Season in Review - December

The fifth part of our review of the 2009/10 season.

AUGUST 2009
SEPTEMBER 2009
OCTOBER 2009
NOVEMBER 2009

QPR 1-5 Middlesbrough - 05-12-2009

To say that Rangers' season had hit a snag would be an understatement as Magilton's R's cast a shadow of the side that trailblazed the division a month previous.

Middlesbrough took a two goal lead courtesy of Dave Kitson and the maligned Leroy Lita who goaded supporters after placing home a penalty.

Patrick Agyemang gave Rangers hope with a strike three minutes later, but the exuberrant nature of the QPR set-up was exploited by further goals from Lita, Gary O'Neil and Mark Yeates.

Goals: Agyemang 53; Kitson 31, Lita 50pen, 60, O'Neil 75, Yeates 87
Team: Radek Cerny, Fitz Hall, Mikele Leigertwood,Wayne Routledge (Alessandro Pellicori 82), Ákos Buzsáky (Rowan Vine 52), Kaspars Gorkss, Ben Watson, Alejandro Faurlín, Jay Simpson (Patrick Agyemang 52), Gary Borrowdale, Adel Taarabt.

Watford 3-1 QPR - 07-12-2009

There wasn't much time for the R's to overcome their recent malaise as the Sky cameras look set to magnify any shortcomings or as it proved to be - discontent.

Patrick Agyemang's goal against the run of play saw him cast a muted figure before Lloyd Doyley bagged a first career goal for Watford to equalise shortly before half time.

Magilton's half time team-talk only served to demoralise as Don Cowie then Tom Cleverley sewed up the win for the Hornets with Ákos Buzsáky being reportedly singled out by Magilton for treatment.

The Hungarian was involved in an altercation with the QPR manager and just days later Magilton paid for his indescretion with his job as the R's sent another man packing.

Goals: Doyley 43, Cowie 56, Cleverley 90; Agyemang 33
Team: Radek Cerny, Peter Ramage, Damion Stewart, Fitz Hall, Mikele Leigertwood (Ákos Buzsáky 75), Wayne Routledge (Jay Simpson 72), Rowan Vine (Adel Taarabt 59), Patrick Agyemang, Ben Watson, Alejandro Faurlín, Gary Borrowdale.

West Bromwich Albion 2-2 QPR - 14-12-2009

Most QPR supporters prepared themselves for what could be a cricket score as the caretaker duo of Steve Gallen and Marc Bircham took their Rangers to the Hawthornes.

A couple of minor slips ensued in the first period but fortuitously the Baggies came up short where it mattered most - and after the break Rangers took a shock lead.

Ben Watson - who went on to play for West Brom - swung in a corner which Jonas Olsson sent into his own net, before Kaspars Gorkss nodded home to double the R's advantage.

Being QPR fans were made to sweat until the end as former R's loanee Jerome Thomas halved the deficit before Simon Cox snatched a point for promotion-chasing Albion at the death.

Goals: Thomas 67, Cox 90; Olsson 56og, Gorkss 62
Team: Radek Cerny, Peter Ramage, Damion Stewart, Mikele Leigertwood, Wayne Routledge, Patrick Agyemang (Alessandro Pellicori 84), Kaspars Gorkss, Ben Watson, Tom Williams, Jay Simpson (Fitz Hall 90), Adel Taarabt (Alejandro Faurlín 81).

QPR 1-1 Sheffield United - 19-12-2009

Paul Hart took the helm at Loftus Road for the first time to chants of: 'You're getting sacked in the morning,' clearly the Sheffield United fans had done their homework!

The game burst into life after two minutes when Mikele Leigertwood struck an early goal with the aid of a deflection, before Richard Cresswell pegged Rangers back before the ten-minute mark.

A war of attrition set in with both sides intent on negative tactics and in truth neither side deserved to win the match in what turned out to be a bore draw.

Goals: Leigertwood 2, Cresswell 8
Team: Radek Cerny, Peter Ramage, Damion Stewart, Mikele Leigertwood, Wayne Routledge, Patrick Agyemang, Kaspars Gorkss, Ben Watson, Tom Williams, Jay Simpson (Rowan Vine 68), Adel Taarabt.

QPR 2-1 Bristol City - 26-12-2009

Boxing Day at Loftus Road and Rangers were hoping for a late Christmas present and a first win for Paul Hart in a bid to catch the playoff chasing pack.

The deadlock was broken by Jay Simpson before half time and when Mikele Leigertwood scored his second in as many games the win seemed like it could be a formality.

Rangers then made an evidently confident decision to shut the trap door, with a rearguard action at the forefront of their display. Nicky Maynard then drew adulation from all four sides of the ground with a truly stunning strike.

The striker who scored a memorable goal against QPR at Ashton Gate earlier in the campaign received the ball in the air, held off two defenders and turned and volleyed in one motion.

The introduction of Matt Connolly and Gary Borrowdale riled the Rangers fans as Hart opted to go as defensive as they'd ever seen, and they just about saw out the win - and duly booed their boss off.

Goals: Simpson 31, Leigertwood 40; Maynard 57
Team: Radek Cerny, Peter Ramage, Fitz Hall, Mikele Leigertwood, Wayne Routledge, Ákos Buzsáky (Matt Connolly 83), Kaspars Gorkss, Ben Watson, Alejandro Faurlín (Patrick Agyemang 63), Tom Williams, Jay Simpson (Gary Borrowdale 83).

Ipswich Town 3-0 QPR - 28-12-2009

Rangers knew that they needed something from this game if they were to continue challenging at the right end of the table, but all ambition was quickly wiped out with an early goal.

Jon Walters - a reported target for QPR at one time - struck home after four minutes, and with Rangers suffering from a lack of ambition, creativity or any general positives it seemed unlikely they would claw their way back.

This was compounded as persistent threat Jon Stead ostensibly struck against Rangers - this time twice, the second in breathtaking fashion as Hart's R's were swept away and booed off.

Goals: Walters 4, Stead 53, 78
Team: Radek Cerny, Peter Ramage, Kaspars Gorkss, Damion Stewart, Tom Williams, Wayne Routledge, Ben Watson, Mikele Leigertwood, Ákos Buzsáky (Patrick Agyemang 66), Adel Taarabt (Angelo Balanta 78), Jay Simpson.

Stay tuned - more coming soon!




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