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Sheffield Wednesday (1) – QPR (3) – ‘Reject Stainrod Shoots Down Boyhood Heroes’
Football League Division Two

Team: Burridge, Gillard, Gregory, Fenwick, Howe, Roeder, Waddock, Micklewhite, Allen,
Stainrod, Flanagan
Sub: Hazell

Attendance: 17,024

On 14th November, 1981, the R’s travelled to Hillsborough. John Osborne’s match report later
followed:

‘Simon Stainrod demolished Sheffield Wednesday – the Club he watched from the Spion Kop as a boy –
with a superbly taken hat-trick at Hillsborough.

The 24-year-old striker – rejected in his mid-teens by Wednesday, forcing him to cross the city to
Bramall Lane to start his professional career – gained sweet revenge over the club that almost broke his
heart.

“I was heartbroken when Wednesday did not take me on as a boy. My dream as a kid was to captain them
at Wembley,” he said.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever played at Hillsborough, the ground where I used to stand on the Kop and it’s
a most incredible feeling to score a hat-trick here,” said Rangers’ £300,000 striker after the match.


Wednesday crashed to their second home league defeat of the season and slipped two places to sixth
position in the Second Division table.

They have now gone four matches without a win, conceding eight goals and scoring only two. Defensive errors
must take much of the blame for Stainrod’s good fortune.

Wednesday’s rearguard was particularly vulnerable in the middle of the back-four. But it would be unfair to
lay the entire blame at their feet for Rangers’ first league win at Hillsborough.

Stainrod’s first goal after 43 minutes was a bizarre affair, and up until then Wednesday had looked quite
promising.

Gary Micklewhite played the ball in from the right, Stainrod took advantage of a gaping hole in Wednesday’s
straggling and static defence, and lobbed over Bob Bolder’s head.

Just before half-time, he hammered home his second after a tremendous piece of individual skill, which must
have impressed Manchester United boss Ron Atkinson, who was watching from the stand.

He turned on a sixpence before firing a low drive past Bolder’s outstretched fingers.

And Stainrod completed his hat-trick after 56 minutes, adding the final touch to a fine team move, but again
Wednesday’s defence stood still.

Wednesday’s lone reply came with 23 minutes remaining. Charlie Willamson crossed from the left and
Gary Bannister, well placed inside the penalty area, put the ball in with his right-foot.’

It was noted that Bob Hazell replaced Clive Allen on 76 minutes.

And Colin Seel booked four players, Gary Bannister for Wednesday and Clive Allen, Simon Stainrod plus
Gary Micklewhite for the R’s.

The Wednesday starting line-up included former Rangers striker, Andy McCulloch.

The following week the R’s went on to lose 1-2 at Shrewsbury.

Steve Russell

We were a good watch at that time.

Maybe this season will see one or two hat-tricks for us.

A repeat of that 3-1 win tomorrow would do nicely.

Need to keep close tabs on Bannan to shut down their creative threat.

Both sides had chances not taken. Kone's skied shot could have been a match winner.

We could have had the 3 points against a lower placed team but you have to be happy to
come from behind and take a point and avoid chalking up a loss.

10 points from last 12. Home to Oxford next and good chance to keep momentum going.

Come on you Rs!

Player ratings from West London Sport...

Nicolas Madsen’s second-half penalty extended QPR’s unbeaten run to four matches.
Here’s how we rated each Rangers player in the 1-1 draw at Sheffield Wednesday.

Paul Nardi: 5
A dire attempt to claim Barry Bannan’s left-wing free-kick led to Dominic Iorfa scoring after
Nardi hopelessly missed the ball.

It underlined the keeper’s consistent weakness at dealing with deliveries into his area. Nardi
did make a fine save later in the game, but his shortcomings were
evident again.

Jimmy Dunne: 6
Solid at right-back and tried to get forward when he could.

Liam Morrison: 6
Has impressed since becoming established as a first-team regular, but this was not one of his
better displays. Sloppy in the first half, but better in the second.

Amadou Mbengue: 6
Another who struggled in the first half but ended up playing a key part in preserving the point as
Rangers came under pressure in the later stages.

Rhys Norrington-Davies: 6
Competed well on the left flank, where he was solid defensively and got forward to support Koki Saito.

Jonathan Varane: 5
Struggled in midfield before being replaced as part of a triple substitution at half-time.

Nicolas Madsen: 7
Lost Iorfa for Wednesday’s goal but made amends by delivering the corner which led to the penalty from
which the Dane tucked away the equaliser.

Harvey Vale: 6
Has been in good form but was quiet in this game before being replaced at half-time.

Koki Saito: 6
Drifted in an out of the game but always looked a threat. Went close after linking up well with Richard Kone.

Richard Kone: 6
Not a great day for the forward, who missed a great chance when he fired over in the second half and in
general seemed less sharp than in previous outings. But he worked hard up front and always gave the
opposing defence something to deal with.

Rumarn Burrell: 6
Had an early chance when his header was saved. Ineffective after that and was replaced by Michael Frey
at the interval.

Kader Dembele: 7
Made an impact after his half-time introduction, shooting just over and narrowly wide during a spell in
which Rangers were on top.

Michael Frey: 6
Also made a difference with his physical presence up front.

Issac Hayden: 6
Did the job he was brought on at half-time to do, which was to help shore things up in midfield and give
Rangers a foothold in the game.