On This Day: March 10 - Leon Knight's QPR Debut

Cheers Blocky.

Cheers Blocky, very nicely done.

That Jeff Powell is still writing utter shyte in the mail.

PFA Give Me Football - March 10

1997

Wimbledon buy Daniele Dichio from Queens Park Rangers while Nottingham Forest pay Celtic £4.5m for Dutch striker Pierre Van Hooijdonk
www.givemefootball.com/premier-league/on-this-day-in-history-march-10th

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8 Years ago, OTD, Loss to Bolton



QPR Official Site

Ivan Klasnic came from the bench to grab a late winner for Bolton Wanderers, who recorded a 2-1 victory over QPR at the Reebok Stadium.

In front of the live Sky Sports cameras, the Croat struck with just four minutes left on the clock to hand the Trotters three priceless points in this Barclays Premier League basement battle.

Earlier, controversy reigned after just 18 minutes, after Rangers were denied a seemingly legitimate goal when Clint Hill's header from a Joey Barton corner appeared to cross the goal-line - as video replays would later support.

Bolton seized on that fortune and where ahead in the 37th minute, when Darren Pratley headed home Martin's Petrov expert cross.

Rangers restored parity three minutes after half-time, when Djibril Cisse tucked home a Shaun Wright-Phillips through ball.

R's boss Mark Hughes made two changes to his side for the trip to Bolton, with Samba Diakite and Cisse both returning from suspension to replace Akos Buzsaky and the injured Adel Taarabt (hamstring) respectively.

That saw Rangers revert to a 4-3-1-2 formation - as opposed to the 4-2-3-1 deployed in last weekend's 1-1 draw at home to Everton - with Paddy Kenny in goal.

Nedum Onuoha, Anton Ferdinand, Hill - making his 400th career league start - and Armand Traore lined up in defence.

Hoops skipper Barton, Shaun Derry and Diakite occupied defensive roles in midfield, behind the more advanced Wright-Phillips.

Bobby Zamora partnered Cisse in attack

In their changed colours of complete mango, it's probably fair to say that Rangers began on the back foot.

Despite enjoying the greater possession, however, Bolton's only real opportunity in the opening stanza came in the shape of David Ngog's wayward shot, after skilfully turning marker Hill.

But Wanderers did go much closer on 14 minutes. Ryo Miyaichi's corner was met by the head of David Wheater, with the defender's subsequent effort cleared off the goal-line by Zamora.

Play switched to the other end just a minute later. Passes were exchanged between Traore, Cisse and Wright-Phillips before the latter found Barton, who saw his deflected effort go just inches past the post.

Rangers rattled the crossbar in the 17th minute. Cisse's deft chip fell perfectly for Zamora, who smashed an effort off the underside of the crossbar and wide.

Controversy struck two minutes later, after the R's were denied a legitimate goal - as video replays would later support.

Barton's corner from the left was to a tee for Hill, whose bullet header appeared to cross the line before Adam Bogdan dived to palm the ball away from goal.

Nevertheless, the Hoops still continued to drive forward.

Wright-Phillips was unlucky not to do better with an effort on 23 minutes, seeing his half-volley from the edge of the area whistle just past the left-hand post.

Four minutes later, Pratley would also go close, seeing his shot deflect off Diakite before going inches wide of the target.

Pratley wouldn't be denied at the second time of asking, however, firing the Trotters into the lead eight minutes before the half-time break.

Miyaichi's free-kick was eventually worked out to Petrov, whose pinpoint cross was thumped home by the head of Pratley.

The R's almost responded moments later. Cisse's clever back heel freed Wright-Phillips in the area, who could only shoot high and wide of the target.

Rangers almost put themselves on terms on the stroke of half-time.

Zamora and Cisse combined before the latter played a clever through pass to Onuoha - who, charging in front the right, drilled a low effort straight at the legs of Bogdan.

Much of the talk at the interval surrounded 'the goal that never was'. Indeed, the R's could count themselves unfortunate to be behind at half-time.

Perhaps justice was done, therefore, when another disputed decision helped QPR on their way to drawing level in the 48th minute.

Back from a three-match ban, Cisse was the man of the moment, latching on to Wright-Phillips' deflected through pass - that in a seemingly offside position - before prodding home past Bogdan.

Cisse was handed an opportunity to double his account 11 minutes later, latching on to a Diakite pass before firing a low effort straight at Bogdan - albeit from an acute angle.

At the other end, Ricketts cut in from the right before curling an effort just past the upright from distance.

But Rangers were undoubtedly the stronger force in the second period, growing in confidence as the half wore on.

And with a greater amount of confidence came more possession, as QPR asked questions of the Wanderers rearguard with a flurry of corners.

This was also now a very open spectacle - even more so with just over ten minutes left to play, after Hughes opted for a treble substitution to replace Derry, Wright-Phillips and Traore with Buzsaky, Jamie Mackie and Taye Taiwo respectively.

That change so nearly had the desired effect on 81 minutes. A melee in the box saw Cisse, Diakite twice and Mackie all force desperate blocks - the latter of which was deflected over the bar.

But it was another substitute in the form of Bolton's Klasnic who would have the final say on 86 minutes.

Miyaichi controlled a long ball upfield before putting Klasnic clean through on goal, who then slid home the decider into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.

Bolton Wanderers: Bogdan,Steinsson, Petrov (Eagles 71), M Davies, Ricketts, Reo-Coker, Pratley (Klasnic 80), Ngog (Muamba 89), Miyaichi, Wheater, Ream.

Subs: Jaaskelainen, K Davies, Knight, Sordell.

Goals: Pratley (37), Klasnic (86)

Bookings: Pratley (23), Wheater (30)

QPR: Kenny, Diakite, Hill, Derry (Buzsaky 79), Traore (Taiwo 80), Barton, Cisse, Wright-Phillips (Mackie 79), Ferdinand, Onuoha, Zamora.

Subs: Cerny, Gabbidon, Bothroyd, Young.

Goals: Cisse (48)

Bookings: Onuoha (61), Diakite (84)

Referee: Mr M Atkinson

Attendance: 21,551

www.qpr.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10373~58633,00.html

QPR Official Site

HUGHES: 'WE JUST WANT A FAIR GAME'
Posted on: Sat 10 Mar 2012

Mark Hughes was left licking his wounds, as Rangers succumbed to a last-gasp defeat against Bolton.

Ivan Klasnic bagged an 86th minute winner for the hosts, but the big talking point revolved around the officials' failure to award Clint Hill a perfectly good 'goal,' when the assistant referee on the far side of the stadium failed to spot the ball had clearly crossed the line with the score at 0-0.

A desperately disappointed Hughes, who saw Djibril Cisse cancel out Darren Pratley's opener, told http://www.qpr.co.uk: "I gave myself a little bit of time to calm down before seeing the press, but I'm still desperately disappointed.

"The officials really let themselves down today.

"Martin Atkinson is a good referee, I acknowledge that, but he was hugely let down by his assistants today.

"How they missed the Hill header which crossed the line is beyond me. Everyone else in the ground knew it was a goal.

"That's why the assistant is in the position he is in from corner kicks, so how has he missed it?

"Someone has told me the FA have released a statement saying they're fully behind the bid for goal-line technology, which does nothing for our situation - that's laughable.

"The timing of that statement staggers me.

"They're just covering themselves because they know how much criticism they'll get for the displays of officials that they supply.

"All we want is a fair crack of the whip and we didn't get that again today.

"I feel we should have had two penalties, but the assistant on the near side had lost his nerve by then.

"We've benefitted from an equaliser that was slightly offside, but that doesn't matter.

"The key decision, at the key moment, went against us. All we're asking for is a fair wicket, which we're not getting at the moment."

Hughes added: "You shouldn't underestimate the importance of the first goal in the Premier League, especially as an away side.

"It's vital and had he given the 'goal,' it would have given us a major boost.

"The significance of scoring first away from home is crucial."

Rangers have an eleven day break now before they play host to Liverpool at Loftus Road and Hughes admits it's now his job to life the R's players.

"It's my job now to lift the lads," he said.

"We're under no illusions that we've got a difficult run-in, but the circumstances today will bring us even closer together.

"Today wasn't about the football.

"We did okay without reaching the heights we're capable of, but we didn't get the support of the officials throughout the game."

www.qpr.co.uk/page/TheGaffer/0,,10373~2644268,00.html



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Bump: 14 Years ago and 3 Years ago