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United's unbeaten run was stretched to seven games with a hard-earned point in freezing London conditions in the final game before Christmas.
Both goals came in an entertaining opening ten minutes as ex-Blade Mikele Leigertwood gave QPR the lead only for Richard Cresswell to level soon after.
The game was Paul Hart's first game in charge of Rangers and was an interesting appetiser ahead of the FA Cup third round tie between the teams in early January.
Due to injury and illness, Blackwell made three changes, bringing in Kallio, Montgomery and Stewart for Williamson, Taylor and Evans, although the latter was deemed fit enough to take a place on the bench. The personnel suggested a switch to a 4-5-1 formation with Cresswell as the sole frontman and that proved to be the case.
There was a frantic start and United, on the back of three consecutive clean sheets, found themselves behind before two minutes had elapsed. Kallio was forced to concede a corner to stop Simpson and after Watson's delivery was cleared by Morgan, LEIGERTWOOD picked up the loose ball before drilling a 25-yard shot which was deflected into Bunn's bottom left corner.
It stunned the Blades fans arriving behind Bunn's goal and Kilgallon had to time a tackle to prevent Simpson adding a second. The Sheffield contingent, however, were warmed by a leveller - it was on eight minutes and was United's first attack. Rangers had three players close by one of their defensive corner flags but Watson managed to surrender possession and Kallio raced on to the loose ball before firing into the danger area for CRESSWELL to bundle home at the near post.
A spell of end-to-end, entertaining action followed before the half hour mark but only presented two changes for the home side. From a short Watson corner, Taarabt's turn and shot failed to find the target and then Bunn gathered the ball at the feet of Routledge when the winger looked set to go around the goalkeeper.
After the initial blitz, United's system was beginning to frustrate the home side and it was the visitors who looked the more like to claim the third goal of the game as half-time approached. Quinn shot just wide after Montgomery had robbed Taarabt and then QPR's Stewart was booked for stopping Ward in what was an obvious physical mismatch.
United's Stewart, faced with a difficult chance, could only shoot at Cerny and a Quinn effort, following Kallio's pass, was blocked when it looked to be heading towards goal.
On the stroke of the break, Quinn and Ward combined to work a chance down the right but the latter dragged his left-foot volley wide of the target.
The start of the second period was somewhat scrappy with both sides struggling to hold on to possession long enough to create worthwhile chances. The opportunities that did present themselves, though, fell to the home side in the first 15 minutes after the interval.
Montgomery was tempted into a foul on Taarabt in a central position right on the edge of the penalty area but fortunately, the Moroccan, on loan from Tottenham, could only fire his free-kick into the wall. On 59 minutes Agyemang ran at the Blades defence and his cross was perfect for a volley but Simpson sliced his effort well wide.
Three sides of Loftus Road appealed for a penalty on 65 minutes when, following a spell of the ball pinging around the Blades box, Simpson went down under a Morgan tackle but referee Swarbrick was unconvinced and another run from Taarabt came to nothing.
As in the first half, United came back into the game and began to force the home side back, beginning with a good chance on 67 minutes. Walker and Quinn combined on the right and the latter's pull back resulted in Harper sidefooting over the angle of post and crossbar.
Quinn, the further forward of the three central midfielders, was heavily involved in the attacking intent of the Blades and twice he failed to find the target with very difficult shooting chances.
As the final, nervy 15 minutes approached QPR were again appealing for a penalty when Gorkss claimed he was pulled back by Kilgallon as Watson's corner flashed across the box and then Vine was allowed time to shoot for home from 25 yards but Bunn was well placed to gather.
Another Rangers corner was cleared as far as Leigertwood in the final five minutes but, thankfully, the former United midfielder was unable to repeat his crisp strike that gave the home side the early lead.
After denying Rangers two penalties, referee Swarbrick did hand the home side a soft free-kick with a minute to go when Morgan was adjudged to have impeded Agyemang. To add insult to injury the United skipper was booked. Fortunately, Watson's free-kick was deflected wide and the Blades cleared the resulting corner.
QPR were on the offensive in the closing stages, and the three additional minutes, whilst the home side went mightily close to winning it. Two of three injury-time minutes had elapsed when Routledge's cross was headed against the top of the crossbar by Watson.
Bunn was in no hurry to restart the action and was booked for delaying but it was worth it as it was confirmed moments later that the Blades had secured a hard-earned point in the capital.
QPR: Cerny, Ramage, Stewart, Leigertwood, Routledge, Agyemang, Gorkss, Watson, Williams, Simpson (Vine 68), Taarabt.
Unused: Hall, Pellicori, Faurlin, Balanta, Taylor, Parker.
Blades: Bunn, Montgomery, Morgan, Kilgallon, Harper, Cresswell, Ward, Stewart, Quinn, Kallio, Walker.
Unused: France, Evans, Reid, Bennett, Little, Geary, Camara.
www.sufc.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10418~48660,00.html
QPR OFFICIAL SITEHonours were even between Rangers and Sheffield United, as Paul Hart started his reign as boss with a point in a tight encounter at Loftus Road.
Mikele Leigertwood gave Rangers the lead, blasting home from 20-yards out after a corner was deflected out into his path after just two minutes had been played.
But the Blades weren't to be beaten. In fact, they notched an equaliser on eight minutes, with Richard Cresswell slotting home after the R's failed to clear their lines.
The result sees the R's move up to 10th in the Coca-Cola Championship table.
New Rangers gaffer Hart named an unchanged side from Monday evening's 2-2 draw away at second placed West Bromwich Albion.
So, with Radek Cerny in goal, the back four consisted of Peter Ramage, Damion Stewart, Kaspars Gorkss and Tommy Williams.
Wayne Routledge and Jay Simpson started out wide in midfield, with Ben Watson and skipper Leigertwood in the centre of the park.
Adel Taarabt was up front alongside Patrick Agyemang.
On what was a rather cold afternoon in West London, the R's didn't waste anytime as they went on the offensive from the start.
Agyemang squared for Simpson on the edge of the area, and the Arsenal loanee cut in and shot before his effort was deflected away for a corner.
From the resulting set piece, Watson's centre was cleared only as far as Leigertwood on the edge of the area, before the R's captain lashed the ball home past Mark Bunn in the Blades goal to put Rangers into a second minute lead.
This was an end-to-end spectacle, exemplified when the Blades went up the other end just six minutes later and levelled the scores.
After beating his marker down the left, Toni Kallio squared for Cresswell six-yards out, and the former Leeds United frontman made no mistake from close range to blast the ball home past Cerny.
The R's were soon back on the attack. Another Watson corner caused trouble, as he played a short pass to Taarabt on the edge of the penalty box.
The Spurs man shrugged off the attentions of his marker before unleashing a low drive at goal, though it wasn't enough to trouble Bunn as it sailed just wide of his right-hand post.
Moments later, Leigertwood received the ball midway into the United half before driving at the opposition defence, only to see his shot sail wide of the goal.
Taarabt then found space just outside the area before playing a reverse through pass to Routledge, but Bunn did brilliantly well to slide and claim the ball at his feet.
Just short of the break, Ramage played a neat pass to Taarabt before the Moroccan international let fly with a thundering effort from fully 30-yards out, but that shot wasn't to trouble the Blades keeper as it sailed high and wide of the target.
United could - and perhaps should - have taken a lead into half-time when a cross from the right flicked up for Jamie Ward to hit from 12-yards out, but he could only drag his shot wide of the net.
The second half got underway, and Rangers didn't relent as they looked to get back in front.
Early pressure resulted in Taarabt being brought down on the edge of the area when seemingly through on goal.
The midfielder then dusted himself down before firing in an effort on target from a free-kick, but the shot was blocked away to safety.
Soon after, Gorkss passed the ball on midway to Agyemang before the R's striker beat two men and flighted a cross in for Simpson, who volleyed wide when free on the right-hand side of the area.
The game, at this stage, was mostly being played in the visitors' half.
Moments later, Rangers had claims of a penalty waved away by the referee.
After a cross was deflected into the path of Simpson, Chris Morgan seemed to take the legs of the R's hotshot six yards from goal, but Mr Swarbrick decided against awarding a spot-kick to Rangers.
Play soon switched to the other end, and as Ward squared for James Harper from the byline, the Reading loan man could only lift the ball over the target.
The R's then had their best chance to date to add a second. A devastating corner from Watson looked certain to find the head of Gorkss from close-range, but he misjudged the flight of the ball as it went out of play.
Good work from Taarabt and Agyemang resulted in the latter touching the ball back to Watson 20-yards out, though he could only pull his shot wide of the goal.
Rangers continued to press, namely when Taarabt's header hit the bar late on, though the Blades held out to claim a point.
QPR: Cerny, Ramage, Stewart, Leigertwood, Routledge, Agyemang, Gorkss, Watson, Williams, Simpson (Vine 68), Taarabt.
Subs not used: Taylor, Hall, Pellicori, Faurlin, Balanta, Parker.
Goals: Leigertwood (2)
Bookings: Stewart (32)
Sheffield United: Bunn, Montgomery, Morgan, Kilgallon, Harper, Cresswell, Ward, Stewart, Quinn, Kallio, Walker.
Subs not used: France, Evans, Reid, Bennett, Little, Geary, Camara.
Goals: Cresswell (8)
Bookings: Montgomery (52), Morgan (89), Bunn (90)
Referee: Mr N D Swarbrick
Attendance: 12, 639
www.qpr.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10373~48660,00.html
LONDON INFORMER/YAnn TearRangers held in Hart's first game
RANGERS could not conjure a win for new boss Paul Hart in his first game in charge – allowing Sheffield United to quickly cancel a Mikele Leigertwood goal for a share of the spoils.
It was the Hoops' sixth draw in 11 home games but at least Hart avoided a repetition of the horror show against Middlesbrough in the previous home match which probably did for predecessor Jim Magilton – regardless of the influence of Headbuttgate in the decision to part company with the Northern Irishman.
Hart and his assistant Mick Harford know home success will be the minimum requirement in the short term, as will be a win to end a sequence of games without victory which stretched to six after this stalemate with the Blades.
Hart’s tenure got off to the perfect start, with Rangers going ahead in the second minute. United failed to clear Ben Watson’s right-wing corner and Leigertwood’s deflected shot ended up in the net against his old club.
But a mistake by Watson led to the Blades equalising only six minutes later. The midfielder gave away possession and Toni Kallio sent in a low cross that Richard Cresswell bundled in from close range after fending off defender Kaspars Gorkss.
QPR’s on-loan Tottenham forward Adel Taarabt then fired over, and Jamie Ward almost put United in front with a right-footed effort that went narrowly wide.
In the second half, Rangers appealed in vain for a penalty when Jay Simpson went down under a challenge from Chris Morgan, before Ward again came close to scoring.
Stephen Quinn did well on the right and pulled the ball back for Ward, whose curling effort beat keeper Radek Cerny but went wide.
Cresswell also missed the target with a late header from Jordan Stewart’s left-wing cross.
A draw was a fair result, although QPR went agonisingly close to scoring an injury-time winner when Watson headed Wayne Routledge’s cross against the bar.
“I thought we played extremely well,” said Hart, who was encouraged by what he saw.
“In the second half it was wave after wave - and we might have had a penalty. We were unlucky but it’s not about luck, it’s about performances and if you work hard enough, eventually things will work out.
“Rome wasn’t built in a day, but I came to this club because I think it’s one that can progress.
“I’ve only been here two days so I’d be wrong to say I need to make changes. I’m here to work with the players - that’s what I do.
“The players have been a pleasure to work with. The mood has been good. I haven’t needed to lift them.
“I’ve signed a contract until the end of the season but I don’t want anyone to think I’m just here for the ride. Hopefully, it will continue beyond then.”
Line-up: Cerny; Ramage, Stewart, Gorkss, Williams; Routledge, Leigertwood, Watson, Taarabt, Simpson (Vine 68), Agyemang. Subs not used:Taylor, Hall, Faurlin, Pellicori, Balanta, Parker. Attendance: 12,639
www.londoninformer.co.uk/london-sport/allsport/2009/12/19/rangers-held-in-hart-s-first-game-64767-25430573/