Last Time We Met - Kettering

Vital QPR takes a look at the last time QPR took a side to Kettering Town`s Rockingham Road.

The game back in July 2003 was a testimonial for Kettering Town veteran and QPR fan, Craig Norman, with the R`s looking to improve after a sluggish victory against Aylesbury a few days previous.

There were several trialists in the squad, with former Chelsea defender Scott Minto, Australian midfielder Michael Kathopoulis and striker Marvin Robinson all looking to impress boss Ian Holloway.

The fixture started badly with the R`s conceding a sloppy - a static defence was caught out by the trickery of former QPR player Richard Graham and the Poppies were able to score past an aggravated Chris Day - clearly annoyed as he palmed the ball into the top corner.

It was only a matter of time before the R`s drew level and Gareth Ainsworth his what was to become a characteristic 'goal to remember` - hitting the ball on the up from over 30 yards out, and it flew into the top right corner.

There was concern as Bircham went down holding his knee and was replaced by Kathopoulis, who displayed some neat touches to supplement the R`s strike force.

Robinson and Minto came on in the second period with the latter putting in an impressive display at left-back.

The R`s sewed the game up with Steve Palmer cutting the unfamiliar figure of attacking midfielder as he burst through the Poppies rearguard before feeding Paul Furlong, and the veteran striker chipped home for the second.

Neither Robinson or Kathopoulis were snapped up by Holloway, but despite evident interest in Minto, he opted to sign for Division One side Rotherham United.




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