QUEENS PARK RANGERS made the hopeful push for a play-off place in Division One after the turn of the Millennium and made the ever difficult trip to the County Ground.
Teams: Swindon Town v Queens Park Rangers.
Date: Monday 3rd January, 2000.
Competition: Nationwide League Division One
Ground: County Ground, Swindon.
The R`s made it two wins on the bounce, and a first win of the new millennium at the first time of asking as they dispatched of Swindon Town at the County Ground, to move within a point of sixth place Stockport County, and move over “Money-bags Fulham” in the league table.
They had beaten Crewe Alexandra at Loftus Road on the last match of the 20th century courtesy of Stuart Wardley, they now had the challenge of rock bottom Swindon.
Frank Talia found himself as a one man wall, keeping the R`s attack out and thwarting countless attempts on goal from Rangers. Richard Langley was proving a real menace in the middle of the park for QPR, forcing Talia into two excellent first half saves, whilst in the second half he pulled off a stunning triple save to deny Kevin Gallen, Rob Steiner and the aforementioned Langley.
Kevin Gallen`s effort thundered back off the cross-bar, with Talia pulling off another save, this time from Stuart Wardley. Rangers fans had their head in their hands, thinking for all their dominance it wouldn`t be their day.
However, the R`s who conceded last minute heartbreak away at Norwich a week previous, exacted their revenge on relegation candidates Swindon, as Arsenal loanee Brian McGovern sent a hopeful ball into the box, it beat a crowd of players in the box, before young midfielder Richard Langley was on hand to slam the ball home from close range – cue delirium in the away sections.
The player that had in the previous season made his debut at the County Ground in a 3-1 defeat, this time had his revenge on the Robins, stealing the show to hand the R`s the points.
Following the final whistle Langley said:
“When Kevin hit the bar with about 15 minutes to go, I thought that was our last opportunity to win the game.” he said,
“I kept looking up at the clock and I knew that the ref was going to blow the whistle at about 4:55pm”
“Then Brian McGovern put a great ball in from right, I knew we`d played about two minutes over and that there couldn`t be long left. I didn`t have much time to think about it and I was lucky enough to be in the right place to tuck the ball away.”
Final Score: Swindon Town 0-1 Queens Park Rangers
Attendance: 9,302
Line-ups:
Swindon Town: Talia, Robinson, Hall, Hulbert, Davis, McCammon, Hay, Collins, Leitch, Williams A, Reeves.
QPR: Harper, Bruce, Ward, McGovern, Plummer, Baraclough, Langley, Murray, Wardley, Steiner, Gallen.
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