QUEENS Park Rangers’ youngsters triumph in the Youth Alliance Cup, dispatching of Southampton late on in the fixture.
Queens Park Rangers’ youngsters triumph in the Youth Alliance Cup, dispatching of Southampton late on in the fixture.
Rangers did most of the pressing in the early offing with Elliott Cox, who’s been in sparkling form thus far this season, clipped his effort wide, while Frankie Sutherland saw his thunderous effort cannon back off the post.
Saints came close twice in quick succession as Sam Hoskins conspired to miss from close range, while Jordan Keegan couldn’t make enough contact on a well-executed cross.
It was the R’s that took the lead in this end to end encounter as Sutherland tried his luck again from distance, and clipped the ball delightfully into the top corner.
Rangers only chance before the break fell to Bagasan Graham, but his header in the six-yard box was misguided and the Saints lived to fight another day.
Niki-Lee Bulmer had to be at his best as the visitors raced out of the blocks, with Hoskins and Ben Reeves both testing the R’s keeper with speculative efforts.
Callum McNish however had other ideas as he surged towards the area and picked out the top corner with an effort that exhumed class and composure.
Sam Bewick, who has appeared for the reserves this season, nearly drew the R’s level twice, initially sending a header wide, before testing Saints stopper Jack Dovey.
Undeterred Rangers continued to knock at the door, and had their questions answered when Aaron Waters’ through ball fell to the feet of Antonio Geman.
The young striker didn’t need asking twice as he surged through and placed the ball beyond Dovey to restore Rangers’ advantage.
Something that the first team have suffered from in recent games came to the fore in this fixture, but to the R’s advantage. With Southampton chasing the game Javonne Malloy forced a save from Dovey.
Luckily for Rangers it fell kindly for German, with the predatory forward lying in wait to grab his brace and the R’s third – to see Rangers through to the Fourth Round.
QPR: Bulmer, Harriman, Waters, Ehmer, Bailey, Olley, Sutherland (Doughty 73), Bewick (Molloy 86), Cox, German, Graham (Nanetti 63)
Have your say on The Forum
Follow us on Twitter