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To be fair, we could and should have lost this game against Derby. It was only the spirit and determination to see the game out for 94 minutes, that got us this point.
Its certain Savage relishes playing against Taarabt and the only time I remember Tarbs getting passed his man was early in the first half, when in fact he should have scored. It resulted in a a double save from Bywater. We had a goal disallowed mid-way in the first half which some fans say was on-side, so it will be interesting to see the extended highlights
We found it difficult in the first half to put two passes together, lot of huffing and puffing and Derby deserved to be 1-0 up at half time, with Commons pulling the strings in midfield and Savage breaking down any attacking play from Taarabt. Luckily for us Commons went off injured just before half-time and we all knew that Warnock would get into the players in the dressing room and we came out early second half on the front foot. The first 10 minutes of the second half we pressed forward, had one or two half chances and in fact Derby went to 2-0 up at a point when we were playing our best football and it came after a dubious decision from the referee not for the first time, when he gave a goal kick instead of an obvious corner for us. They scored from the resulted goal kick, which left Warnock fuming on the touchline.
Soon after Warnock made a sarcastic throw on signed gesture after a another bad decision against us, which led to a warning from the ref, that could have led to him being sent off.
Much has been talked about Taarabt being captain and on this evidence, it is the wrong decision, I am not disputing his ability, in fact without him we would not be top and watching him this season at times has been sensational, but unless the captaincy is simply a token gesture than he showed when we were 2-0 down why the captaincy might be too much a responsibility at such an early age. He shrugged his shoulders and looked disinterested when we fell behind 2-0, I just like my captains to show charcacter and a bit of spirit, by geeeing up other players that getting back in this game was still a possibility. This is not a criticism of the player, who still has a lot to learn, but a statement that a player like Derry or even Hill have better captain credentials in the absence of Fitz Hall.
We made all 3 subs in a very short space of time and with Clarke and Ageymang being brought on by Warnock the fans were resigned to going back down the M1 without any points. Off the two its important to say, Clarke played very well and often beat his man on the left, Ageymang did look totally uninterested making a couple of comical head downs , but he does have one vital ingredient late in games and that is pace and that paid dividend very late on. One player who did turn the game when he came on was Buszacky who won vital balls in the middle and played good passes both left and right.
With 89 minutes on the board the announcer declares 4 minutes added time, many fans had either left or making their ways down the stairs, I was standing at the back talking with a couple of fans making plans to get back on the coach, when all of a sudden Ageymang goes down the left, goes pass a couple of players, goes wide and scoops the ball over a diving Bywater, a shot which just trickles into the corner of the net. The fans reaction to the goal was in many cases, a generous applause which we expected to be no more than a consolation. We did discuss that anything was possible but realsitically we did not have enough time.
Nigel Clough makes a substitution to waste a little bit more time and Derby play the ball into the far corner. We take the throw, we push forward, boot the ball up in the air and with so many of our players up, its won by Derby in midfield and they press forward, its basically 3 against our 1 at the back and we fully expect Derby to extend their lead, but Kenny makes a very good save. With ball in hand, surely this is our last chance and so it proved.
Whilst its obvious the referee was a homer, he was about to make his best decision of the game for the travelling QPR fans, Ageymang gets fouled 25 yards from goal, gets pushed and the defender is all over him and the ref puts the whistle to his mouth then within a split second puts it down, when he sees Mackie has managed to get the ball on the edge of the area, he has work to do, 2-3 players are around plus he has to place the ball pass the diving Bywater. Could he do it?
For anyone who was at this game, it will give us a great feeling for future games and it was great to see many faces that you see at home games making the trip to Pride park and on this evidence our crowds both home and away will increase, with an estimated 1600 QPR fans making their respective journies home it will be game many will never forget.
Its certain Savage relishes playing against Taarabt and the only time I remember Tarbs getting passed his man was early in the first half, when in fact he should have scored. It resulted in a a double save from Bywater. We had a goal disallowed mid-way in the first half which some fans say was on-side, so it will be interesting to see the extended highlights
We found it difficult in the first half to put two passes together, lot of huffing and puffing and Derby deserved to be 1-0 up at half time, with Commons pulling the strings in midfield and Savage breaking down any attacking play from Taarabt. Luckily for us Commons went off injured just before half-time and we all knew that Warnock would get into the players in the dressing room and we came out early second half on the front foot. The first 10 minutes of the second half we pressed forward, had one or two half chances and in fact Derby went to 2-0 up at a point when we were playing our best football and it came after a dubious decision from the referee not for the first time, when he gave a goal kick instead of an obvious corner for us. They scored from the resulted goal kick, which left Warnock fuming on the touchline.
Soon after Warnock made a sarcastic throw on signed gesture after a another bad decision against us, which led to a warning from the ref, that could have led to him being sent off.
Much has been talked about Taarabt being captain and on this evidence, it is the wrong decision, I am not disputing his ability, in fact without him we would not be top and watching him this season at times has been sensational, but unless the captaincy is simply a token gesture than he showed when we were 2-0 down why the captaincy might be too much a responsibility at such an early age. He shrugged his shoulders and looked disinterested when we fell behind 2-0, I just like my captains to show charcacter and a bit of spirit, by geeeing up other players that getting back in this game was still a possibility. This is not a criticism of the player, who still has a lot to learn, but a statement that a player like Derry or even Hill have better captain credentials in the absence of Fitz Hall.
We made all 3 subs in a very short space of time and with Clarke and Ageymang being brought on by Warnock the fans were resigned to going back down the M1 without any points. Off the two its important to say, Clarke played very well and often beat his man on the left, Ageymang did look totally uninterested making a couple of comical head downs , but he does have one vital ingredient late in games and that is pace and that paid dividend very late on. One player who did turn the game when he came on was Buszacky who won vital balls in the middle and played good passes both left and right.
With 89 minutes on the board the announcer declares 4 minutes added time, many fans had either left or making their ways down the stairs, I was standing at the back talking with a couple of fans making plans to get back on the coach, when all of a sudden Ageymang goes down the left, goes pass a couple of players, goes wide and scoops the ball over a diving Bywater, a shot which just trickles into the corner of the net. The fans reaction to the goal was in many cases, a generous applause which we expected to be no more than a consolation. We did discuss that anything was possible but realsitically we did not have enough time.
Nigel Clough makes a substitution to waste a little bit more time and Derby play the ball into the far corner. We take the throw, we push forward, boot the ball up in the air and with so many of our players up, its won by Derby in midfield and they press forward, its basically 3 against our 1 at the back and we fully expect Derby to extend their lead, but Kenny makes a very good save. With ball in hand, surely this is our last chance and so it proved.
Whilst its obvious the referee was a homer, he was about to make his best decision of the game for the travelling QPR fans, Ageymang gets fouled 25 yards from goal, gets pushed and the defender is all over him and the ref puts the whistle to his mouth then within a split second puts it down, when he sees Mackie has managed to get the ball on the edge of the area, he has work to do, 2-3 players are around plus he has to place the ball pass the diving Bywater. Could he do it?
For anyone who was at this game, it will give us a great feeling for future games and it was great to see many faces that you see at home games making the trip to Pride park and on this evidence our crowds both home and away will increase, with an estimated 1600 QPR fans making their respective journies home it will be game many will never forget.
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