We arrived at Loftus Rd around half an hour before kick off and on first impressions it looked a half decent facility. After picking the tickets up we went into the away end and sampled the local lager priced at £3:80 a pint. Quite frankly, it tasted like p**s!
We found our seat behind the goal with a good away following for a Tuesday night in London. I'd guestimate at around 200 (I know 160 has been posted but I think there were more than that!) Looking round, Loftus Road was empty, with only the main stand to our left really being occupied. It might as well have been empty with the lack of noise they had made throughout the game.
The game started and in the opening forays we never really looked troubled. We looked assured in our passing and comfortable. We went ahead when Grimes received the ball down the left, turned and shot accross the keeper, only for him to parry to JLAA. He still had a little work left to do to beat the defender to the ball but always looked like winning it.
For the remainder of the first half, we again never really looked troubled. We had a couple of chances, one falling to Adams, but his shot was weak, and so did they! I only remember Lucas saving smartly at his near post once, although their reports claim we had cleared one shot off the line.
Half time came and went with plenty of smiles shared in the away end. We all agreed that Dale had deserved their lead.
In the second half they came out the stronger and put us under some sustained pressure. That sort of pressure though, that we never really looked like conceding. Tarabt and Bothroyd looked disinterested and Dale defended solidly. The latter had the ball in the net after an hour, but he was correctly ruled offside.
Dale got deeper and deeper as the half wore on, but always looked solid. That Belkenstein lad looks some player! Lucas was marshalling them well, and Darby and widdowson were both playing superb roles! Holness too was solid.
Then, on 81 mins, it happened! As QPR threw men forward, Dale broke with Grimes winning a bouncing ball, he squared it to Jones who burst through, but looked to have taken it slightly wide. He then preceded to deftly chip Murphy (paddy McCourt esque) into the far side of the net. The dale fans went ballistic!
The game then petered out with cries of "were all going on a European tour!" I won't go through all the players because they were all superb, but special mentions have to go to Pim Belkenstein and Jason Kennedy who looked like men possessed tonight!
It's making this car journey home bearable!
4,766 saw it, QPR 0 Dale 2. |  |
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