A tale of two penalties.

Tonight saw the first league London derby of the season for QPR and this time we played hosts to South Londoners Crystal Palace.

After losing the last home game by an impressive looking Leicester side, we gathered at the Springbok with no real feeling or whether we thought a win, loss or draw was on the cards. Traditionally a draw is usually played between the two teams so that would’ve been the safe bet for any gambler out there.
In attendance for the Lofty Heights crew were Lofty, PK, California Hoop, Jenson, Sam, Justin and Myself. We had two guests with us today, Christian (a Palace fan) and Pete (a Chelsea fan). The Chelsea fan is a good friend of mine and has followed Rangers progress quite closely and having seen us on the box quite recently he asked to come to a game and even decided to miss their game on the box to see us. Corp was also at the game but this time around he was in the comfort of the boxes, true Corp style.
There were two changes from the side that lost on Friday night. Fitz Hall and Ben Watson came into the side for Damion Stewart and Peter Ramage. This meant that Mikele Leigertwood dropped into the right back position.
This also meant that there were five, yes five former Palace players in our starting eleven. Leigertwood, Hall, Borrowdale, Watson and Routledge having played for the Eagles previously.



The game started off pretty evenly and if not for a smart stop by Speroni in the Palace goal from a low drive from Wayne Routledge. Leigertwood soon fired in an effort which was slightly wayward and didn’t trouble the Palace defence.
Those were the two only real chances in the opening 17 minutes of the game, however in the 18th minute we got a great piece of attacking play.
With passes being exchanged between Simpson, Routledge and Taarabt it left the Spurs loanee on the left side of the penalty area and looking to beat the last man, as he played the ball past the defender he was tripped and the referee rightly awarded the R’s a penalty!
Akos Buzsaky stepped up and calmly placed the spot kick in the bottom right corner to put the home side in front.
The R’s were soon on the back foot and had Stern John done better with his effort that hit Cerny’s post it really could and should’ve been 1-1.
Wayne Routledge was then given the opportunity to double Rangers lead. He was through on goal and only had Speroni to beat, he curled his shot around the Palace custodian but the ball agonizingly slipped past the outside of the post.
The rest of the half was pretty evenly matched but it was Rangers that had the better of the chances but couldn’t break down the hard working Palace midfield as we came to the end of the first 45 minutes.

At half time the group gathered up downstairs for the usual talk of how things were going and also laughing at the fact Man United were losing 3-1. We also joined by the birthday girl enjoying the game shortly before her 18th birthday on Saturday. All I can say is that things were a little hyper between a few of them.



We rejoined the second half slightly after the restart but didn’t miss any action.
The first action of the second half came from a Faurlin free kick. His effort ended up only just flying over the bar. Moments later Faurlin found himself 25 yards out and once again fired a curling effort on goal and it looked to be heading for the top corner but somehow Speroni got a fingertip to it and turned it over for a corner.
More fine attacking play followed as Simpson and Buzsaky exchanged passes and then Buzsaky fed in Taarabt down the right side as he cut in as he dinked an effort over Speroni and had the ball heading into the back of the net somehow a Palace defender came in and using his knee he lifted the ball marginally over the crossbar.
The action went up the other end and Freddie Sears was played in, albeit looking slightly offside, and Fitz Hall climbed over the back of him and Palace were awarded the chance to level the scores from the penalty spot. Darren Ambrose disposed of the penalty and drew the South Londoners level.
The final half an hour was an end to end contest with the home side having the better of the chances and when Buzsaky’s free kick and substitute Vine’s drive were both expertly saved by Speroni, you just had the feeling it wasn’t going to be our day today.

QPR: Cerny, Hall, Leigertwood, Routledge, Buzsaky (Ephraim 78), Gorkss, Watson, Faurlin, Simpson (Vine 74), Borrowdale, Taarabt (Agyemang 74).

Subs not used: Heaton, Ramage, Alberti, Ainsworth.

Goals: Buzsaky (pen 18)

Bookings: Routledge (32)

Crystal Palace: Speroni, Hill, Derry, Fonte, Ambrose, Danns (Hills 84), John (Lee 67), Butterfield, Ertl, Davis, N'Diaye (Sears 46).

Subs not used: Clyne, Carle, Moses, Scannell.

Goals: Ambrose (pen 62)

Bookings: Davis (78)

Referee: Mr M P Russell

Attendance: 14, 377

When you look back at the game you do feel that this was two points dropped. Speroni in the Palace goal was once again the thorn in Rangers backs having kept them out in previous games and tonight he was exceptional once again.
On paper this is a team we really should be beating but having seen Palace a similar tactic to Leicester in the previous game and stifling our attacking play it remains to be seen if we have been sussed and teams might now know a way to stop our attacking play. We’ll find out at Hillsborough on Saturday.

Finally we go onto Man of the Match. There were a few good performances out there once again. Faurlin once again run the show in centre midfield. Hall, Gorkss and Borrowdale had very good games in the defence but tonight’s award, as selected by Lofty, goes to Adel Taarabt.