing as the Rangers player failed to touch the ball! And, to add insult, the officials could not spot Gorkss climbing over the back of Bartley as United launched the ball into the box once more.
Things didn't get much better for Bartley as he was booked moments after the restart but United were again on top. Ward fired a free-kick in a dangerous position into the wall and Cresswell could not find the target when under pressure from Gorkss and Hall.
The Rangers duo of Ephraim and Taarabt continued to be a threat and they linked up on 53 minutes to set up Faurlin but his accurate shot was blocked, at the expense of a corner, by Ertl.
Bogdanovic replaced the struggling Evans and Ward could have cut the deficit with 70 minutes gone but he appeared to be surprised to be presented with a shooting opportunity. The last throw of the dice was a double substitution - Kozluk and Yeates introduced - but it was one of the visiting replacements, Leigertwood, who went close as the game entered the final ten minutes.
The final minutes were incidental as United failed to cause undue problems to the visiting side's goal and there were plenty of unhappy faces at the full-time whistle, added five added minutes of injury time.
Blades: Simonsen, Montgomery, Morgan, Ertl, Britton, Evans (Bogdanovic 67), Taylor (Kozluk 75), Cresswell, Ward, Bartley, Quinn (Yeates 75).
Unused: Aksalu, James, Chapell.
QPR: Kenny, Orr, Hill, Derry, Hall (Ramage 51), Taarabt (Clarke 68), Helguson, Faurlin, Mackie, Gorkss, Ephraim (Leigertwood 79).
Unused: Connolly, Cerny, German, Parker. Sheffield United
QPR Official Site
Three goals in 12 first-half minutes saw the R's complete a stunning away day victory against Sheffield United.
On the back of their 4-0 trouncing of Barnsley last weekend, QPR were dominant for large spells of the fixture in the Steel City against the Blades, with Hogan Ephraim slotting home in the 11th minute following Adel Taarabt's sublime pass.
Ephraim turned from scorer to provider eight minutes later, feeding Jamie Mackie at the back post from the left-hand side, who expertly nodded home Rangers' second.
And, when Heidar Helguson was felled in the box for a penalty kick after Ephraim's teasing cross was spilled by keeper Steve Simonsen, Taarabt stepped up to complete an outstanding afternoon for QPR.
Neil Warnock made five changes to the R's side that was defeated in midweek against Port Vale.
Paddy Kenny was in goal for QPR, behind a backline of Bradley Orr, Fitz Hall, Kaspars Gorkss and Clint Hill.
Alejandro Faurlin and Shaun Derry operated just in front of the defence, with Mackie, Taarabt and Ephraim further forward.
Frontman Helguson led the Hoops attack.
The atmosphere inside Bramall Lane was electric as the teams made their way on to the field, and the noise levels rose a notch more when Blades skipper Chris Morgan decided to switch ends, leaving Kenny with the task of keeping goal in front of a barrage of abuse from the home fans.
Kenny, of course, completed a summer switch from United to QPR, and the Blades fans were making their thoughts on the move quite clear.
However, Kenny and his R's team mates settled well in the opening ten minutes - so much so that they raced into a first-half lead on 11 minutes.
It was a slick passing move that created the goal, with the lead up just as good as the finish that followed it.
Derry received possession midway into his own half before playing the ball up to halfway for Taarabt.
The Moroccan international took the ball in his stride before driving forward and putting Ephraim through on goal with a telling pass down the left.
Midfielder Ephraim's first touch was near-perfect - and so was his finish, cutting in from the left before striding into the area and rolling the ball past Simonsen in the Blades net.
It was a goal that gave Rangers a certain confidence as well as a swagger, and just nine minutes later, they were two ahead.
Orr played a beautiful cross-field ball from right-back to the left-hand edge of the penalty area for Ephraim.
Again, the midfielder's touch was superb, before Ephraim dinked a ball back into the box and onto the head of Mackie, who stole in delightfully to nod an effort back across the goal and into the opposite corner at the back right-hand stick.
The R's were rampant, and unbelievably, they were three goals up on 23 minutes.
It'll come of no surprise to know who was again involved - Ephraim. The R's winger was enjoying a fruitful, to say the least, afternoon, and when his lashed cross was too hot for Simonsen to handle, Helguson looked certain to follow up and tuck the ball away.
Helguson's touch was rather heavy as he took the ball away from the target, and as the striker went to retrieve the ball, Simonsen clipped his legs as he went down to catch it.
The referee pointed to the spot and Taarabt netted his second penalty in successive matches, sliding the ball into the bottom-right hand corner of the goal.
The home fans were understandably upset at trailing by such a steep margin, urging their team forward at every possible opportunity.
Kenny had to be alert soon after and produced a quite stunning save to keep the three-goal margin.
Good work from Montgomery down the left-hand side saw him play a pinpoint cross on to the head of Cresswell, who forced a splendid save from Kenny as the keeper tipped the ball over for a corner kick.
As the teams re-emerged for the second half, moments later the R's were forced to replace Hall, who had gone down with an injury, meaning Peter Ramage came into the fray.
Soon after, QPR almost added a fourth goal on the counter attack.
Rangers broke at pace through Taarabt and Ephraim, and when the latter of the two found the ball out wide on the right, he squared back to Faurlin on the edge of the box, whose shot was blocked to safety.
Halfway through the closing period, the R's freshened things up by introducing Leon Clarke for Taarabt, who was greeted with a rapturous applause from Rangers' travelling army.
The second half was a period of few chances, with the R's in particular looking to keep things as tight as possible to preserve their three-goal cushion at Bramall Lane.
Mikele Leigertwood replaced Ephraim on 82 minutes, and the QPR midfielder - who was arguably the pick of the R's bunch - was deservedly given a standing ovation from the field.
The final change of the afternoon had the desired effect, with Rangers holding out for three precious and undoubtedly well-earned points.
Sheffield United: Simonsen, Montgomery, Morgan, Ertl, Britton, Evans (Bogdanovic 68), Taylor (Kozluk 76), Cresswell, Ward, Bartley, Quinn (Yeates 76).
Subs: Aksalu, James, Chapell.
Bookings: Montgomery (14), Bartley (47)
QPR: Kenny, Orr, Hill, Derry, Hall (Ramage 50), Taarabt (Clarke 69), Helguson, Faurlin, Mackie, Gorkss, Ephraim (Leigertwood 82).
Subs: Cerny, Connolly, German, Parker.
Goals: Ephraim (11), Mackie (20), Taarabt (pen 23)
Bookings: Faurlin (45), Ephraim (75)
Referee: Mr K Woolmer
Attendance: 22, 651 QPR
GUARDIAN/Press Association
QPR outclass Sheffield United on Neil Warnock's returnSheffield United 0-3 QPR
Sheffield United's manager Kevin Blackwell's team were soundly beaten by QPR. Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images
Neil Warnock returned to haunt former charges Sheffield United as his QPR side eased to a 3-0 victory at Bramall Lane.
The London club had failed to beat United in their last eight encounters in all competitions, but had an irrefutable advantage within the opening 23 minutes courtesy of three quick-fire goals. The impressive Hogan Ephraim broke the deadlock in the 11th minute after smartly finishing a one-on-one, before then turning provider for Jamie Mackie to head home. The result was out of doubt in the 23rd minute when keeper Steve Simonsen hauled down Adel Taarabt, who then stepped up to score the resulting penalty.
While United boss Kevin Blackwell's programme notes had promised a "spirit of renewed hope and anticipation" his side collapsed as QPR started a league campaign with back-to-back wins for the first time in nine years. Heading into the match, Blackwell made four changes to the starting XI that were embarrassed by npower League One outfit Hartlepool in midweek, while Warnock started fellow former United pair Shaun Derry and Paddy Kenny.
The latter was making his first return to Bramall Lane since ending his eight-year spell at the club and was welcomed by a barrage of abuse. The chorus only grew louder as the 32-year-old trotted towards the Kop but soon the home support had other gripes to shout about.
United felt striker Jamie Ward had been hauled down in the penalty area but referee Andy Woolmer waved away the protests, allowing QPR to break forward and, ultimately, the deadlock. The visitors' rapid counter-attack put Ephraim free down the left and he duly jogged forward before slotting under keeper Simonsen in the 11th minute.
QPR continued to threaten down the flanks and soon doubled their advantage when Ephraim delivered a superb left-wing cross for Mackie to stoop in and header home at the back post. Rangers continued to exploit the space gifted to them down United's visibly vulnerable right side and soon increased the deficit to three goals.
Again Ephraim was allowed to waltz forward and although Simonsen managed to parry his shot, the keeper's attempts to grab the ball saw him trip the incoming Taarabt, with the Moroccan scoring the resulting penalty. The third goal resulted in calls for the heads of both Blackwell and referee Woolmer, with the latter continuing to frustrate Blades fans by turning down an obvious penalty as the half came to a close.
The home support's rendition of their Greasy Chip Butty anthem was notably quieter after the break, although renditions of "Blackwell out" became more raucous throughout the second half. The Blades did up the tempo and occasionally managed to challenge the Rangers back-line, although Kenny was more than a match for their sporadic efforts as QPR rode to a resounding away victory. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/aug/14/sheffield-united-qpr-warnock-championship
MAIL - Sheffield United 0 QPR 3: Super Hoops blunt Blades to keep Neil Warnock smiling
By Sportsmail Reporter Last updated at 5:53 PM on 14th August 2010
Comments (0) Add to My Stories Neil Warnock returned to haunt former charges Sheffield United as he led his QPR side to a thoroughly-deserved 3-0 victory at Bramall Lane.
The Londoners had failed to beat United in their last eight encounters in all competitions, but had an irrefutable advantage within the opening 23 minutes courtesy of three quick-fire goals.
The impressive Hogan Ephraim broke the deadlock in the 11th minute after smartly finishing a one-on-one, before then turning provider for Jamie Mackie to head home.
Happy hunting: QPR boss Neil Warnock returned to haunt his old club
The result was out of doubt in the 23rd minute when keeper Steve Simonsen hauled down Adel Taarabt, who then stepped up to score the resulting penalty.
While United boss Kevin Blackwell's programme notes had promised a 'spirit of renewed hope and anticipation' his side collapsed as QPR started a league campaign with back-to-back wins for the first time in nine years.
Heading into the match, Blackwell made four changes to the starting XI that were embarrassed by npower League One outfit Hartlepool in midweek, while Warnock started fellow former United pair Shaun Derry and Paddy Kenny.
Frustrated: Kevin Blackwell will be disappointed with his team's performance
The latter was making his first return to Bramall Lane since ending his eight-year spell at the club and was welcomed by a barrage of abuse.
The chorus only grew louder as the 32-year-old trotted towards the Kop but soon the home support had other gripes to shout about.
United felt striker Jamie Ward had been hauled down in the penalty area but referee Andy Woolmer waved away the protests, allowing QPR to break forward and, ultimately, the deadlock.
The visitors' rapid counter-attack put Ephraim free down the left and he duly jogged forward before slotting under keeper Simonsen in the 11th minute.
QPR continued to threaten down the flanks and soon doubled their advantage when Ephraim delivered a superb left-wing cross for Mackie to stoop in and header home at the back post.
Rangers continued to exploit the space gifted to them down United's visibly vulnerable right side and soon increased the deficit to three goals.
Again Ephraim was allowed to waltz forward and although Simonsen managed to parry his shot, the keeper's attempts to grab the ball saw him trip the incoming Taarabt, with the Moroccan scoring the resulting penalty.
The third goal resulted in calls for the heads of both Blackwell and referee Woolmer, with the latter continuing to frustrate Blades fans by turning down an obvious penalty as the half came to a close.
The home support's rendition of their Greasy Chip Butty anthem was notably quieter after the break, although renditions of "Blackwell out" became more raucous throughout the second half.
The Blades did up the tempo and occasionally managed to challenge the Rangers back-line, although Kenny was more than a match for their sporadic efforts as QPR rode to a resounding away victory.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1303011/Sheffield-United-0-QPR-3-Hoops-blunt-Blades-Neil-Warnock-smiling.html?ito=feeds-newsxml#ixzz0wbIKt75g
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