QPR Lose on penalties - Anyone go?
QPR Official Site
REDS EDGE SPOT-KICK SHOWDOWN
Posted on: Tue 07 Dec 2010
Brave QPR Under-18's twice came from behind but bowed out on penalties in the third round of The FA Youth Cup.
Ryan Tinsley scored the decisive penalty for Nottingham Forest, after Adam Francis missed QPR's third spot-kick following 120 minutes of play.
Forest were ahead on as early as six minutes, when Neill Byrne headed home Ben Osborn's pinpoint centre.
Michael Doughty levelled from the spot for QPR just past the hour mark when Bruno Andrade was felled in the box, before Patrick Bamford put Forest back into the lead with a penalty following what appeared to be a somewhat fortunate award.
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Mo Shariff put the R's back on level terms with just seven minutes left to play, before a further 30 minutes of extra-time followed - as well as penalties that saw Forest nudge their way into Round Four.
Steve Gallen's QPR lined-up in a 4-3-3 formation for the visit of Forest.
Gareth Deane was in goal for Rangers.
Michael Harriman, Stephen O'Donnell, Luke Olley and Anthony Sanderson made up the back four.
In midfield, Doughty was in a holding position, partnered by Sam Bewick and Jordan Gibbons.
Shariff, Marcel Henry-Francis and Andrade led the R's attack.
Given Forest's reputation as an established Academy, tonight's (Tuesday) tie in W12 was an excellent chance for Gallen's charges to test themselves against tough opposition.
But the R's - hot off the back of 12 wins from their opening 13 Puma Youth Alliance South East Conference league fixtures - too were in fine form heading into this one.
Forest shot-stopper Ben Gathercole was first called into action.
The R's won a free-kick 25 yards from goal and, when Doughty stepped up to fire a rasping effort towards the target, Gathercole was forced into a smart save before gathering the ball at the second attempt.
Forest were soon on the attack themselves and opened the scoring from a corner on six minutes.
Osborn played architect, sending over a lofted centre that was met by the head of Byrne, who rose highest to smash a header into the back of the net.
QPR didn't let their heads drop following the early strike, and Doughty was again unlucky not to hit the target when his driven effort was deflected wide.
However, Forest continued to look dangerous in attack.
Bamford could, and probably should, have doubled Forest's advantage - again from a corner.
Following a cross from the left, the Reds front-man beat his marker, but only to blaze an effort from close range over the bar.
QPR themselves could have found net before the break but for the heroics of Forest defender Jamaal Lascelles.
Henry-Francis muscled his way past two defenders and into the area following a long ball from deep that caused confusion visitors' ranks, before he clashed with Forest keeper Gathercole.
The big striker was first to react to the loose ball and, as he wound up to fire home into an empty net from 10 yards, Lascelles excellently slid across to clear the danger.
Deane had to be at his very best after the half-time interval to keep the R's in the tie.
Sanderson's sloppy throw-in deceived Bewick, before David Morgan won possession in midfield to put Darragh Reynor through one-on-one with the keeper.
The Forest attacker bore down on goal and, as he looked certain to tuck the ball home past Deane from 12-yards out, the R's shot-stopper pulled off a fine save to block an effort away up field.
Moments later, Forest again almost doubled their lead.
Bamford and Reynor combined to good effect inside the box, before the latter's driven strike only just cleared the bar from close range.
But QPR never gave up and they were rewarded for their efforts from the penalty spot on 64 minutes.
Andrade was unfairly hauled to the ground by his marker in the area following an industrious run down the left, leaving referee Mr Hicks with no option but to point to the spot.
Doughty stepped up and made no mistake, sending the keeper the wrong way as he drilled the ball into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.
QPR took great heart from their equaliser and, if anything, it was the R's who looked most likely to grab a second goal.
However, Forest were awarded what appeared to be a harsh penalty on 80 minutes.
O'Donnell was deemed to have tugged back Bamford in the box, before that very man dusted himself down to slide the ball home for what you thought would have been the winner.
But justice was seemingly done when the R's again came from behind to draw level with just seven minutes remaining.
Shariff went on a surging run before unleashing a fierce shot that smashed against the foot of a Forest defender and, as the ball fell back at his feet from 18-yards out, he made no mistake with his second attempt to restore parity.
Extra time...
With both sides unable to muster a winning goal in normal play, the tie was forced into 30 minutes of extra time.
Deane fashioned two stunning saves to keep Forest at bay in the opening half, first palming away a stinging long-range free-kick from Osborn before diving low at the feet of Bamford to excellently block his effort away from all of six-yards out.
Both QPR and Forest continued to tire for the duration of the additional minutes and, as a result, neither team could create any further notable chances as the tie went to penalty kicks.
Penalties...
Byrne (Nottingham Forest) - Goal!
Bewick (QPR) - Goal!
Meadows (Nottingham Forest) - Goal!
Francis (QPR) - Missed!
Reynor (Nottingham Forest) - Goal!
Henry-Francis (QPR) - Goal!
Bamford (Nottingham Forest) - Goal!
Doughty (QPR) - Goal!
Tinsley (Nottingham Forest) - Goal!
QPR: Deane, Harriman (Graham 80), Sanderson, Doughty, O'Donnell, Olley, Bewick, Gibbons, Shariff (Walker 91), Henry-Francis, Andrade (Francis 97).
Subs: Parmenter, Sendles-White.
Goals: Doughty (pen 64), Shariff (83)
Bookings: Bewick (43)
Nottingham Forest: Gathercole, Kaye, Osborn, Morgan (Tinsley 116), Lascelles, Byrne, Artymatas, Meadows, Bamford, Reynor, Wallace (Papworth 105).
Subs: Andrews, Furlong, Markey.
Goals: Byrne (6), Bamford (pen 80)
Referee: Mr C Hicks
www.qpr.co.uk/page/YouthReports/0,,10373~2239016,00.html
