QPR U23 (1) – Coventry City U23 (1)

U23 Professional Development League

Team: Ingram, Furlong, Kakay, Goss, Hall, Hamalainen, Smyth, Cousins, Oteh, Chair, Osayi-Samuel

Sub Not Used: Dickinson

On a very mild afternoon at Harlington, Sean Goss captained a strong QPR side to face Coventry City. In goal for the visitors was former Rangers player, Liam O’Brien.

Liam was enrolled into the Supporters Club via an 18-week scan photo, courtesy of Mrs Daphne Biggs.

He signed for the R’s in August 2004 after turning down Watford. Liam made his debut for the U14’s, aged 12, the following month and I first saw him play in the summer of 2006 in Germany.

The best chance in the opening stages fell to Aramide Oteh, who turned, advanced closer to the centre of the box, pulled the trigger and the ball flew just wide of the far post.

Good build-up play by Ilias Chair after ten minutes resulted in an effort just evading the far post.

A few minutes later, Oteh superbly took control of a ball, which had been knocked up to him from midfield. His effort ended up going behind for a corner after a very good save by Liam O’Brien.

Fourteen minutes in, Ilias Chair bombed forward, blasted the ball from over 20-yards, forcing the Coventry keeper into making another excellent save.

Jordan Cousins made a superb challenge to rob the Sky Blues player. He then spun round and set up a Rangers counter-attack.

There was some concern after 19 minutes when Grant Hall had stayed down and looked as if he may have twisted his ankle? However, he was able to return a few minutes later.

After this early pressure from the home side, the game went a bit flat. But then perked up again after 34 minutes when Bright Osayi-Samuel turned his marker inside-out and proceeded to shoot just past the post.

Rangers almost opened the scoring a minute or so later when the ball was cleared to safety after spinning around the goal-line.

The Sky Blues No.5 was having a good game, but I don’t know who he was as that number didn’t appear on my team sheet?

A much-deserved goal finally arrived after 40 minutes. Oteh persevered through the middle and his shot from the edge of the box beat O’Brien after appearing to clip the inside of the post. Half-time: 1-0.

Liam O’Brien denied the R’s a second goal in the opening minutes of the second-half after Oteh had fed Osayi-Samuel.

Paul Smyth burst down the wing, then cut in, and tried to place his shot inside the near post, but it appeared to hit the back stanchion? O’Brien then denied him soon after. On 62 minutes he was replaced by Chay Tilt.

Paul Hall’s other changes saw Charlie Rowan introduced on 72 minutes at the expense of Niko Hamalainen, and a minute later Charlie Owens came on for Jordan Cousins.

Coventry equalised after the Rangers defence had froze and Jordan Shipley lobbed the ball into the net.

Those three changes made in around a ten-minute period seemed to affect the rhythm of the home side, although it has to be said that the visitors had been coming back into the game.

Chay Tilt got himself into a good position, but his shot went well adrift of the target and in the final minute Ilias Chair had an effort deflected wide.

Amongst those looking on were Tim Breacker and Martin Rowlands.

Next up is a trip to Sparrows Lane to take on Charlton Athletic.

Steve Russell