Team: Begovic, Kakay, Dunne, Gubbins, Paal, Dozzell, Field, Chair, Richards, Willock, Dykes
Attendance: 5,138 (including over 2,000 R’s fans)
With no let-up in the incessant rain, we decided to enter the Cherry Red Records Stadium upon arrival and, although the away end had been sold out, we were informed that we could sit anywhere.
Rangers took the lead in the third minute after Lyndon Dykes had seized upon a weak back-pass. He evaded one challenge in the box before rounding the keeper and slotting the ball in the back of the net.
At the other end, James Tilley’s free kick flew just wide of the upright.
Asmir Begovic made a great save to deny, I think, James Tilley, and ball went behind for a corner.
For the R’s, a lovely nutmeg from Chris Willock in the box ended up going for a corner. Then, his cross/shot whizzed just wide of the far-post.
This was a good period for the away side and following a nice one-two between Lyndon Dykes and Chris Willock, Morgan Williams provided a last-ditch challenge to deny a second goal for the R’s.
Ilias Chair knocked the ball on to Kenneth Paal, who then crossed it into the box where Lyndon Dykes headed just over.
After one added minute, the score at half-time remained 1-0 in favour of the away side.
Presumably for the benefit of the West London contingent, the ‘Steptoe’ TV theme rang out during the interval.
For the start of the second-half, Gareth Ainsworth made the first of a number of changes when he introduced; Joe Walsh, Aaron Drewe and Sinclair Armstrong at the expense of Asmir Begovic, Osman Kakay and Lyndon Dykes.
The home side soon equalised when Josh Neufville smashed the ball into the back of the net following a low right-wing cross.
Four more changes were made around the hour-mark, which saw Ilias Chair, Taylor Richards, Kenneth Paal and Chris Willock make way for Albert Adomah, Ziyad Larkeche, Charlie Kelman and Raff Pedder respectively.
The home side fashioned a couple of goalscoring opportunities when firstly, Ryan Johnson’s header found the side netting, and then Harry Pell’s free kick swerved wide of the target.
The final changes took place with around fifteen minutes remaining, when Elijah Dixon-Bonner, Henry Hawkins, Deon Woodman and Stephen Duke-McKenna replaced Andre Dozzell, Jimmy Dunne, Joe Gubbins and Sam Field respectively.
Charlie Kelman fired his effort over the crossbar and I don’t recall the R’s having a shot on target in the second-half?
With the rain still teeming down many had already began to make their way home.
Steve Russell