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[Steve Russell]

Sunderland v QPR: ‘A Win-Away, A Win-Away’ – An Outpouring of Relief and a Cue for a Song!

Team: Green, Isla (Doughty), Ferdinand, Caulker, Suk-Young, Henry, Barton, Phillips (Wright-Phillips),
Fer (Zarate), Kranjcar, Zamora
Subs Not Used: McCarthy, Hill, Traore, Taarabt

Attendance: 39,077 (including 395 R’s fans)

Two coaches set off from the Target and we arrived at the Stadium of Light in good time.
I have to say that the stewards went out of their way to be friendly and helpful.

And showing up on the screens around the refreshment area were highlights of various QPR victories
from the 90’s.

I have to mention the steward, who must have been well in his 70’s, who kindly offered to obtain a
match programme for me from outside the ground. Ten minutes later, sure enough, he was back with one
clutched in his hand.

What was immediately noticeable was how assertive we were from the very first whistle.
I have been critical of Matt Phillips in the past but he went on to have a superb game out on the right-wing
and his cross in the 17th minute was headed into the left-hand corner by Leroy Fer.

Rob Green made an astonishing save and later in added time, Phillips was again involved in Rangers’ second goal
when he found Bobby Zamora and his Wembley-esque shot beat Costel Pantilimon to send the Rangers fans wild.

In the second-half, Rob Green made another outstanding save, but the downside was the departure of Leroy Fer
on a stretcher. With at least 15 minutes to go, many home fans decided they’d had enough and the exodus had
begun.

I was really pleased to see Michael Doughty come on – he replaced Mauricio Isla in the 85th minute.
In some stats I read somewhere, apart from being credited with an assist, he also completed every one of the
eight passes he attempted.

After getting the night bus from the Target, I arrived home at ten-past -four with THAT song still in my head!