QPR v Yeovil Town

Team: Green (Murphy), Hughes, Dunne, Hill, Onuoha, Traore (Kranjcar), Barton, Jenas, Hoilett, Morrison, Keane (Zamora).

Subs Not Used: Carroll, Henry, Benayoun, Maiga.

Attendance: 16,667

Good to see Alec Stock given the respect he deserves and a fitting tribute at long last. When Kerrins and I attend our odd few home games a season you can usually guarantee a defeat or bore draw. I am pleased to say that we have lifted the curse and have seen a victory!!!

We can also claim, as young Russell reminded us after the event that: ‘We were there when Bobby scored’. I thought he had an excellent cameo appearance having had a reported good game for the Under 21’s in the week. Maybe, at long last, he is free of injury as he was also doing his bit tackling back.

A strange game that could have seen us go behind several times with poor defending (what has happened in that department?) but good attacking flair.

I also commented, to the even younger Kerrins, about Murphy not wearing a cap, a strange decision which thankfully didn’t come back to haunt him.

The injuries are mounting again and Clint Hill was also limping near the end!

ESSEXURs

Ravel Morrison grabbed another brace as QPR got back to winning ways with a 3-0 victory over Yeovil. The on-loan West Ham midfielder, whose two goals against Birmingham last weekend earned Rangers their first win in six attempts, repeated the trick against the lowly Glovers.

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Ravel Morrison lets fly for the R’s opener

Forgotten striker Bobby Zamora also got in on the act with his first goal in more than a year as Harry Redknapp’s side bounced back from their midweek defeat at Brighton.

The score-line was harsh on Yeovil, though, who went agonisingly close to equalising when Tom Lawrence’s shot hit a post. The Somerset side remain in with a chance of staying up, but the gulf in resources between them and their opponents eventually told at Loftus Road.

While they survive on a League Two budget, Rangers continue to throw good money after bad as they bid for promotion, and their recent punt on Morrison looks like paying off.

Rangers had to weather an early storm with Rob Green keeping out an angled drive from Lawrence and Luke Ayling firing narrowly wide. But the hosts soon began to take control and Joey Barton’s shot was deflected over, Armand Traore fired wide and Marek Stech just managed to tip Morrison’s scuffed volley around the post.

And the breakthrough came in the 25th minute when Morrison collected the ball just outside the area. The England Under-21 international tip-toed along the 18-yard line, delaying his shot with a couple of neat feints before unleashing an unstoppable drive in off the post.

Rangers could have doubled their lead before the interval but Junior Hoilett dawdled when he should have shot in the area and Clint Hill blazed wide.

After the break substitute Niko Kranjcar twice tested Stech with curling efforts and twice the Yeovil keeper was equal to them. But Town refused to wilt and they were inches from grabbing an equaliser when Lawrence took aim from 25 yards and his fierce, swerving effort cannoned back off the post with Rob Green rooted to the spot.

That scare stung Rangers into life, however, and Jermaine Jenas almost got on the score-sheet with a dipping shot which clipped the top of the crossbar.

The second goal eventually arrived in the 70th minute when substitute Zamora, who had only been on the pitch four minutes, nodded in an inviting cross from Junior Hoilett. And Morrison grabbed his second to kill Yeovil off in the last minute when he tucked in Kranjcar’s pass.

The Daily Mail

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Junior Hoilett takes on Yeovil’s Matteo Lanzoni

A much needed win for the R’s but it came at a cost. There were a number of injuries recorded, including Rob Green who was in some discomfort and eventually left the field after having to negotiate two back passes.

Prior to that, he watched a curling shot bounce off the crossbar. Brian Murphy replaced him for a rare outing and it was rather odd to note that neither keeper had access to a cap when their vision was obviously impaired by the bright sunshine!

Ravel Morrison was excellent again with two good goals from him. The first was a rasping shot that flew in at the Loft End via the inside of the post. His second followed a very good move involving Niko Kranjcar. Bobby Zamora did very well when he came on to replace Will Keane and was well placed to nod in a very good cross from Junior Hoilett.

Prior to kick-off there was a minutes’ applause to honour the legendary Alec Stock. Presented to the crowd at half-time were Alec’s daughter Sarah, Mark Lazarus, the Morgan twins, Tony Hazell, Frank Sibley and former secretary John Smith.

Good to meet-up in the Crown & Sceptre with Brian from Aberdeen, Kerrins, ESSEXURs and even Brian Kirk made a brief appearance.

Steve Russell

Photos provided by Sandra Sayce and are used with permission