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Vine Baying For Wolves!

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When Rowan Vine came on as a 2nd half substitute against Crystal Palace, it was (apparently) exactly one year to the day since that injury. He then started our away match at Burnley, only to find himself on the bench again on Easter Monday, when the Rs faced Sheffield Wednesday – a decision taken by our caretaker boss, Gareth Ainsworth, as he felt that it would be too much for Viney to start two games in as many days.

As we know, however, Vine was brought on as a substitute on 56 minutes and, within minutes, found himself on the receiving end of a superb Wayne Routledge cross which had been parried by Wednesday keeper, Lee Grant. All Vine had to do was tap the ball into the net – goal! The joyous raptures not just on Vine`s face, but on all Rs` fans` faces, was obvious – but not to the Wednesday fans, who must have wondered why we were all going so crazy for a goal scored by a player – the first one of the season!

His overall performance on Monday reminded us of what we had missed all season and Vine spoke to QPR World after the game. He was really happy to have scored, let me tell you!

“It was brilliant! I don`t think I could get an easier one,” Vine commenced. But he was very quick to praise his colleague, Routledge, who`s superb cross gave Vine such a simple tap-in.

“Wayne did unbelievably to get through. I thought he was going to get brought down for a foul.

“As soon as he hit it, I thought that the keeper was going to parry it at best. He`s just touched it straight into my path. You touch it and you`re wheeling away because obviously it`s not one of the harder ones. It`s brilliant – it`s perfect for me to get an easy one coz a hard one I might`ve thought twice about!

“I`m buzzing with it!” And then he explained why he ran all the way to the other end of the pitch to celebrate!

“It was for my little boy, Lucius – it`s his and my special celebration, a secret one! When I score, I`ll be doing that from now on until he decides to change it!”

Vine, being the optimistic sort, felt that we could turn the 0-2 score line round. When he knew he was going on, he admitted that Ainsworth told him:

“Give me everything!

“Obviously, we needed everything from there, two nil down. We completely dominated the game in the first half – hit posts, had chances, had everything. Sometimes it happens like that. If it goes along another 10-15 minutes at two nil, then you start thinking that it`s not your day.

“I`ve come on and nicked the goal that started us off and running. To be fair, the boys were brilliant before I came on the pitch – and after. I think it was a credit to everyone that we battled, especially from two nil down. But I don`t think we surprised ourselves, because we know that we`ve played well in the game and deserved to win it.”

Vine acknowledged the standing ovation that the fans have given to the team as they traipsed off the pitch at half-time 1-0 down:

“There`s been poor performances home and away, and the fans have let the boys know. They`re going to do that. And that`s what you`d want them to do really – without too much booing and stuff like that. Everyone should know when we`re playing well and we`re trying out hardest. And I think we were unlucky to come off at 1-0. But we turned it round and everyone`s happy now!”

The talked then turned to this coming weekend`s away trip to Wolves. Would Vine be “banging on Gazza`s door demanding to be starting at Wolves?”

“Oh yeah! Definitely! Whether I could`ve started the game today – two games in three days – was a bit of an ask.

“I`ve surprised even myself. I felt well after Saturday`s game – I played 80 minutes and I`ve recovered well. So, I`d have been happy to start the game today; but I can`t ask for everything.

“I`ve come on and got my goal now. I think that`s the first goal I`ve scored at that end so it`s even more special!” he concluded.

Long may his recovery continue so successfully – imagine what a fully fit Rowan Vine will do for us next season?!

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'75/76 - What a year!