QUEENS Park Rangers youngsters retained their unbeaten record while dispatching of local rivals Brentford.
Queens Park Rangers youngsters retained their unbeaten record while dispatching of local rivals Brentford.
A youthful side included Republic of Ireland youth international Frankie Sutherland and Under 16s striker Bruno Andrade, as well as several younger options on the bench.
Despite the visitors applying the majority of the early pressure Kyle Vassell squandered a chance to hand the Bees the lead with Nik-Lee Bulmer pulling off a smart stop.
The R’s had the lead when skipper Andrew Perring hit a hopeful long ball causing confusion in the heart of a visiting defence.
Defender James Zanelli collided with stopper Dexter Burt, with winger Elliott Cox also involved. The R’s wide-man picked himself up and poked the ball home from an acute angle.
Despite their advantage Rangers were continually reminded of the threat that the young Bees possessed with the unmarked Chris Bush nodding wide from a corner.
That took the R’s into the break with a useful lead, and it didn’t take long for them to double the advantage after the break.
Danny Fernandez and Michael Harriman combined well on the flank with the latter producing a testing cross. It was cleared only as far as Cox who unleashed a deflected effort beyond Burt.
The Bees came back into the game with wave after wave of attack testing the resilient Rangers rearguard.
Indeed Kyle Vassell reduced the deficit with a fine effort from the edge of the area and the visitors sensed their way back into the game.
Only the talented keeper Bulmer kept Rangers’ lead intact to deny another powerful Bush header, before the same player nodded over the bar from a corner.
The inspired Bulmer performed more heroics to deny David Pitt in the and preserve the Rangers advantage, but it was the R’s who counter-attacked to perfection to snatch the victory.
15-year-old Raheem Sterling was thrown on from the bench and he didn’t disappoint, running a great distance with the ball before rolling home a fine individual effort.
The R’s youngsters move up to fourth with a game in hand on leaders Southend United and the chasing pack.
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