Wycombe Wanderers U18 (2) – QPR U18 (3)

The game versus Wycombe Wanderers was the first of what was to turn out to be two fine 3-2 away wins of the day, with the Rangers first team matching the result later at Stoke City.

The Wycombe Wanderers team were a far stronger and much better organised outfit than the side that lost 5-1 in the same fixture exactly 8 months previously. They pushed the visitors hard throughout and after 9 minutes nearly took the lead with a low shot that brought the best out of Northern Ireland U18’s keeper Gareth Deane in the Rangers goal. Deane got down low to his left to turn the shot away for a corner. The corner resulted in a header over the bar from Wycombe.

After 21 minutes Bruno Andrade scored with a fine goal, but after 31 minutes Rangers’ lead was wiped out with a good equaliser from Wycombe’s number 9, Ollie Taylor. Rangers regained the lead after 40 minutes with a fine 25 yard strike from number 7 – midfielder Frankie Sutherland.

Early in the second half, Rangers had the chance to seal the game after they were awarded a penalty on 47 minutes. Bradley Simmonds missed by slicing the ball wide of the left post and he later stated on Twitter that he’d failed to make it 8 in 8. However, two minutes later Bruno Andrade scored his second and Rangers third with another fine strike low to the Wycombe keeper’s right.

The home side had no intention of rolling over though and after 51 minutes Gareth Deane had to pull off an excellent save. After 62 minutes though there was nothing he could do about Ollie Taylor’s second goal of the match for Wycombe with another good strike. On 69 minutes, Bruno Andrade was chasing his hat-trick and went down in the penalty area – a little too easily. The referee allowed play to continue for about 10 seconds as Wycombe cleared the Rangers attack. He then gave Bruno his second yellow card of the game and Rangers were down to 10 men. It was not clear whether this was for the dive in the area or possibly for dissent ?

Wycombe pushed Rangers very hard for the final 20 minutes, but the R’s held on for a very good away win. The stand out players for Rangers were; Gareth Deane, Frankie Sutherland and Bruno Andrade with Ollie Taylor looking a good prospect for Wycombe.

Martin Percival