A reminder of what it feels like
January 2001 -
Almost 3,000 days ago - Of course the win did help keep Gerry Francis in his job a while longer; and in the next round, we did get crushed 6-0 by Arsenal (QPR-Arsenal match report -
qprreport.blogspot.com/2007/01/remembering-our-last-4th-round-fa-cup.html ) - But those are other matters!:
Two goals by Kiwomya vs Luton. And this the QPR team: Miklosko; Baraclough, Carlisle, Plummer (Kiwomya, 35), Darlington; Perry, Rose, Connolly (Ngonge, 67), Langley; Crouch, Koejoe (Wardley, 90). Substitutes not used: Harper (gk), Morrow.
January 18 2001 - The Independent/Mike Wowbottom
Football: Kiwomya's extra effort conquers Luton
TWO GOALS from the substitute Chris Kiwomya, the second of them with eight minutes of extra time remaining, won a tumultuous FA Cup third- round replay at Loftus Road last night.
An outstanding goal in the opening minute of his debut by 18-year- old Lee Mansell appeared to have earned Luton a home fourth-round tie against Arsenal, but Kiwomya's equaliser in the third minute of added time cut short the premature celebrations of the Second Division side's fans. Cruelly, as the equaliser went in, Mansell, who had not even played for the reserves before being called up to assist a side ravaged by injuries and suspension, lay flat on his face, following what looked like a foul by the Rangers midfielder, Richard Langley.
"It was a blatant foul," Luton's manager Lil Fuccillo said. "Langley smacked the boy in the back of his head. He came right through him and I can't believe for the life of me how the referee and linesman on that side didn't give the decision. He should have stopped it anyway because it was a head injury."
Just 59 seconds had elapsed when Mansell, a trainee who had only been allocated a squad number the previous day, shocked the home crowd with a goal of extraordinary poise.
Shielding the ball on the edge of the QPR box, he initiated a swift one-two with Andrew Fotiadis which opened up a static defence and offered him the opportunity to put his side into the lead with a shot that went in off the post.
With 10 minutes remaining until half-time, the QPR manager Gerry Francis made a tactical switch, taking off the centre-back Chris Plummer and bringing on another forward in Kiwomya.
Two extended runs down the left by the substitute offered the home side some hope before the break, but it was Luton - with a cross shot from Peter Holmes, who came closest to providing another goal before the half- time whistle
Kiwomya continued to take the eye after the break but failed to capitalise on two clear chances which fell to him in the space of eight minutes. In what was the first move of the second half and undoubtedly QPR's best of the night thus far, their 6ft 2in forward Peter Crouch nodded a long- ball from Jermaine Darlington into Kiwomya's stride 10 yards out but he shot weakly at the keeper. Soon afterwards Kiwomya found himself clear once again but this time he lobbed the ball over from close range.
Five minutes into extra time Langley had the chance to twist the knife after Luton's keeper Mark Ovendale had held down Kiwomya in the box after being caught in possession. But Langley's spot kick hit the bar and bounced out.
Queen's Park Rangers (4-4-2): Miklosko; Baraclough, Carlisle, Plummer (Kiwomya, 35), Darlington; Perry, Rose, Connolly (Ngonge, 67), Langley; Crouch, Koejoe (Wardley, 90). Substitutes not used: Harper (gk), Morrow.
Luton Town (4-4-2): Ovendale; McGowan, Karlsen, Whitbread, Fraser (Stirling, 5); Mansell, Spring, Holmes, Nogan; Douglas (Stein, 65), Fotiadis (Scarlett, 79). Substitutes not used: Abbey (gk), George.
Referee: R Furnandiz (Doncaster).
findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20010118/ai_n9666807Telegraph - QPR book date with Arsenal
By John Ley - 17 Jan 2001
Goal hero: Chris Kiwomya celebrates scoring the equaliser
Queens Park Rangers (0) 2 Luton Town (1) 1
(aet. 90mins: 1-1)
A GAME which began and ended in explosive fashion saw Queens Park Rangers earn an FA Cup fourth-round home tie against Arsenal after stealing victory in cruel fashion against struggling Second Division Luton Town last night.
They owed their win to substitute Chris Kiwomya, who scored twice to book a tie against his former club.
The game began with a goal inside 59 seconds from Luton debutant Lee Mansell who, two days earlier, did not even have a shirt number.
Luton had done enough to win but, as in the original tie, Rangers snatched a late equaliser with Kiwomya converting Ian Baraclough's cross in added time. After Richard Langley had missed a penalty, Kiwomya then hit the winner in the 112th minute when he beat Mark Ovendale from 10 yards after Baraclough and Peter Crouch had combined to set him up.
Gerry Francis had called this game Rangers' Cup final in light of the prize on offer and the club's dismal season so far; Rangers are second from bottom in Division One and had drawn eight of their previous 12 games. One of those draws came at Kenilworth Road where only a last-minute penalty, from Gavin Peathingy, earned them another crack at Second Division Luton.
Luton, like QPR, were depleted by injuries and suspensions. Missing last night was their entire back five including Matthew Taylor, who was banned. Because of their lack of resources manager Lil Fuccillo was forced to give a debut to Mansell.
The West Country teenager wasted little time in marking his arrival; Gavin McGowan fed Mansell and he exchanged passes with Andrew Fotiadis before the ball fell kindly to his left foot and he beat Ludek Miklosko, the ball finding the net off the foot of the post inside the game's opening minute.
It was a remarkable start, one which was not lost on the Mansell, who celebrated by turning to the travelling Luton fans and pointing to the newly-printed No 32 on his back. Having previously experienced only youth team football he was clearly determined to milk the moment.
Rangers, without Karl Ready and Danny Maddix, were not stirred by the early setback or by the fact that Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was watching.
Even when Luton lost defender Stuart Fraser after only nine minutes - the victim of his own reckless challenge on Matthew Rose - they failed to mount a serious challenge until just before the interval when the 6ft 5in Crouch put a shot over his head only for the ball to drop a foot wide.
After Kiwomya's equaliser, extra time opened in dramatic fashion when the same striker was brought down by Ovendale. The goalkeeper should have been sent off but escaped with only as booking and, to add to Rangers frustration, Langley hit the crossbar with his kick.
www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footbal....th-Arsenal.html
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