Big Congratulations to QPR 3-1 Winners
www.qpr.co.uk/page/YouthReports/0,,10373~1899406,00.html
QPR Official Site
FA YOUTH CUP - QPR 3, SAINTS 1
Posted on: Tue 08 Dec 2009
QPR Under-18's marched into the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup, as Antonio German's late double clinched a 3-1 win over Southampton at a rain-soaked Loftus Road.
In an entertaining affair, Steve Gallen's youngsters took a 25th minute leader through Frankie Sutherland's well-taken strike, only for Callum McNish to restore parity on the hour with a fine strike of his own.
Chances were few and far between in the second half, but it was the R's who finished in the ascendancy, with German bagging a late brace to clinch victory.
The R's were on the front foot from the first whistle in front of an expectant home crowd.
Indeed, with the tie only a minute or so old, the lively Elliott Cox scuffed an effort wide from 10-yards, as Gallen's side made the early running.
The first real chance, however, arrived on 17 minutes when Sutherland was found on the edge of the box, and - with time on his side - fired a thunderous effort against the post with Saints keeper Jack Dovey well beaten.
At the other end, Sam Hoskins blazed wide with the goal at his mercy, as the tie began to really open up after a tight opening.
Saints went close again on 34 minutes, with Jordan Keegan narrowly failing to convert an enticing ball across the box.
It was certainly a let-off for the R's, and they made the most of their reprieve just 60 seconds later.
With Saints failing to clear a routine cross into the box, the ball fell at the feet of Sutherland. The Eire young-gun took one touch to set before curling a delightful strike into the far corner of the net, giving Dovey absolutely no chance.
The Hoops could - and perhaps should - have doubled their advantage moments later, but Bagasan Graham got his close range header horribly wrong, nodding the ball high and wide from the edge of the six-yard box.
Ben Reeves tested Niki-Lee Bulmer at the start of the second half, with the R's keeper diving down low to his right to save the left backs dipping effort.
Bulmer had to be at his agile best again in the 55th minute, tipping Hoskins' audacious bicycle kick round the post, as the Saints briefly threatened.
But there was nothing Bulmer could do to prevent Southampton from equalising on the hour, as McNish curled a sublime effort beyond the R's number one and into the roof of the net.
Rangers - to their credit - refused to lie down and Sam Bewick's sighter from distance flew just marginally wide of the far post.
The same player went close again five minutes later, this time with his left foot, as Dovey scrambled across his goal to usher the ball wide of his right hand post.
Rangers weren't to be denied though and 11 minutes from time German raced clean through from Aaron Waters' inch-perfect through ball and fired past the exposed Dovey.
And the R's put the icing on the cake in the second of four added minutes, as German tapped home from inside the six-yard box after Javonne Molloy's effort was beaten into his path by Dovey.
QPR: Bulmer, Harriman, Waters, Ehmer, Bailey, Olley, Sutherland (Doughty 73), Bewick (Molloy 86), Cox, German, Graham (Nanetti 63)
Subs: Morley, Andrade.
Southampton: Dovey, Argent (Robinson, 46) Reeves, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Racine, Tafazolli, McLean, McNish, Hoskins, Keegan (Garrod 79), Preen (Holder-Spooner 70).
Subs: Harper, Mowthorpe.
