U18 Professional Development League 2
Team: Cooper, Williams-Lowe, Woollard-Innocent, Remy, Mahorn, Empochontsif, Raymond-Callender, Douglas, Babajide, Frailing, De Silva.
Sub Not Used: Conte
The young R’s got off to a flying start when a burst of pace from Khaliq Raymond-Callender down the right-wing took him beyond the Watford defender ahead of him, on to the bye-line and his cross into the box was cleared.
Then Kayden Williams-Lowe’s ball into the area found Babajide, but the Rangers centre-forward shot wide.
An excellent move involving Jake Frailing resulted in Dillon De Silva screwing his effort just wide.
It was all one-way traffic as De Silva crossed from the left-flank and Frailing’s attempt went wide of the far post.
Play had moved on but Dillon De Silva (with an opponent) stayed down for a while and in need of some assistance.
The goalscoring opportunities continued for the home side and I think it was Babajide who shot just wide of the upright.
The Hornets almost scored against the run of play, when a low shot almost sneaked into the corner but for Murphy Cooper diving late to turn the ball round the post for a corner.
The visitors had another good opportunity to open the scoring after the ball had been given away, forcing the R’s keeper into make a very good stop.
QPR took a deserved lead on 25 minutes when Dillon De Silva bent the ball inside the far post.
After receiving a good pass, Khaliq Raymond-Callender cut in and the ball went behind. Jake Frailing’s subsequent corner was headed goalwards by the rising Trent Mahorn, but James Hoskins managed to successfully smother the ball.
On 40 minutes, Hamzad Kargbo replaced Evangelos Empochontsif.
It was 1-1 at the break after Watford had equalised in added time.
As I walked over to watch some of the U16’s game, Watford soon levelled to make the score 1-1.
For the re-start, Paul Furlong made two changes; Thomas Middlehurst replaced Murphy Cooper in goal and Lemar Griffiths came on for Dillon De Silva.
The Hornets took the lead on 51 minutes after some poor defending.
Although the visitors were having the best of it, an opportunity fell to Kie Douglas. His low drive whizzed just wide of the far post.
Following a break down the left, Thomas Middlehurst saved a powerful shot, sending the ball up in the air, but the R’s loanee custodian managed to grab it close to the goal-line.
Rangers scored a dramatic equaliser three minutes from time after a cross/shot from the left side of the area was screwed across the six-yard box. It looked momentarily that the ball was going out of play but Raymond-Callender motored from nowhere to belt the ball into the roof of the net.
Even greater drama followed in added time when he scored his second and the R’s winner, smashing in Jake Frailing’s free kick.
The U16’s had lost a feisty encounter 3-1, where a representative of the Scottish FA watched R’s midfielder, Isaac Pitblado.
I was told Nathaniel Orafu is out for the rest of the season with a damaged cruciate ligament, but the good news was that Charley Kendall is training again after his long lay off.
Steve Russell