By Peegs
March 20 2003

Cheltenham left QPR with what any realistic fan expected a defeat. Add to this Mike Duff being carried off with a broken nose and it wasn’t a very happy first trip to Loftus Road for the Robins. 3 changes were made from the team that drew versus Northampton at the weekend, Neil Howarth replaced the injured Dave Bird at right back, John Finnigan started inplace of Russell Milton and Damian Spencer started instead of Marvin Brown.

Cheltenham got off to the perfect start as they have done many times in recent weeks, a free kick by McCann was headed across goal by Mike Duff and Martin Devaney stole in to head pass Hoops ‘goalie Chris Day. Unfortunatly for Cheltenham there was still 85 minutes to go.

On the 15 minute mark John Finnigan found himself clearing off the line – this time without using his hands like in the Cobblers game – the unlucky man was Rangers Marc Bircham who must have thought he had bagged himself a goal.

QPR were well on top and created chance after chance as the half wore on. Bircham fired over the bar, ex Birmingham striker sent in a header that Higgs had to scramble to save and Kevin Gallen fired over from 18 yards.

Just as it looked as though Cheltenham would make it to the break 1-0 up QPR drew level, 40 minutes were on the clock when on loan Watford midfielder Lee Cook beat 3 men down the left handside and crossed for Kevin Gallen who steered the ball past Higgs from 12 yards, a division 1 player crossing for an ex Premiership player, this goes to show the class that QPR had on show last night.

Cheltenham didn’t even go in at halftime on level terms as in the 1st minute of stoppage time QPR took the lead and in all honesty they probably deserved to go in at the break a goal up.

Richard Langley – who I think is a player to watch in coming years – sent a through ball to Kevin Gallen, Mike Duff got back but as he cleared all he managed to do was put the ball past the on rushing Shane Higgs and into the back of the Robins net. Quite possibly a disastrous end to the first half!

H/T 1-2

No subs were made at half time although Marvin Brown’s pace could have given the QPR defense some problems. If the 1st half ended badly than the 2nd half started in similar fashion. On 52 minutes Mike Duff went up for a header with Paul Furlong, a combination of Furlong’s head and elbow connected with Duff and the Northern Irish player had to go off injured, Bobby Gould later revealed Duff had suffered a broken nose and may be fit for the trip to Port Vale on Saturday.

A re-shuffle was required Alsop replaced Duff and went upfront alongside Spencer with Brough dropping back to fill in at centre back. Why oh why didn’t Gould bring on Marvin Brown? Alsop had just come back from injury so how effective could he be after no reserve team action?

On 55 minutes QPR put the game beyond Cheltenham, a shot from Kevin Gallen was blocked by Northern Ireland U21 International Shane Duff, however the ball broke clear and Gallen played the ball to Langley on the right, his cross found its way to the back post where Watford loanee Cook tapped in. A tiring Cheltenham team, minus their best defender were never going to get anything from this game from being 2 goals down.

It was only 8 minutes till the majority of the 11,370 fans inside Loftus Road were cheering another goal, a ball to the edge of the box by Langley was controlled with his back to goal by Furlong (a player with £4million total transfer fees in his career!) he turned spun away from his marker before drilling a low shot past Higgs from 10 yards.

With goals flying in left right and centre the objective in the game for Cheltenham now was to keep goal difference down as this may be crucial come the end of the season, this saw Cheltenham play 4-5-1 with Spencer now playing right midfield with just “Big Jules” upfront.

With 15 minutes to go the strength of the Rangers squad showed as Furlong and Gallen were withdrawn to be replaced by ex Gills striker Andy Thomson and ex Cheltenham striker Brett Angell.

Being 3 goals up QPR took their foot off the gas and the only further chances in the game fell to Damian Spencer who saw a couple of headers drift wide of the QPR goal.

The game finished 4-1 to QPR which was a fair reflection on the game, any realistic Town fan would say QPR away didn’t total up any pints on pre season game predictions, another big relegation test on Saturday see’s the Robins travel away to Port Vale who fins themselves just above the relegation zone.

How many points will it take the Robins to stay up and where will we get the from Check back to the site on Friday to see Peegs final 8 game predictions!

F/T 4-1

QPR: Day, Forbes, Carlisle, Shittu, Williams (Padula 8), Langley, Bircham, Palmer, Cook, Gallen (Thomson 74), Furlong (Angell 74).

CHELTENHAM TOWN: Higgs, Howarth, M.Duff (Alsop 52), S.Duff, Victory, Devaney, Yates, Finnigan, McCann, Brough, Spencer.

Attendance 11,370