As part of what will become a regular feature, we look at a game in history between the R`s and their opponents. This week its West Bromwich Albion.
It`s all a bit cliché to look back against games against the Baggies and mention that incredible Wembley League Cup final, so for this one, I`ve decided to take a different angle and take us back to April 1982, and the F.A. Cup Semi-Final.
Teams: Queens Park Rangers v West Bromwich Albion
Competition: F.A. Cup Semi-Final
Ground: Highbury
Clive Allen`s goal separated the two sides at the neutral venue of Highbury, a place where the striker would not have held the fondest of memories. The striker was signed for the princely sum of £1m, and was subsequently released by Arsenal after not featuring in a first team game for the Gunners. The Stepney born Striker started out at Rangers, and re-signed after being picked up from Crystal Palace for £400k.
Rangers` illustrious victory came at a time where they were sitting in 9th place in the old Division 2, with West Bromwich Albion a first division outfit, placed 15th in the table. It was indeed the tactical nouse of Rangers boss Terry Venables that won the day, along with a stout defensive performance from Bob Hazell, to keep lone-striker Cyrille Regis to a minimum of half chances.
The Terry Venables offside trap, which has become a trademark of the mans work, continued to work to perfection as West Brom couldn`t find a way through a solid Rangers rearguard on a windy North London afternoon.
The breakthrough came in the 72nd minute, when good work from Terry Fenwick and Gary Micklewhite on the edge of the area, saw the aforementioned Hazell in a good position in the area, the centre back nudged it into the path of striker Clive Allen. With defender Ally Robertson odds on to clear, the Rangers striker stuck out a leg and diverted the clearance past Albion keeper Mark Grew and into the net.
The goal sent an overpopulated North Bank into delirium, with Albion fans at the Clock end pondering just how their team couldn`t show the First Division class against an incisive Rangers side, with genius Venables at the helm.
Rangers went on to draw the final 1-1 after extra time with Glenn Hoddle seemingly netting the winner for Spurs in the 110th minute infront of over 100,000 at Wembley, but Terry Fenwick popped up in the 115th minute, to send the game to a replay. Rangers subsequently lost the game 1-0 due to a 6th minute Glenn Hoddle penalty; despite the R`s dominating the replay without skipper Glenn Roeder.
Attendance: 45,015
Line-ups:
QPR: Hucker, Fenwick, Gillard, Waddock, Hazell, Roeder, Currie, Flanagan, Allen, Stainrod, Micklewhite.
West Brom: Grew, Batson, Statham, Zondervan, Wile, Robertson, Bennett, King (Owen 45) Regis, Cross, Mackenzie.
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