Team: Putnins, Harriman, Stewart, Fitzsimmons, Brown, Ehmer, Oastler, Hibbert, Vine, Agyemang, Rose.
Subs: Bulmer, Waters, Doughty plus Sean Johnson,Mo Sharif and Nick McKoy or McCoy ?
We played them two years ago on the eve of my departure for Scotland. Bulmer, Oastler and Brown turned out that night as did, Barker, Myers, Ford, Nanetti, O’Brien, Flood, German and Arthur. There was a larger crowd of 504 and surprisingly David Rouse didn’t use any of our subs ? Christian Nanetti scored our goal and we went down 1-2. Joe English turned up at half-time and I appreciated the lift home so I could get on with some packing.
It was ¬£10.00 admission and ¬£2.00 for a programme that also included their fixture with Wycombe Wanderers the previous week. Ronnie Jepson’s side included 18 year-old defender Danny Fitzsimmons who had arrived earlier in the year after being released by Millwall. Joe Oastler signed two years ago from Portsmouth as a defender but he’s now reverted into more of a midfield role. Apparently Damion Stewart didn’t go to Italy with the 1st team squad because of visa problems ? As we walked up to the end that Rangers were attacking, the ball was booted out for the first throw-in of the afternoon and knocked Joe English’s mobile clean out of his hands !!! Thankfully he managed to put it all back together again.
Patrick Agyemang scored in the 9th minute after some good build up play and a couple of one-two’s just outside the box. He rounded the keeper and slotted the ball into the net. Rangers were having the best of it and Hibbert put a ball over from the right and across the six-yard box which only just evaded Romone Rose’s outstretched head. Lee Brown put a good ball over for Max Ehmer who got a good head on it but unfortunately directed it straight at the keeper. A through ball to Agyemang looked initially as if it was over-hit, but he picked up speed and forced a corner. Despite the R’s having a number of good chances and most of the possession, the score remained at 1-0 when the referee decided to blow his whistle around two minutes early ?
Sean Johnson replaced Rowan Vine for the second half and Patrick Agyemang soon almost doubled the R’s lead. Running on to a ball from Max Ehmer, he picked up speed and despite being sandwiched between two defenders, he still managed to shoot low on target, but the keeper somehow went down and blocked it. Max Ehmer had a golden opportunity but instead of shooting from close range, he rounded the keeper and squared the ball which was then cleared to safety. It was then the home side that were in the ascendency and a 25 yarder was belted straight at Putnins who was able to parry the ball away.
After 65 minutes, Ronnie Jepson made three changes. Bulmer, Doughty and McKoy (McCoy ?) replaced Putnins, Hibbert and Agyemang respectively. Michael Doughty was soon in action as his 20 yard drive whizzed just past the far post. Hayes were coming more and more into the game and they should of equalised when a ball in from the left was blasted well over the bar. QPR made one further substitution when Mo Sharif came on for Romone Rose in the 77th minute. With around 10 minutes remaining, the home side drew level when Pierre Dubois received the ball in the box and then picked his spot in the far corner. Rangers hadn’t capitalised on the chances they created and Hayes finished the stronger of the two sides. The attendance was given as 257. Thanks to Martin Percival for the above photo and to Dec/Kelly for the lift.
SteveRussell