QPR U23 (2) – Hull City U23 (1)

U23 Professional Development League

Team: Brzozowski, Felix, Domi, Wells, Carlyle, Gubbins, Tilt, Bettache, Walker, Mesias, Bansal-McNulty

Subs Not Used: Bowman, Kefalas Genovesi, Platt

Lewis Walker captained the Rangers side and at left-back was 18-year-old Franklin Domi. I later learned that he had been signed up until the summer after previously being with Enfield Borough.

The R’s dominated the very early stages, with their crisp passing, but the best chance fell to the visitors. Rangers had lost possession in midfield and the resulting cross from the left flank was headed just wide of the post.

Hull took the lead on 14 minutes when Callum Smith’s cross was volleyed into the net by Dan Hawkins from the six-yard box. But for a goal-line clearance following a corner soon after, the visitors would have doubled their lead.

Joe Felix went on run down the right-wing, his ball into the box was headed over the bar by Lewis Walker.

Faysal Bettache was put through and his low effort from close range, was collected by Callum Burton.

After a good build-up, Joe Felix’s shot from outside the box flew over the crossbar.

Another R’s opportunity was thwarted when Callum Burton stuck up an arm and held Amrit Bansal-McNulty’s close range flick.

Upon receipt of a precise pass, Bansal-McNulty’s low shot was parried by the Tigers keeper, but no one was following up and the ball was cleared to safety.

Although QPR had been the better side, they still went in at half-time one-nil down.

Rangers got a deserved equaliser three minutes after the break when Lewis Walker, in a slightly angled position, absolutely belted the ball in at the far post.

Joe Felix set himself up in a good position and let fly, but the ball ended up going behind.

In the 67th minute, after getting close to the bye-line, Bansal-McNulty took aim but Callum Burton put the ball round for a corner.

An outstanding ball from the centre-circle area found Chay Tilt out wide. The R’s winger took the ball on his chest, cut in and forced the Hull keeper into making a very good save at the near post.

In the 74th minute, a Tigers player had set up a team mate after knocking the ball over his own head, which then forced Marcin Brzozowski into making an outstanding point-blank flying save.

Then, ten minutes from time, Ben Wells back-tracked at speed to shadow Elliot Holmes, but the Hull No.10 still managed to fire in his shot which forced an superb save from Brzozowski, finger-tipping the ball behind for a corner.

On 87 minutes, following a corner and a scramble in the QPR box, Jacob Greaves’ header came off of the crossbar.

Dramatically three minutes into added time, Rangers scored the winner. From a free kick, Chay Tilt’s effort was knocked out by Burton to Nathan Carlyle in the six-yard box, who made no mistake.

Surprisingly neither side used any of their substitutes.

Steve Russell