Team: Green, Onuoha, Angella, Hall, Konchesky. Henry, Faurlin, Phillips, Fer, Hoilett (Chery), Polter (Emmanuel-Thomas)
Subs Not Used: Smithies, Hill, Luongo, Tozser, Petrasso
Attendance: 15,754
Camped in our own half for almost all of the first-half, there was more energy in the second-half, but it was simply not good enough. A draw away from home, yet it felt like a loss.
After two very decent displays under Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, we reverted back to what looked like a Chris Ramsey side, so three games in, and just three points to show for it.
Without Austin, is without threat and it was an appalling display from Polter who brought absolutely nothing to the party. He was about as good as a chocolate fireguard! Emmanuel-Thomas was brought on far too late in the game.
Matty Phillips continues to frustrate, as does Leroy Fer. Phillips in particular, with his ability, should be cleaning up but he seems to be riddled with self-doubt.
A decent defensive display, with Rob Green keeping us in the game on at least two occasions, indeed, there were some good performances, but we need EVERY single player to be on the same page.
This league is one of the poorest that I can remember yet we continue to make hard work of it.
Game apart, it was a great trip, with a young Russell and a Paul Finney who is fast becoming something of a fashion iconI despair!
Jimmy Murray
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is still looking for his first victory as Queen’s Park Rangers boss after his side drew at struggling Bristol City. The Robins missed a number of chances as they dominated the first-half.
Junior Hoilett opened the scoring for QPR against the run of play as his powerful low shot beat Frank Fielding 11 minutes into the second-half. But Aaron Wilbraham earned a point for the home side as he converted Joe Bryan’s cross at the far post late on.
The result lifted them one place to 20th in the Championship, two points above the relegation zone, while QPR moved up to 11th.
Rangers were without highly rated top-scorer Charlie Austin, who tweaked a hamstring in training after scoring twice in the midweek draw with Brighton.
Despite early pressure from City, the first clear chance did not arrive until almost 30 minutes in as the impressive Jonathan Kodjia had an effort well saved by Robert Green after good build-up work from Wilbraham.
Luke Freeman saw an effort saved by Green, while Kodjia was unable to capitalise on a couple of half-chances before the break.
Rangers started the better after the interval, Matt Phillips’s shot saved by Fielding after the keeper’s poor clearance fell to his feet. The deadlock was broken soon after as Canada international Hoilett played a one-two with Sebastian Polter and fired past Fielding’s left hand.
Phillips almost doubled the lead for Rangers, while Kodjia forced former goalkeeper Green into two more fine saves before Steve Cotterill’s side finally levelled as Wilbraham poked home at the back post.
Bristol City manager Steve Cotterill: “I thought my players were magnificent. They really showed what we are about today.”
“It was a great team goal to equalise after Rangers had taken the lead against the run of play and I am absolutely convinced we deserved to win.”
“Their keeper Rob Green was man-of-the-match because he affected it more than another player. How he stopped Jonathan Kodjia scoring a couple of goals only he will know.”
QPR manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink: “Junior is getting back to where he used to be. He is a confidence player who needs someone to believe in him. We
definitely do. He is a player who can create as well as score and he did that brilliantly for us today.”
“Charlie Austin had a little tweak in a hamstring during training so we didn’t want to risk him in this game.”
“There were a lot of positives for us to take from the second-half. I thought we were the better team after the interval and their keeper has made some good saves.”
BBC Sport
We had sold out our allocation and surprisingly, we were told that we could sit anywhere, which meant that before kick-off many R’s fans were left standing in the gangways for some time as the stewards looked around to find them seats. Some remained there for the whole gameridiculous!
It felt like a defeat, that said, we were very disappointing in the first-half, allowing a poor side to gain in confidence as we failed to close them down. Sitting deep there was a distinct lack of movement and our build-ups were far too laboured.
Rob Green had made a very good save but otherwise neither keeper was hardly troubled.
However, we upped our game and looked much better after the break. Rob Green made two outstanding saves, one with his legs when the Robins player closed in unheeded. The second one was even better when he knocked a 25-yard belter over the bar.
Junior Hoilett’s superb dipping shot bounced off the crossbar with the keeper well beaten.
The equaliser came after we gave the ball away from a defensive position and from that, the ball was fed to the left-wing. The low cross into the box was then met and put away at Rob Green’s near post.
We had heard upon arrival in the ground that Charlie Austin had picked up an injury in training and I have to say that Seb Polter was a poor replacement! Even starting Jay Emmanuel-Thomas (who got a good reception from the home fans), would have been a better option.
My thanks to Paul Finney for the lift.
Steve Russell