Reebok beckons as Rangers earn replay

The first fixture of 2010 for the Rangers was an FA Cup tie up in South Yorkshire against a Sheffield United team that played out a 1-1 draw only a few weeks ago. Would the R's enjoy any joy in the FA Cup for a change?

Only a handful of the Lofty Heights crew made the trip to Bramall Lane after a late decision was made to make an effort to go. Jenson was once again in the driving seat with me, Sam and Karl, a Wycombe fan proudly wearing a hooped shirt for the first time, took to the road at 11.30 on a fresh Sunday morning. As always the trip on the M1 lasted the minimal amount of time possible as we arrived in Sheffield at 2pm having stopped off once for a quick pitstop and cuppa coffee.

Owing to Tommy Williams and Ben Watson returning to their parent clubs, Peterborough and Wigan respectively, Paul Hart was forced into 2 changes and made an additional change on top of that. Adel Taarabt missed out due to a knock, Gary Borrowdale, Alejandro Faurlin and Patrick Agyemang came into the starting eleven in what looked to be a 4-4-2 formation.




The game started off as a tight affair but it was the hosts that were the better side and created the better chances. Camaraand Morgan both saw efforts flash past the post.
Rangers struggled to really impose themselves on the game but at times they dont look as if they could threat once they managed to get a way through the battling United midfield.
The Blades carved out the best chance of the game on the 20 minute mark (roughly!) Camara turned Ramage inside out as he tricked his way into the box and laid off to Stephen Quinn who had the goal gaping at his mercy from 12 yards out but his effort cannoned off the bar and was eventually cleared to safety.
As the half hour mark cruised by it was evident that the game was going to be a carbon copy of the fixture at Loftus Road a few short weeks ago. It was a scrappy encounter and the quality of the football failed to draw in the sparsely populated Bramall Lane in which the atmosphere can only be described in one word....... dead!!
Just as I thought we were heading to a game that would be a bore draw the R's actually gave us some excitement just before half time.
Faurlin found Routledge out on the right hand sideand his teasing cross some how eluded everyone and Sompson was on hand to pick up the scraps and his low drive found the back of the net!
Just lie in the 1st game trhe QPR lead didnt last long once more, just like the first game and it was the same goalscorer that come back to haunt us! A ball was played in from the Blades right hand side, it really looked to be a ball that Cerny should've come out to claim, however Richard Cresswell rose above Damion Stewart and his looped header went into the top corner. A soft soft goal to concede at the end of stoppage time in the first half!

At half time I popped over to see Gobi for the first time in ages to discuss the goings on of the first half, which took all of two minutes! But on a positive note from what Gobi was saying the half was a hell of a lot better than the collapse at Ipswich last Monday! So it couldn't be that bad!?!



The Blades came out in the second half buoyed by their goal and put Rangers under the cosh from the off. Camara held off Gorkss and got his shot on target but saw Cerny beat the ball away for a corner. United stayed on top for the first 20 minutes of the second half and it seemingly looked as if the R's gameplan, or lack of, was being exploited by the home side and looking increasingly like they would take advantage of it.
Just as those thoughts came into my head it seemed as if Rangers were beginning to grab a slight strangle hold on the game and started to knock the ball around a lot better.
Hogan Ephraim came off the bench to replace Buzsaky on the left side of midfield and he made a telling impact on Rangers play
The R's then had their best two chances of the half. Faurlin's shot from outside the box was blocked away for a corner on the left hand side. The resulting corner was aimed in at the near post and Damion Stewart met it but his contact took the ball just wide of the target.
Hogan's introduction did help Rangers produce a good 10-15 minute spell and we looked more threatening as an attacking unit. He looked hungry and ready to fight for the cause, having Hogan back will feel like having a new signing on board.
In the 81st minute the closest we came to a winning goal flew by. Ched Evans let rip with a 35yard free kick and with Cerny stranded he saw the ball cannon off the underside of the bar but the ball didnt cross the line and once again the lines were cleared and we could all breathe a sigh of relief for the second time in the afternoon.



A 1-1 draw the final score for the second time this season between the two teams is a fair result on reflection, although I must say that if luck and a few refereeing decisions were on the Blades side a little more then I would probably be writing about us crashing out at the first hurdle once again.

Todays Man of the Match is a tough one to call as no-one really stood out from the rest but after some consideration we have managed to narrow it down to three contenders. Kaspers Gorkss and Damion Stewart played well at the heart of the defence and Mikele Leigertwood once again put in a decent performance in the centre of midfield but there can only one winner and for me I think Kaspers Gorkss is a worthy winner for his efforts today.

Sheffield United: Bunn, Montgomery, Morgan, Kilgallon (Seip 46), Evans, Taylor, Cresswell, Ward (Little 87), Geary, Quinn (Williamson 78), Camara.

Subs not used: Bennett, France, Reid, Harper.

Scorers: Cresswell (45+2)

Bookings: Cresswell (35), Taylor (37), Geary (85)

QPR: Cerny, Ramage, Stewart, Leigertwood, Routledge, Buzsaky (Ephraim 71), Agyemang (Helguson 85), Gorkss, Faurlin, Simpson, Borrowdale.

Subs not used: Taylor, Hall, Connolly, Balanta, Parker.

Scorers: Simpson (39)

Bookings: Faurlin (90)

Attendance: 11, 461


Following the conclusion of the game the 4th round draw was made and the winner of the replay of this game will play Bolton at the Reebok Stadium.

The 3rd round replay will be played on 12th January at Loftus Road, kick off 7.45.

If Rangers manage to win the replay then the 4th round tie will take place on either Saturday 23rd January or Sunday 24th January at the Reebok Stadium.