Sc**thorpe Match Reports & Managerial Comments

[QPR Report]

Still waiting for the QPR Official Site report. It's usually up sooner

Sc*n*horpe Official Site Minute by Minute

QPR 0 THE IRON 1 - MATCHDAY LIVE!
Posted on: Sat 30 Jan 2010

FULL-TIME

QPR 0 Sc*n*horpe United 1

Back-to-back away wins for Sc*n*horpe then, and they've done it by battling through. Many people will have questioned Nigel's team selection today, but he's proved the doubters wrong - again - hasn't he? That was a nice little performance by the Iron, and may well be seen as a defining win time. It also means that they leave Loftus Road after throwing a match that sets the home crowd into an alighted frenzy of disgust.

SECOND-HALF

92 Minutes: Forte time! Hooper goes off.

91 Minutes: As Murphy makes another save, I can hear only the Sc*n*horpe fans in voice. "It's over" states one QPR fan sat near to me.

90 Minutes: It's on-target, but Murphy makes one of those not-really-complicated-but-seemed-so-in-the-circumstances-type-saves.

89 Minutes: United are defending deep, and simply leathering the ball forwards when it's anywhere near the goal. Three minutes of time are added. QPR win a free-kick after a heavy tackle by Rob Jones.

87 Minutes: This afternoon's right-back, Sam Togwell, launches the ball to Hooper. He takes it down, and runs at Gorkss, who manages to stop him when the ball gets tangled between them. That provides a brief moment of respite.

84 Minutes: Slightly optimistic I feel - but humorous all the same, "Sc*n*horpe's going up" our fans proclaim.

81 Minutes: And again they hit it off-target: wide this time. Through German, who cuts in from the wing and curls it outside the post.

80 Minutes: Buzsaky replaced by Balanta. That's their last change. United meanwhile, still have the option of making another one. QPR fire another pot-luck-shot over.

78 Minutes: As you'd expect, QPR are throwing everything at us. I can even see a metaphoric kitchen sink heading towards the Scunny goal!

73 Minutes: Immediately, Cook and German are introduced at the expense of Vine and Taarabt for QPR.

72 Minutes: GOAL! Garry Thompson! The United fans go beserk. The contrast of how the QPR 'go' couldn't be more marked. Hooper got the ball, went round his marker, and slotted it across for Thompson. He stayed calm under pressure, rolling his finish into the net inch-perfectly from close-range.

QPR 0 Sc*n*horpe United 1

67 Minutes: Hooper has the ball in the net. But this time it's United's turn to have it chalked off by the officials. I think it was due to offside. Nope - it was due to a Hooper 'foul'. Well, I for one missed this foul, as the fact that I thought it was excluded for offiside sums-up. It was a lovely move though, Thompson's precise cross picked Hooper out in the box, and he steered it home with his head. Moments before that, McCann had the ball stolen off his head in a goalscoring position by a QPR defender. How ironic it would've been if he'd scored so soon after committing his temper-raising foul.

65 Minutes: Nigel Quashie goes down under a strong tackle, and then commences rolling around on the floor for a prolonged period of time - meaning tempers begin to flare. Grant McCann's booked (it was him who made the tackle). Initially, I thought he'd be dismissed in this sort of enviroment.

62 Minutes: The ball drops for Hayes in the area to rifle a shot on the volley. It has 'goal' written all over it. Although clearly Ikeme hasn't read the script though - he beats it away.

58 Minutes: Sam Togwell throws long into the area. It goes past Hayes, who is been held in a vice-like grip by a home defender, and drops for Hooper, who has his back to goal, but still gets a shot away; which Ikeme saves.

55 Minutes: The game is starting to open up. A goal is certainly on the cards. If I were a betting man I'd say it will be for our hosts. However, the nature of the fact that they're trying to turn the screw means that they're pushing forwards, leaving themselves vulnerable at the back.

53 Minutes: After showing us a little glimpse of his array of trickery, Donal McDermott gets a shot away in the area. It's deflected and fails to trouble Ikeme. It's a shame that didn't fall to a right-footer to be honest.

52 Minutes: A ball punted forwards from the London team's defence finds Rowan Vine. Offside. Another decent QPR chance wasted.

49 Minutes: Centre-back Kaspars Gorkss connects with a QPR corner... and heads over. A clear chance in a lot of space. That was a colossal let-off for United.

45 Minutes: Cliff Byrne leads United back out (quite a while after QPR were back out - a mind game?), and soon enough afterwards, the home side kick-off. United have made two changes for this half, replacing Woolford and Mirfin with Josh Wright and Donal McDermott. Togwell goes right-back, Cliff shuffles into the middle of defence.

HALF-TIME

QPR 0 Sc*n*horpe United 0

A few mild and muffled boos greet the whistle. The mindset of the QPR fans is there for all to see, and their negative attitude won't do their team on the field any good at all. For that reason, I think that whoever scores first will get this one, but judged on the first-half performances, it could be either of the teams that does so.

ATT: 13,105 (615 away)

FIRST-HALF

44 Minutes: And it's evened out a little bit... I think we'll head into half-time with the scores level.

40 Minutes: A five-minute or so spell of possession culminates in a Scunny corner. McCann plays it short, before getting it back and lashing the ball across goal. Ikeme can only palm it back into play, and Sam Togwell really should do better when he picks it up, controls it, and shoots - over the bar.

34 Minutes: Still located upfield following the attack, Rob Jones rises above everyone else in the area and gets a header at goal. It's caught by Ikeme though.

33 Minutes: Corner for the Iron after Jones makes a nuisance of himself in the box, forcing QPR to clear hurriedly. McCann promptly pops it into the area. QPR promptly pop it back out.

27 Minutes: Over the last few minutes Ranger's have taken this game by the scruff of its neck. United must consolidate for the next few minutes or so, and make sure they don't let a goal go past them. Taarabt needs to be watched really closely.

24 Minutes: QPR's Jay Simpson rounds Murphy and nudges the ball home. It's one-nil, and Loftus Road bursts into life. But the life is short-lived, when the linesman's flag executes it. Nil-nil. "Where's your money gone" taunt the United fans.

22 Minutes: Alejandro Faurlin is caught in possession by a bullish tackle from Sam Togwell. Togwell steals the ball from him, strides forward a couple of yards, sees Ikeme off his line, and wedges an effort towards goal. It goes just over, but would've been some individual goal had it gone in.

17 Minutes: Buzsaky brings the ball out of midfield for QPR, and responds to cries of "shoot" from the crowd when the space opens up in-front of him. His twenty-yard drive isn't bad, but goes over all the same. Seconds later, Taarabt has another go from inside the area, meaning Murphy has to spread himself into a lowly stance to push it away.

11 Minutes: QPR had a corner earlier, but I didn't mention it as it didn't really result in anything. So really, the attack that I'm about to describe was their first real one. Taarabt had the ball on the left, skipped inside, and sent a skimming drive out of play past the far-post.

9 Minutes: After a poor pass out of the box from QPR's left back, Garry Thompson receives the ball. He charges at his man, and then slides the ball inside for the well-placed McCann. McCann falls over, however. Not a problem - Woolford is one more over, and shall get it instead. Or not. He trips too! That was slightly funny actually.

3 Minutes: Gary Hooper lurches onto a ball in the box. He sidesteps a couple of players, before drawing a save from Carl Ikeme; a second chance then falls to Hayes, who tries to get a shot away on the rebound, but can't quite manage it.

1 Minutes: The game starts, and United are the first team to leave their half. The ball travels a little with Woolford, but QPR soon seize it and push up the other end in a very balanced start.

BUILD UP

14:58: Team's are welcomed out. Both teams are wearing a tint of blue on their shirts. United's is combined with Claret; and QPR's with white, however. Loftus Road stands in the shadows of the BBC Television Centre, where so may big things have happened. Let's hope today can hand United a big result in the context of their season.

14:54: The two sets of teams are about to come out. They'll be welcomed into a half-empty Loftus Road... A decent amount of Scunny fans have made the journey south, but this isn't exactly a great turnout from QPR's perspective. To make things worse, there's no sign of any A-list celebrities in the Press Box either. I'm a little dissapointed about that actually. This is usually a hotspot for them!

14:41: During the time I've spent lounging around in the press areas of Loftus Road prior to kick-off, I've got the impression that this is a really big game for QPR. Their fans are feeling a little bit disheartened at the moment since they haven't won in five, and we've been told to be wary of and expect something of a backlash from them today. An early goal for United would turn this already hostile atmosphere into a cauldron of disenchantment, and lay strong foundations for a Sc*n*horpe victory.

TEAM NEWS

Surprisingly enough, United keep faith with the team that fought to a 2-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday in midweek. Nigel Adkins said that he left it late to make his decision; and I suppose that ultimately, he would've found it just that little bit too difficult to change the team following Wednesday's win, even though some of his players may be feeling it a little by now. Consequently, Josh Wright and Donal McDermott will continue on the bench. Michael O'Connor, who returns from suspension, will also have to settle for a place on there.


QPR: Ikeme, Leigertwood, Buzsaky, Gorkss, Quashie, Connolly, Faurlin, Hill, Simpson, Taarabt. SUBS: Cerny, Ramage, Stewart, Cook, Balanta, Ephraim, German.


SCUN: Murphy, Williams, Togwell, Byrne, McCann, Hayes, Hooper, Thompson, Jones, Mirfin, Woolford. SUBS: Lillis, O'Connor, J. Wright, McDermott, Morris, Moloney.

PREAMBLE

For the second weekend in a row, United are faced with a wealthy set of opponents. Last Sunday it was the richest club in the world, Manchester City. This weekend it's Queens Park Rangers, a team located geographically in Shepherds Bush; but also found in the same financial bracket as the likes of City, due to the wealth of their billionaire chairman, Flavio Briatoire. For this week, the man directing QPR from their dugout on a caretaker basis will be Mick Harford. United owe him one actually, as it was he who stuck it to Sc*n*horpe as Luton manager in another of the Iron's recent expeditions to the capital - during last season's JPT Final.
http://www.sc*n*horpe-united.co.uk/page/News/0,,10442~1949601,00.html

[QPR Report]

Ealing Gazette

Sc**thorpe sink QPR
Jan 30 2010 By Jacob Murtagh

QPR 0-1 Sc**thorpe United

RANGERS slumped to their second successive defeat against struggling Sc**thorpe at Loftus Road.

Gary Thompson's second-half strike earned The Iron a vital three points in their battle against the drop to leave the hosts' play-off hopes hanging by a thread..

Both sides started brightly, Adel Taarabt forcing a good save out of Joe Murphy, while Carl Ikeme denied Thompson at the other end.

Jay Simpson had the ball in the back of the Sc**thorpe net midway through the first-half, only to be denied by the linesman's flag.

But Sam Togwell missed a gilt-edged chance to give the visitors the lead when he blazed the ball over from 12 yards with the goal gaping.

Kaspars Gorkss came within a whisker of breaking the deadlock after the interval when his glancing header skimmed the bar, while Simpson's solo effort was turned round the post moments later.

Hooper thought he had headed Sc**thorpe in front on 70 minutes, but his effort was chalked off for a push on Matt Connolly.

Mikele Leigertwood had a long-range effort tipped wide, and from the resulting corner, Connolly could only stab the wall wide from close range.

But the hosts fell behind 16 minutes from time when Hooper broke free down the right before teeing up Thompson to slot past Ikeme from four yards.

QPR boss Mick Harford threw on Lee Cook, Antonio German and Angelo Balanta as they tried desperately to salvage a point.

But they couldn't find a way back as they slipped to another disappointing defeat.

www.ealinggazette.co.uk/sport/football-ealing/qpr-ealing/2010/01/30/sc**thorpe-sink-qpr-82029-25722057/

[QPR Report]

QPR Official Site

Garry Thompson's 74th minute strike was enough for Sc**thorpe United, as they recorded back-to-back away wins with victory over the R's.

On an afternoon when Gareth Ainsworth said an emotional farewell to the QPR faithful following his departure after a successful seven-and-a-half year playing stint in W12, Thompson latched onto a Gary Hooper centre with only 16 minutes remaining, before firing the ball past Carl Ikeme.


QPR, in truth, enjoyed their fair share of possession throughout the match and pressed for an equaliser late on, but even the much-anticipated return of Lee Cook from injury couldn't prevent the R's from defeat.

Rangers boss Mick Harford made just a single change for the visit of Nigel Adkins' Sc**thorpe, with Rowan Vine replacing Damion Stewart.

Ikeme kept his place in goal for the R's.

In defence, skipper Mikele Leigertwood started at right back, Matt Connolly and Kaspars Gorkss at centre back and Matt Hill at left back.

Akos Buzsaky and Adel Taarabt began out wide in midfield, with Nigel Quashie and Alejandro Faurlin supporting from the middle.

Vine partnered Jay Simpson up top.

At a cold but sundrenched Loftus Road, it was the R's who had the first opportunity to open the scoring.

Quashie's lovely, dinked ball over the top found Vine out wide on the left, and when the striker cut the ball back for Taarabt, his stinging effort was blocked away by an Iron defender for a corner.

Moments later, it was Sc**thorpe's turn to attack. Cliff Byrne found the ball inside the R's box before touching it back to Hooper, but his shot was saved by Ikeme.

Hooper was then involved again, winning possession around 25 yards from goal before a dipping shot hit the roof of the net.

This was fast becoming an end-to-end encounter. Buzsaky then won possession in the Sc**thorpe half before driving at goal, before his shot from 30-yards out went high and wide of the goal.

Soon after, Rangers missed their best chance to date to find the net.

Simpson and Taarabt combined before the former played the Moroccan international through on goal down the left, but his driven effort was palmed away by Joe Murphy for Sc**thorpe before a defender cleared the ball up field.

The R's were playing some of the best passing football that they had done in a while. Simpson and Taarabt were then involved again, with the former touching the ball back to the Tottenham loanee on the edge of the penalty area, before his curling shot went inches wide of the post.

Moments later, Leigertwood found Simpson down the right channel before the frontman cut in and shot straight at Murphy in the Iron goal.

Rangers were creating the greater amount of chances, and they almost got the first goal of the game when Taarabt's corner was met by Connolly, whose header went marginally wide of the net.

As half time approached, the Iron almost put themselves into an unlikely lead.

Hooper's neat back heel enabled Martyn Woolford to centre from the left, and when his cross was directed by Ikeme back into the direction of Sam Togwell, he could only blast over from 12-yards out.

Rangers continued where they left off in the first half after the interval - and soon they went only inches from finding the goal.

Taarabt's beautiful corner was met by the head of Gorkss, who nodded the ball just over the bar.

Soon after, Rangers broke at pace through Simpson, who drove at goal before his shot was parried away by Murphy before eventually being put out of play by the Sc**thorpe defence for a corner.

Leigertwood and Buzsaky then combined down the right before the Hungarian playmaker's cross went agonisingly across the face of the target and out for a goal kick.

Play then switched to the other end, where Thompson and Hooper combined to play in Paul Hayes on the edge of the penalty area, but his shot went just wide of Ikeme's left-hand post.

Moments later, the Iron almost grabbed the lead but for a brilliant save from Ikeme.

Quashie's pass hit the referee and fell into the path of Hayes on the edge of the box, before his shot was superbly parried away by Ikeme and then cleared by the Rangers backline.

Sc**thorpe then thought they had taken the lead. Thompson's cross was headed goalwards and into the top right-hand corner by Hooper, but he was deemed to have pushed his marker Connolly in the back.

The R's raced up the other end and were again denied by Murphy.

Leigertwood received the ball in the right-back position before cutting in and shooting with his left foot 25 yards from goal, but his shot was tipped away for a corner by the Sc**thorpe keeper.

From the resultant set-piece, Connolly headed against a defender before the ball fell back at his feet, but he could only shot wide of the target from only six-yards out.

It was a miss that the R's were made to pay for, as just seconds later, Sc**thorpe broke at pace and opened the scoring.

After a long ball was played from deep up to Hooper, he cut the ball back at the byline to Thompson, who took a touch before smashing low from close range past Ikeme.

Undeterred, Rangers continued to press the Iron, with Cook introduced from the substitutes' bench for his first appearance after injury since April in the league.

Simpson found the ball on the right-hand side of the penalty area, before he cut in a shot just wide of Murphy's right-hand post in the Iron goal.

However, though Rangers continued to attack - namely when Simpson almost found the target after heading wide Cook's cross - they couldn't find a way back into the match, as Sc**thorpe held out to take the points.

QPR: Ikeme, Leigertwood, Vine (German 75), Buzsaky (Balanta), Gorkss, Quashie, Connolly, Faurlin, Hill, Simpson, Taarabt (Cook 75).

Subs not used: Ramage, Stewart, Cerny, Ephraim.



Sc**thorpe United: Murphy, Williams, Togwell, Byrne, McCann, Hayes, Hooper (Forte 90), Thompson, Jones, Mirfin (Wright 46), Woolford (McDermott 46).

Subs not used: O'Connor, Lillis, Morris, Moloney.

Goals: Thompson (74)

Bookings: McCann

Referee: Mr G Hegley

Attendance: 13, 105

www.qpr.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10373~48224,00.html

[FloridaR]

Thanks for posting mike.
I decided this morning to go out & do some work - no updates / listening .. zilch as I was hoping that the QPR players would come out & shut up everyone with a gigantic win !!!

alas .... same old QPR : (

[QPR Report]

QPR Official Site
HARFORD'S SCUNNY VERDICT
Posted on: Sat 30 Jan 2010

Mick Harford felt his QPR side deserved more from this afternoon's Championship clash against Sc**thorpe United, as the R's succumbed to a 1-0 defeat at Loftus Road.

Garry Thompson bagged the only goal of the game, in a contest in which the Hoops more than enjoyed the lion's share of territory and possession throughout the 90 minutes.

"I felt we deserved more," Harford told www.qpr.co.uk.

"We were the dominant force in the first half and created the greater chances in the second half too.

"Their keeper made a number of good saves and they were defending for their lives at times.

"Their goal came out of the blue really and that's really difficult to take."

Harford added: "The players gave me everything, but today just wasn't our day.

"It's disappointing, but we'll pick ourselves up and go again on the training ground on Monday."

www.qpr.co.uk/page/TheGaffer/0,,10373~1950000,00.html

[QPR Report]

NEWS OF THE WORLD - GARRY THOMPSON SINKS RANGERS
QPR 0-1 Sc**tHORPE

HEAVEN SENT - Garry Thompson
30/01/2010

Sc**tHORPE turned the heat on faltering Rangers with a second win inside four days to haul themselves clear of the relegation zone.

Garry Thompson's third goal of the season secured the points as Nigel Adkins' side cast off their fatigue to add to the London team's woes.

Substitute Donal McDermott launched the decisive raid with a ball over the top to Gary Hooper.

Tommo seized on the pulled-back cross and just sorted his feet out in time to prod home.

It condemned Rangers to their fourth defeat in six outings and the mood of despair hung heavy over Loftus Road all afternoon.

Adkins was more concerned with his team, saying: "They were ultra professional. It was our third game in six days and they got their reward."

The home fans chorused their hatred of co-owner Flavio Briatore and urged him to "get your wallet out."

Scunny strikers Hooper and Paul Hayes unsettled Rangers while Grant McCann's knack of creating space kept his team believing even after QPR's Adel Taarabt flashed a couple of efforts across goal.

The introduction of McDermott after half-time gave the visitors more presence down the left and confidence grew.

In the 69th-minute Hooper looked to have achieved the breakthrough with an impressive header but the referee had spotted a push.

That disappointment was wiped out within five minutes as McDermott set Hooper free and Thompson finished off.

The Iron now have a seven-point relegation cushion while Rangers look to be in freefall.
www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/football/match_reports/championship/710249/QPR-v-Sc**tHORPE.html

[The Godfather]

My report:

www.wearetherangersboys.com/match_report.htm

[desorchid]

Thank you for your report Mr De Niro, i only disagree with you on one point. The defeat by Vauxhall Motors was a minor cluck up, and there followed the re-signing of Mr Hat and thrashing of Swindon. Our current problems are substantially more serious.

[londonranger]

Once again, thank you, and also for posting it here. The unmarked Thompson where were the centre-backs, Gorkss and Connolly.

Leigertwood has said I dont like playing right -back and Im not good at it. Can you explain this apparent contradiction? thanks again

[QPR Report]

Ditto the thanks, G-d Father!

[QPR Report]

Sunday People
No laughs in a horror for Harford
Ian Gibb

Qpr Sc**thorpe 0 1 GARRY THOMPSON piled on the misery for QPR as Sc**thorpe continued their rise from the relegation trapdoor.

Rangers are lurching towards another crisis after their 5-0 thrashing at Nottingham Forest in midweek.

Fans had threatened to protest with clowns' noses and wigs. That never materialised - but nobody's laughing.

QPR's nerves were bound to be frayed for Mick Harford's first home game in charge since taking over from Paul Hart.

Harford would have been relieved to see the Wolves keeper he has signed on loan, Carl Ikeme, go down smartly to his left to save Gary Hooper's shot from 12 yards after just four minutes.

Jay Simpson netted from Adel Taarabt's through pass on 24 minutes but the offside flag had already gone up.

Apart from a Taarabt shot that curled wide and a back-post header inches off target from Matthew Connolly there was little else to warm the home fans.

Wildly Sc**thorpe's Grant McCann played a neat trick with Hooper before bearing down on goal and though his effort was half cleared, Sam Togwell should have done better than hit wildly over the bar after 37 minutes.

Rowan Vine headed over from Taarabt's 49th-minute corner for QPR. Simpson worked a shooting chance from 20 yards and the ball bounced off keeper Joe Murphy's chest for a corner on 55 minutes.

Simpson then sent Murphy tumbling to his left to hold but Rangers were not finding it easy. And then referee Grant Hegley almost handed Sc**thorpe a goal after 63 minutes.

Nigel Quashie, back in a QPR shirt, aimed a clearance but Hegley got in the way and Thompson set up Paul Hayes for a shot which was heading towards the far left corner.

But Ikeme flung himself to his right to turn the ball aside.

Sc**thorpe also had a goal chalked off in the 69th minute when Hooper headed in Thompson's centre from the right. Hooper had pushed his way to the chance.

Mikele Leigertwood's drive was turned around the post by Murphy at the other end and from the corner Connolly hoofed wide.

But Rangers were finally undone in the 74th minute when Hooper switched the ball inside for Thompson to net easily.

Qpr: Ikeme 7 - Leigertwood 6 , Connolly 6, Gorkss 7 , Hill 6 - Buzsaky 5 (Balanta 79min), Quashie 6 , *FAURLIN 7 , Taarabt 6 (Cook, 74mins) - Vine 5 (German, 74mins), Simpson 5.

Sc**thorpe: Murphy 6 - Byrne 7, Mirfin 6 (Wright, 45mins, 7) , Jones 7 , Williams 6 - Thompson 7, Togwell 6 , McCann 6 , Woolford 6 (McDermott, 45mins, 7) - Hayes 7, *HOOPER 8 (Forte, 90mins).

www.people.co.uk/sport/football/tm_method=full%26objectID=22007777%26siteID=93463-name_page.html

[QPR Report]

Sc**thorpe Official Site
AN IMPORTANT THREE POINTS - THOMPSON
Posted on: Sat 30 Jan 2010

Iron winger Garry Thompson was delighted to once again score a decisive away goal for the Iron.

Fresh from notching an important brace in the superb 4-1 away victory at Derby County three weeks back, the former Morecambe man was the match-winner in Saturday's equally impressive 1-0 success at Queens Park Rangers.

The result takes Nigel Adkins' side up to 16th position, and was their second successive away win and fourth match unbeaten in the league.

They sit just one point away from the top half of the table, with Crystal Palace set to visit Glanford Park next week.

What was all the more impressive is that the win came just three days after a vital, yet tiring, 2-0 home success over struggling Sheffield Wednesday.

"It was up there with the Sheffield Wednesday result for us," a happy Thompson told The Iron Player.

"We got a good result on Wednesday and it was important that we came here and picked up another.

"We worked hard and managed to come away with a win.

"We'd struggled away from home up to now but we've managed to get two fantastic results here and at Derby.

"We may not have scored four goals like we did at Derby but we have the points and that's all that matters.

"This result just shows what hard work does for you. It was a very tough game for everybody.

"We made a couple of changes at half-time but the lads who came on did a good job and we managed to pull off a great result."

http://www.sc**thorpe-united.co.uk/page/News/0,,10442~1950242,00.html

[scottjones]

Well I agree with the Sunday Peoples player ratings.

Vine and Buzz were both wastes of space. Simpson I cant blame as well, he's 2 foot1 and their defense are all 7 foot tall