FA Cup Preliminary Round
Team: Clutterbuck, Knowles, McConnell, Crawford, Tennant, Keech, Smith (T), Haywood, Bedingfield, Turnbull, Cowie
Attendance: 4,987
On 23rd September 1899, Rangers met London Welsh at Kensal Rise in a FA Cup preliminary round tie.
The London Welsh side included; J. F. Jones of Manchester City, H. Hughes of Hammersmith, Welsh international, W. Nock and former QPR player, H. E. Edwards.
The following match report later appeared in the Paddington Times:
‘The Rangers won the toss, and elected to defend the College Park end, with a strong wind and the sun behind them.
Queen’s Park Rangers pressed at once, and Nock, the Welsh international, who made a fine individual run, was very cleverly robbed by Crawford when he appeared almost certain to score.
The Rangers sent in shots in rapid succession, as per Bedingfield, Turnbull, and Haywood.
From a return kick by Mills, Tom Smith obtained and sent in a low shot and scored goal number one, seven minutes from the commencement.
On re-starting, Tennant secured, and heading to Haywood, the latter, with Smith, made a fine combined run down the right.
And when near the corner flag, Smith sent in a lovely centre, and Turnbull made no mistake, and the Rangers were two up with only eight-and-a half minutes gone.
J. F. Jones, the Manchester City man, obtained a little later, and made a brilliant run down the right, centering at the right moment; Hughes dashed up and headed past Clutterbuck, and the Welsh supporters were jubilant. This success being greeted with uproarious applause.
The Rangers, answering to the war cry: “bucked up”, and another point soon came to them.
Cowie obtaining from a goal-kick, passed to Turnbull, who shot into the corner of the net.
It was the Welsh’s turn now, and Hughes, the big Hammersmith man, made a great effort to get through the Rangers’ defence, but his final shot went wide.
Edwards, the old Queen’s Park man, tricked and finessed, but his shot passed on the wrong side; still, the Welsh were growing extremely dangerous when Knowles sent the ball nearly the length of the field with a huge kick.
Cowie headed into the hands of the Welsh goalkeeper, but Lee-Roberts was not to be beaten.
Then again Haywood tried another shot, and Cowie rushed up and charged Lee-Roberts while he had the ball, but it was got safely away.
The whistle blew for half-time just as Bedingfield sent a shot that hit the bar and bounded over.
On resuming, Cowie and Turnbull made a nice run down the left, and Bedingfield made a long, low shot, which Lee-Roberts could not stop, and this, the fourth goal for the Rangers, was secured.
Hughes went off with a dash. The Welsh were now pressing, and a corner was forced off Tom Smith, the wind carrying the ball behind.
Clutterbuck’s kick from goal was returned very quickly by Jones (J. F.). McConnell for once missed kicking, and, wonderful to relate, Clutterbuck followed suit, but recovering himself immediately he picked up, and dodging the Welshman, got in his kick, a remarkable bit of play.
Rangers were again in the Welsh end, and Turnbull got in front and succeeded in beating Lee-Roberts. Being unmistakingly offside, the point was not allowed.
Hughes was now working like a Trojan, and, beating Tennant, made a fine shot, which Clutterbuck rather “muffed”, and gave a corner.
A.G. Jones making a fine kick, Clutterbuck fisted out again with several Welshmen hovering near.
From the corner, the ball went out to R. H. Roberts, who sent in a shot that easily beat the home custodian.
This roused the Rangers, who bombarded the Welsh citadel, and only ill luck and the brilliant defence of the backs prevented the Rangers from getting through several times.
At the close the Rangers entered the next round by defeating the Welsh by 4 goals to 2.’
Later that month, QPR went on to beat Fulham 3-0 in the next round.
Steve Russell
(Thanks to Colin Woodley for his assistance)