Uncategorized

QPR lose at Wolves

|
Image for QPR lose at Wolves

QPR lost at Molineux for the third straight season as Wolves enhanced their play off hopes with a two goal win.

Rangers were grateful to stand in keeper Jake Cole for keeping the score down in the second half but it could all have been so different if Jimmy Smith’s shot had gone in instead of hitting the bar just after half time.

QPR went into the game without five of the six players that have played the biggest part in taking them to safety. Camp, Cullip, Mancienne, Cook and Blackstock were all missing. Jake Cole started in goal, Stewart and Kanyuka at centre half and Jimmy Smith on the wing. Mauro Milanese played at left back with Furlong and Nygaard up front.

The first half was a very poor 45 minutes of football. Olofinjana and Keogh both had efforts on goal from 20 yards out, both shots went wide of the post.

Michael McIndoe had Wolves’ best chance of the opening period when he arrived unmarked at the back post but he hammered it over the bar. A little later he smashed a similar chance well wide of the goal. Perhaps his key injury time penalty miss against Birmingham last week was praying on his mind.

At the other end Mauro Milanese had a volley blocked away by Collins when it looked destined for the top corner and Jimmy Smih was denied one on one by Matt Murray after Martin Rowlands found him unmarked at the back post.

Smith went a lot closer to opening the scoring after half time when he collected possession after neat play by Rowlands and Bolder and sent a dipping effort in on goal which smashed against the under side of the bar and bounced out to Rowlands who just couldn’t get over the ball enough to force the rebound home.

From then on it was pretty much Wolves v Jake Cole. Bohroyd missed a great chance to give them the lead with a header inside the six yard box that he sent wide, then Keogh fired wide as well and the home fans began to get frustrated.

That frustration turned to panic when McIndoe calmly sidefooted wide from a yard out and when Jake Cole produced a world class save of the season from Keogh’s header it looked like it wasn’t going to be Wolves’ day. Sadly for Cole the rebound fell straight to Keogh and he hammered home. Just seconds before this Cole had saved from Bothroyd’s free kick so after two great saves he must have wondered what on earth he had to do.

The same applied ten minutes later. Pat Kanyuka left the field injured and was replaced by Sam Timoska but the change wasn’t enough to prevent Kightly running through on goal – Cole denied him one on one. Two minutes later Bothroyd played Kightly in again, this time he beat Cole to the ball and slid it home.

Wolves relaxed now and although Rangers sent on ray Jones and created a couple of half chances, including Rowlands curling a shot straight at the keeper, the game was over as a contest. Without Cook and Blackstock Rangers just didn’t have the cutting edge to get the better of Wolves who now look destined for the end of season lottery.

Player Ratings

Jake Cole 9
Star Man

Marcus Bignot 7
Steady performance from Marcus as always.

Damion Stewart 6
Some thumping first half challenges, but not half as good or assured as he is with Cullip alongside him.

Pat Kanyuka 6
Dodgy back pass in the first half that Cole did well to deal with, worrying to see his thig injury recurring in he second.

Mauro Milanese 7
Decent performance at full back, unlucky not to score.

Martin Rowlands 7
Usualgood performance wide right, not spectacular but pretty good.

Adam Bolder 6
Busy as always but really struggled against the much bigger more physical Olofinjana

Steve Lomas 6
Like Bolder, really struggled with Wolves’ central midfield.

Jimmy Smith 7
Good work rate and unlucky not to score at least one.

Paul Furlong 7
Good battle with Collins, Craddock and Breen, got his fair share of free kicks but few sights of goals.

Marc Nygaard 6
Worked hard for little reward, got involved in a second half skirmish with Breen and was booked.

Share this article