QPR U18’s (5) – Bristol City U18’s (3)

FA Youth Cup 3rd Round

Team: Putnins, Wright, ilesanmi, Ehmer, Harris, Olley, Parker, Davenport, German, Smith,Vanterpool.
Subs Used: Cox for Davenport, Nanetti for Vanterpool and Perrin for Ehmer.
Subs Not Used: Bulmer and Bailey.

We didn’t know too much about the visitors but we did know that just over ten years ago their Academy was launched. Since then Bristol City fans have been digging in their pockets to ensure that they retain their Academy status. On a bitterly cold evening at HQ, the only real surprises to the R’s starting line-up were the preference of Elvijs Putnins to Niki-Lee Bulmer and that Christian Nanetti was on the bench. Luke Olley must of impressed on Saturday as he started at number 6.

Elvijs Putnins is actually referred to as ‘Elvis’ for obvious reasons and he had his own teenage fan club situated behind us in the South Africa Road Stand. The first real effort came from the visitors when their number 11 hit the ball straight at Putnins, cue screaming and whoops of delight from his fan club. Joe English arrived 22 minutes into the game and although the R’s had most of the possession the first period looked destined to be goaless. That said, Bristol City could have taken the lead when after some hesitant defending, a good ball across the box was almost converted as their striker stuck out his boot from close range. Josh Parker was coming more and more into the game and the best moment of the half was a lovely dummy by him when situated out wide right for Terry Smith to then put over a good cross which was headed just over by Antonio German.After an added minute Mr Venamore blew his whistle.

There was a lively start to the 2nd half as Josh Parker scuffed his shot on goal right from the off. At the other end the visitors had a goal disallowed from a corner for a foul on Putnins after he did well to turn the ball round the post from a deflected shot. However, Bristol City were looking the more likely to score and took the lead after a free kick was headed in by their centre half. Less than a minute later the visitors went further ahead after another good cross evaded the QPR defence and a City player headed home from close range. At 2-0 down, Steve Brown needed to shuffle the pack and on came Christian Nanetti for Cyrus Vanterpool, followed by the introduction of Andrew (Reggie) Perrin. Despite this, disaster struck as Bristol City went even further ahead. In loads of space, their number 7 dinked the ball under Putnins and into the net. At 3-0 down, Rangers had to throw caution to the wind as ilesanmi shook off his marker and toe-poked his cross across the box. The final change was made when Elliott Cox replaced Danny Davenport.

But Rangers fought back and Antonio German scored his sixth successive goal after weaving and twisting his way into the box and then powering the ball into the roof of the net. With the pressure rising and the pitch freezing, amazingly the R’s scored another a minute later when the impressive Josh Parker thumped the ball into the corner after cutting in and beating his marker. Incredibly the equaliser came just over 10 minutes from the end of normal time and again Parker was the scorer. Following a free kick, he somehow managed to squeeze the ball in from an acute angle. There were four added minutes and in this period, German headed the ball against his own post from a free kick and the prospect of extra time loomed.

QPR were still in the ascendency when one of the centre backs headed against the cross bar from a Nanetti cross. Then seven minutes into extra time, Josh Parker ran at the City defence and completed his hat trick with a belter from 25 yards to put the R’s in front. As the match entered the 2nd period of extra time, a good run and cross by Elliott Cox found the head of Parker but he couldn’t get enough power on to it. Cox again forced a corner which Nanetti stepped up to take resulting in German smashing the ball home. Wild scenes then ensued, on and off the pitch. The match was marred by a nasty challenge on Christian Nanetti. The culprit was Stambolziev who had already been booked and so received his marching orders. A truly memorable night and a reversal of our fortunes in the corresponding match last year when we lost by the same score line against Aston Villa. Well done everyone and I hope that after initial noises, the Board actually back the QPR Youth set-up and make a serious commitment to regaining Academy status again.Round 4 here we come.

Steve Russell