With Barnsley in town on Tuesday night there can be only one choice for the Memorable Match feature as we mark 20 years since that punch from Andy Impey.

Memorable Match

QPR 3 Barnsley 2, Saturday January 25, 1997, FA Cup Fourth Round

Having dithered over team strengthening following his September 1996 appointment as manager, Stewart Houston finally seemed to have QPR fit and firing when Barnsley came to town in January as the R’s attempted to bounce back to the Premier League at the first time of asking. A run of three wins from 15 matches through the autumn which had dropped Rangers as low as fourteenth in the First Division had given way to seven wins and a draw from nine matches over the Christmas and New Year period.

One of those victories had been against Barnsley . The Tykes were the surprise package of the First Division that year, eventually defying the odds and finishing in the second automatic promotion spot behind Bolton , but QPR completed a double against them with 3-1 wins at Oakwell and Loftus Road . The first game, back in September, had been during the transition period between Ray Wilkins and Houston with goals from Simon Barker, young Mark Perry and Danny Dichio sealing victory for a caretaker management trio of Frank Sibley, Billy Bonds and John Hollins.

By the time Danny Wilson’s side came to W12 in January Houston had spent some of new chairman Chris Wright’s millions to plunder John Spencer and Gavin Peacock from Premier League neighbours Chelsea and both players had hit the ground running with a slew of goals and assists to fire Rangers up to seventh in the division. Spencer in fact had scored a perfect hat trick against Barnsley in the league game — a left foot strike from a seemingly impossible angle, a powerful near post header, and a smooth right foot finish in injury time to seal the victory. The R’s followed that up by dispatching Huddersfield from the FA Cup in a Third Round replay thanks to a late Alan McDonald goal, and then recovered from a 4-0 half time deficit at Port Vale to snatch an unlikely draw.

Barnsley had stuttered rather after QPR’s win at Oakwell earlier in the season. Having won all five of their league games at the start of the season, including a last minute success at newly relegated title favourites Man City , the 3-1 set back against the Super Hoops was immediately followed by an identical defeat against lowly Grimsby on their own patch and then eight draws and a loss from 12 matches.

Nevertheless, the profits of doom who expected them to drop back into the pack were silenced by a fine winter run of five wins and two draws from eight games including the completion of a double over City and a 1-0 win at Sheffield United in the South Yorkshire derby. They’d also sent fellow First Division side Oldham out of the FA Cup at the Third Round stage while Rangers were grappling with Huddersfield to set up a cracking fourth round tie at Loftus Road.

It looked like it might by third time lucky for the northerners as a typically dire piece of goalkeeping from Tony Roberts gifted them a thirteenth minute lead. There appeared to be little danger when captain Neil Redfearn clipped a delicate free kick over the defensive wall but despite the shot carrying little pace and Roberts seeing it all the way the hapless goalkeeper allowed it to squirm through his hands, between his legs and over the goal line.

Rangers’ defence had been fairly dreadful for the entire season so its lethal attack was used to bailing the team out of trouble and just as they’d done at Vale Park the previous week they set about constructing a comeback. A goal kick flicked on around the halfway line appeared to be posing the visitors few problems until Spencer produced an airborne back flick which bamboozled the Barnsley defenders and sent Gavin Peacock steaming into space. Belatedly surrounded by three men on the edge of the box Peacock took a shot on himself and curled a fine equaliser past goalkeeper Dave Watson and into the top corner from 20 yards out.

Rangers took the lead for the first time in the game six minutes later at the midway point of the first half. Prolonged pressure around the edge of the box with Peacock and Paul Murray dictating play eventually led to Alan McDonald chipping a ball up to the back post where Barnsley were appealing for a foul against Danny Dichio. With his marker on the floor and the referee happy to allow play to go on Dichio squared the dropping cross through the goal mouth with a first time side foot pass that Spencer smashed in from close range.

Half time, leading 2-1 and in decent form, things were looking good for Houston ’s team. But the game turned nasty five minutes into the second half when winger Andy Impey planted the sweetest right hook you’ll ever see on a football field flush into the face of full back Adie Moses and was given a straight red card. Impey, absolutely fuming about something that had been done or said to him, had to be led from the field by his team mates as the club doctor retrieved Moses’ tongue from the back of his throat. He didn’t half smack him.

So that left Rangers with almost the entire second half to play against one of the league’s better teams a man light. The stage was set for Trevor Sinclair.

With a quarter of an hour left to play Rangers seemed happy to maintain possession of the ball wide on the right wing with full back Danny Maddix combining well with Spencer and Dichio in a triangle move presumably designed to do little more than run the clock down and frustrate Barnsley. Eventually, as the visitors closed in to bring the move to a close, Spence put his boot through the ball and sent a hopeful cross up towards the edge of the area. Sinclair, who always did have an eye for the spectacular, launched himself into the sky with his back to goal and executed a textbook bicycle kick which rocketed past Watson and flashed into the roof of the net from fully 20 yards. One of the greatest goals ever scored in the history of football. Even the Barnsley fans in the School End couldn’t help but stand and applaud.

Mind you, the game wasn’t over. Roberts, who seemed to have a Barnsley win on his coupon that day, contrived to let a 20 yard daisy cutter from John Hendrie squirm through him and into the net with four minutes still to play setting up a nail biting finish.

Rangers hung on though, and took a 10,000 strong following to Premier League side Wimbledon for the fifth round tie where, despite taking a first half lead through Mark Hateley, they were eventually beaten 2-1. Barnsley went on to win promotion to the Premier League and QPR finished ninth in the First Division. Match of the Day voted Sinclair’s goal their best of the season, ahead of David Beckham’s famous halfway line chip.

QPR: T Roberts, D Maddix, A McDonald, K Ready, R Brevett, P Murray, G Peacock, A Impey, T Sinclair, J Spencer, D Dichio

Subs not used: Sommer, Brazier

Goals: Peacock 20, Spencer 26, Sinclair 74

Sent Off: Impey 50

Bookings: Maddix, Murray, Impey

Barnsley: D Watson, N Eaden, M Appleby (A Liddell, 76), J Bosancic (S Jones, 64), A Moses, A De Zeeuw, N Redfearn , C Marcelle (M Bullock, 64), D Sheridan, J Hendrie, P Wilkinson

Goals: Redfearn 13, Hendrie 86

Bookings: Wilkinson, De Zeeuw, Hendrie

Attendance: 14,317

Recent Meetings

Barnsley 3 Queens Park Rangers 2, Wednesday August 17, 2016, Championship

Early season optimism sparked by two wins in the first two games was punctured at Oakwell as QPR blew a 2-1 lead to lose in the final 13 minutes against a bright, attacking, young Barnsley side. The hosts took an early lead through Marley Watkins but, although Rangers had hardly posed a goal threat at all for the first half of the game, penalties from Tjaronn Chery and Seb Polter gave them the lead with a quarter of an hour left to play. One spectacular Conor Hourihane free kick and a last minute Josh Scowen goal later and the game was up.

Barnsley: Davies NA; Bree 6; Roberts 6, Mawson 7, White 7; Kent 8; Scowen 7; Hourihane 8; Hammil 5; Watkins 6 (D’Almeida 82, -); Bradshaw 5 (Payne 63, 6)
Subs not used: Macdonald, Moncur, Lee, Townsend, Yiadom

Goals: Watkins 4 (assisted Hourihane/Roberts), Hourihane 77 (free kick won Hourihane, conceded Luongo), Scowen 89 (assisted Payne, mistake Hall)

Bookings: Roberts 46 (foul)

QPR: Smithies 4; Onuoha 7, Caulker 6, Hall 4, Bidwell 6; N’Gbakoto 6 (El Khayati 83, -), Henry 4, Luongo 5, Cousins 5 (Washington 91, -); Chery 7 ; Polter 7
Subs not used: Ingram, Perch, Petrasso, Shodipo, Kakay

Goals: Chery 47 (penalty, won Polter), Polter 75 (penalty, won N’Gbakoto)

Red Cards: Hall 90+5 (two bookings)

Bookings: Onuoha 90+3 (foul), Hall 61 (foul), 90+5 (foul)

Barnsley 2 Queens Park Rangers 3, Saturday May 3, 2014, Championship

Barnsley were already relegated and QPR already secure in the play-off zone when these sides met at Oakwell in May 2014. But any win on this ground isn't to be sniffed at for though QPR's home record against Barnsley is imperious, wins at Oakwell have been few and far between. This one looked like it was going to be simple enough when Charlie Austin banged on in and then home defender M'voto turned a Kevin Doyle cross into his own goal but Chris O'Grady halved the deficit after half time. A mazy run and emphatic finish had many wondering why Yun Suk Young hadn't seen more game time instead of the lazy Benoit Assou Ekotto, but Rangers were made to sweat for their win by another O'Grady goal, this time lashed home from long range, in injury time.

Barnsley: Steele 6; Kennedy 6, Ramage 6, Cranie 6, M'voto 5 (Bree 72, 6); O'Brien 6, Dawson 6 (Hassell 80, -), Jennings 6, Cywka 6 (Noble-Lazarus 72, 5), Rose 5, O’Grady 7

Subs not used: Dibble, Oates, Boakye-Yiadom, Cowgill

Goals: O’Grady 54 (assisted Jennings), 90 (unassisted)

QPR: Green 6; Hughes 6, Donaldson 6, Onuoha 7, Suk-Young 7; Henry 7, O’Neil 5; Benayoun 6 (Petrasso 76, 6), Doyle 6, Traore 6 (Kranjcar 57, 6); Austin 6 (Keane 57, 5)

Subs not used: Carroll, Hoilett, Murphy, Gibbons

Goals: Austin 42 (assisted Traore), Mvoto og 43 (assisted Doyle), Suk-Young 68 (unassisted)

QPR 2 Barnsley 0, Saturday October 5, 2013, Championship

QPR cruised to a routine win against relegation haunted Barnsley at Loftus Road at the start of October that season. It was only thanks to the heroics of visiting keeper Jack Butland that the R’s weren’t in front at half time — he saved well with his feet from Charlie Austin and then sprang up to block the rebound from Ale Faurlin. But the England youth international was beaten by Austin just after the hour after Junior Hoilett had dribbled in from the left flank and forced the issue with a low cross. The game was sealed by Austin from the penalty spot after he had dribbled around Stephen Foster and forced a foul.

QPR: Green 6; Simpson 7, Dunne 7, Hill 7, Assou Ekotto 6; Carroll 7, Barton 7, Kranjcar 6 (Chevanton 88, -), O’Neil 7 (Henry 81, -), Faurlin 6 (Hoilett 62, 8); Austin 8

Subs not used: Traore, Ehmer, Jenas, Murphy

Goals: Austin 66 (assisted Hoilett), 85 (penalty — won Austin)

Barnsley: Butland 7; Cranie 6, Ramage 6 (Hassel 67, 6), Wiseman 6, Kennedy 6; Mellis 6 (Cywka 71, 6), Perkins 5, Fox 6, McCourt 7; Scotland 4 (Pedersen 54, 5), O’Grady 5

Subs not used: Noble-Lazarus, Dawson, Etuhu, O’Brien

Bookings: Mellis 59 (foul), Perkins 63 (foul)

QPR 4 Barnsley 0, Saturday August 7, 2010, Championship

Neil Warnock's QPR side started their march to the Championship title with a convincing 4-0 win against Barnsley on the opening day of the 2010/11 season — although the scoreline didn't quite tell the full story. Debutant goalkeeper Paddy Kenny, perhaps a little rusty after a year out with a drugs ban and nervous having only just arrived from Sheffield United, dropped a routine cross in his six yard box on the stroke of half time which should really have seen Barnsley go in at the break level. Then after half time Fitz Hall inexplicably punched a ball clear inside his own area but referee James Linnington failed to award a penalty kick. To exacerbate the visitors' frustration two of QPR's four goals came from the spot — Adel Taarabt was obviously fouled during a typically mesmeric run in the first half and Heidar Helguson converted, then in the second the Moroccan took responsibility and made it 3-0 although had Linnington played on through a foul on Helguson the ball had ended up in the net anyway. Between those two goals Jamie Mackie had scored his first for the club when goalkeeper Luke Steele fumbled the ball at the worst possible moment, and Hall swept in a fourth from a low Hogan Ephraim cross with nine minutes remaining.

QPR Kenny 5, Orr 7, Hall 6, Gorkss 7, Hill 7, Ephraim 7,Derry 7 (Leigertwood 79, 6), Faurlin 7, Taarabt 8 (Parker 77, 6),Helguson 7 (German 83, 5), Mackie 7

Subs Not Used: Cerny, Clarke, Connolly, Borrowdale

Booked: Orr (tripping)

Goals: Helguson 41 (penalty, assisted Taarabt), Mackie 53 (assisted Ephraim), Taarabt 63 (penalty, assisted Helguson), Hall 81 (assisted Ephraim)

Barnsley Steele 5, Hassell 2, Shackell 5, Foster 4, McEveley 2,Hammill 6 (Neumann 76, 5), Doyle 5, Lovre 5 (Butterfield 86, -),Devaney 5 (Hume 46, 6), Colace 7, Gray 6

Subs Not Used: Preece, Dickinsone, Boulding, Potter

Booked: Foster (foul, penalty concession), McEveley (professional foul)

Barnsley 0 QPR 1, Tuesday April 12, 2011, Championship

Things were very different by the time the two teams met again in April. QPR eventually built a 19 match unbeaten run at the start of the season and had led the division pretty much since day one, but a 4-1 defeat at lowly Scunthorpe on the Saturday before a trip to Oakwell hinted at a few jitters starting to set in. When Adel Taarabt scored a fine first from long range in the very first minute of the game all seemed well with the world, but the match turned into a backs to the wall effort from that point on with Kaspars Gorkss particularly impressive in the face of 89 minutes of Barnsley attacking and a truly horrific display from match referee Tony Bates. Barnsley hit the post twice, including once through Jacob Butterfield from long range in injury time at the end of the game, and had two very decent penalty appeals for handball waved away.

Barnsley: Steele 6, Trippier 7, McShane 5, Shackell 7, Hill 6 (McEveley 77, 5), Mellis 6 (Clark 77, 6), Doyle 6, Butterfield 7, Haynes 6, Harewood 5, Gray 6 (Noble-Lazarus 82, -)

Subs Not Used: Preece, Foster, Arismendi, O'Brien

Booked: Butterfield (foul)

QPR: Kenny 7, Orr 7, Gorkss 8, Connolly 7, Hill 7, Derry 6, Faurlin 6, Routledge 6, Taarabt 6 (Ephraim 69, 6), Smith 6, Helguson 7

Subs Not Used: Cerny, Buzsaky, Agyemang, Hulse, Miller, Shittu

Booked: Taarabt (foul/reaction)

Goals: Taarabt 1 (assisted Routledge)

Previous Results

Head to Head >>> QPR wins 26 >>> Draws 10 >>> Barnsley wins 15

2016/17 Barnsley 3 QPR 2 (Chery, Polter)

2013/14 Barnsley 2 QPR 3 (Austin, Mvoto og, Suk Young)

2013/14 QPR 2 Barnsley 0 (Austin 2)

2010/11 Barnsley 0 QPR 1 (Taarabt)

2010/11 QPR 4 Barnsley 0 (Helguson, Mackie, Taarabt, Hall)

2009/10 Barnsley 0 QPR 1 (Leigertwood)

2009/10 QPR 5 Barnsley 2 (Buzsaky 2, Leigertwood, Watson, Simpson)

2008/09 Barnsley 2 QPR 1 (Delaney)

2008/09 QPR 2 Barnsley 1 (Hall 2)

2007/08 Barnsley 0 QPR 0

2007/08 QPR 2 Barnsley 0 (Vine, Agyemang)

2006/07 Barnsley 2 QPR 0

2006/07 QPR 1 Barnsley 0 (Rowlands)

2003/04 Barnsley 3 QPR 3 (Furlong 2, Kay og)

2003/04 QPR 4 Barnsley 0 (Gallen, Rowlands, Ainsworth, Thorpe)

2002/03 QPR 1 Barnsley 0 (Pacquette)

2002/03 Barnsley 1 QPR 0

2000/01 QPR 2 Barnsley 0 (Kiwomya, Crouch)

2000/01 Barnsley 4 QPR 2 (Kiwomya 2)

1999/00 Barnsley 1 QPR 1 (Rose)

1999/00 QPR 2 Barnsley 2 (Darlington, Steiner)

1998/99 Barnsley 1 QPR 0

1998/99 QPR 2 Barnsley 1 (Langley,Gallen)

1996/97 QPR 3 Barnsley 2* (Peacock, Spencer, Sinclair)

1996/97 QPR 3 Barnsley 1 (Spencer 3)

1996/97 Barnsley 1 QPR 3 (Barker, Perry, Dichio)

1982/83 QPR 3 Barnsley 0 (Gregory, Sealy, Flanagan)

1982/83 Barnsley 0 QPR 1 (Allen)

1981/82 Barnsley 3 QPR 0

1981/82 QPR 1 Barnsley 0 (Flanagan)

1964/65 QPR 3 Barnsley 2 (Bedford 3)

1964/65 Barnsley 0 QPR 0

1963/64 QPR 2 Barnsley 2 (Bedford 2)

1963/64 Barnsley 3 QPR 1 (Bedford)

1962/63 Barnsley 0 QPR 0

1962/63 QPR 2 Barnsley 1 (Large 2)

1961/62 QPR 3 Barnsley 0 (Bedford, Keen, Evans)

1961/62 Barnsley 2 QPR 4 (Bedford, Angell, Towers, Evans)

1960/61 QPR 4 Barnsley 2 (Bedford, Andrews, Evans, Keen)

1960/61 Barnsley 3 QPR 3 (Whitfield 2, Bedford)

1959/60 QPR 1 Barnsley 0 (Andrews)

1959/60 Barnsley 2 QPR 1 (Bedford)

1951/52 QPR 1 Barnsley 1 (Smith)

1951/52 Barnsley 3 QPR 1 (Hatton)

1950/51 QPR 2 Barnsley 1 (Waugh, Smith)

1950/51 Barnsley 7 QPR 0

1949/50 QPR 0 Barnsley 5

1949/50 Barnsley 3 QPR 1 (Addinall)

1948/49 Barnsley 4 QPR 0

1948/49 QPR 2 Barnsley 2 (Addinall 2)

1909/10 Barnsley 1 QPR 0*

* - FA Cup

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TacticalR added 14:32 - Mar 7 Thanks, great stuff. Impey's right hook has been well and truly overshadowed by *that* goal. Looking at the August 2016 game what's noticeable is not simply the number of changes since then (half the players), but the departure of key players Chery and Polter.
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MedwayR added 14:49 - Mar 7 Great memories, we always had entertaining matches against Barnsley at that time. I'm pretty certain Nicky Eaden was the grateful recipient of Impey's right hook, not Aidie Moses, can anyone confirm???
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