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Saturday, November 25, 2006

QPR 0 Coventry 1

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QPR lost 0-1 to Coventry at Loftus Road today before a crowd of a little less than 13,000. League Table after today - Table
Blackstock was replaced with Jones in the first half. Adebola scored in the 48th minute. Nygaard and Bailey were replaced by Gallen & Rowlands.
Starting Line ups
QPR: Royce, Bignot, Rehman, Stewart, Mancienne, Ward, Smith, Bailey, Cook, Blackstock, Nygaard.
Subs: Thomas, Milanese, Gallen, Rowlands, Jones.
Coventry City: Marshall, Hall, Page, Ward, Doyle, Adebola, McKenzie, Cameron, Duffy, Clarke, Currie.
Subs: Gonzalez-Robles, Kyle, Birchall, Bischoff, Tabb


SPORTING LIFE - By Tom Collomosse, PA Sport

Dele Adebola struck three minutes after half-time to condemn QPR to their first defeat in six matches.
Rangers came into the match in buoyant mood after three successive victories, but it was Coventry who claimed their fourth away win in the Coca-Cola Championship this season.
Rangers were below par for most of the match and Coventry wasted several chances, with Leon McKenzie, Darren Currie and Colin Cameron all culpable - although Micky Adams' team did survive late Rangers pressure.
The home side had started reasonably well, but the visitors should have gone in front in the 19th minute when Adebola barged past Michael Mancienne to set up the unmarked Cameron, only for the Scot somehow to fluff his finish from five yards and the danger passed.
Rangers goalkeeper Simon Royce showed alertness in the 33rd minute to reach Elliott Ward's long through ball before Leon McKenzie could latch onto it.
At the other end, Lee Cook then created a 43rd-minute chance for Dexter Blackstock, whose shot on the turn following Jimmy Smith's lay-off was saved by Andy Marshall.
Rangers then suffered a blow when Blackstock went off injured two minutes later and was replaced by Ray Jones.
But Jones almost made an instant impact, shooting just wide from 10 yards in first-half stoppage time, before Marshall saved from Cook following a thrilling burst.
McKenzie missed a glorious chance to put Coventry ahead a minute after half-time, when he fired well wide from 10 yards after out-muscling Marcus Bignot inside the penalty area.
But the Sky Blues' disappointment lasted less than a minute. Adebola turned the shaky Zesh Rehman before charging into the area and shooting confidently beyond Royce with his left foot.
Rangers could not deal with Adebola's pace and strength, and in the 53rd minute he held off three men before sending McKenzie clear to guide over a cross which Mancienne had to divert behind for a corner.
Three minutes later, Darren Currie should have scored a debut goal after joining Coventry on loan from Ipswich, but he could only head McKenzie's excellent cross too high.
The home team were rocking, but they gathered themselves again and substitute Kevin Gallen's 25-yard effort flew just over following Nick Ward's clever dummy.
Coventry were content to hold their lead, but they continued to pose an attacking threat and McKenzie put a diving header wide in the 80th minute after Marcus Hall had picked him out.
Rangers' last chances disappeared when Marshall saved well from Gallen from 20 yards, and Jones just failed to reach Gallen's flick-on.
Sporting Life

QPR OFFICIAL SITE - MATCH REPORT
Rangers succumbed to their first defeat in six matches, as Dele Adebola bagged the Sky Blues' winner at Loftus Road.
The R's five match unbeaten run ended in disappointing fashion, on an afternoon when they failed to hit the heady heights of previous performances.
To their credit, Coventry were efficient and workmanlike and when Adebola struck early in the second half, you just sensed it wasn't to be for the R's.
It was all square at the break, despite both sides creating a flurry of goal-scoring opportunities.
Coventry probably deserved to be ahead on chances created, but Rangers certainly finished the half in the ascendancy, with substitute Ray Jones and Lee Cook both going close.
Nicky Ward was handed his first start under John Gregory, with Gareth Ainsworth ruled out with a hamstring injury.
Martin Rowlands returned to the R's substitute's bench, while Coventry gave a debut to loan signing Darren Currie.
Buoyed by last week's stunning victory in Wales, Rangers started on the front foot, with Damion Stewart heading over Cook's second minute set-piece.
In what was a really lively opening to the game, play soon switched to the other end, with Colin Cameron firing straight at Simon Royce from fully 30-yards.
Coventry created another chance on seven minutes, but thankfully for the R's, Richard Duffy's cross-come-shot flew wide.
The Sky Blues should have been in front four minutes later, but after great wide play from Currie, there wasn't a Coventry player in sight as the ball zipped across the six-yard box.
Rangers were struggling to find any fluency of sorts and after Stefan Bailey conceded posession all too cheaply in the heart of the R's midfield, the lively Dele Adebola shot tamely at Royce.
Coventry were orchestrating proceedings by now, but when Adebola cut the ball back from the by-line, Colin Cameron got his close range effort horribly wrong, skewing the ball wide for a throw-in.
Undeterred, Rangers were soon on the front foot themselves and when the ball eventually found it's way to Ward on the right flank, the Aussie's 18-yard effort was deflected inches wide of Andy Marshall's near post.
Michael Doyle thought he'd given Coventry the lead on 23 minutes, but after he rose tallest to power his back post header on target, the ball took a wicked deflection off a Rangers defender and went out of play for a corner.
Royce came to Rangers rescue again on the half hour, sprinting from his line to deny Leon McKenzie, after the former Norwich City striker escaped the last line of the R's defence.
Cook was becoming more and more involved as the half wore on, but all too often his crosses evaded the onrushing Marc Nygaard and Dexter Blackstock.
There was a brief scare for Cook a moment or two later, but after lengthy treatment from Rangers physio Prav Mathema, the much sought-after winger returned to the fray.
Jimmy Smith smashed a speculative 25-yard strike into the arms of Marshall on 40 minutes, before Blackstock's impromptu shot on the turn flew straight at the Coventry stopper.
Rangers finished the half strongly, with Zesh Rehman heading inches wide from another sublime Smith delivery, before the hosts were forced into their first change.
After an early clash of heads, Blackstock appeared to be suffering with concussion and he was forced to make way for Jones.
The Rangers substitute very nearly handed the R's the lead on the stroke of half-time, only to shoot inches wide after a piece of neat close control.
There was yet more to come for the hosts 20 seconds before the break and again it was that man Cook who provided the spark.
After leaving three defenders in his wake, the R's winger forced Marshall into a stunning full length save at his near post.
The second half was only 60 seconds old when McKenzie squandered a golden opportunity to put the visitors in front.
After holding off Marcus Bignot with ease, the pacy front-man was gifted with a free run on goal, only to fire over from an acute angle.
His strike partner made no mistake a minute later though, as Adebola made the most of the time and space he was gifted to fire past Royce from 12-yards, and hand Coventry a lead they probably just about deserved.
The goal sparked Rangers into life and when Bignot's cross drifted towards the back post, Nygaard headed onto the top of the bar with Marshall seemingly beaten all ends up.
The outstanding Currie almost notched the goal his performance deserved on 55 minutes, but after getting goal-side of Michael Mancienne, he headed over from the edge of the six-yard box.
Sensing the game was slipping from his side's grasp, Gregory responded with a double substitution on 56 minutes, introducing Martin Rowlands and Kevin Gallen at the expense of Bailey and Nygaard.
Gallen fired a brief warning shot with a rasping 25-yard drive midway through the half, before Cook's free-kick flew inches over with Marshall all at sea.
Rangers were growing in belief as the clock ticked down, but Marshall was rarely troubled, with Smith firing high and wide from 20-yards.
The lively McKenzie should have put the result beyond any doubt on 79 minutes, but with the goal at his mercy, he somehow glanced his header wide.
That miss almost came back to haunt the visitors four minutes from time, only for Marshall to grab Gallen's snap shot at the second attempt.
Rangers were throwing everything bar the kitchen sink at the visitors by now, but the goal they craved failed to materialise, with Jones just failing to add the all-important touch to Bignot's far post cross.
QPR: Royce, Bignot, Rehman, Stewart, Mancienne, Ward, Smith, Bailey (Rowlands 56), Cook, Blackstock (Jones 44), Nygaard (Gallen 56).
Subs: Thomas, Milanese.
Bookings: Ward 82
Coventry City: Marshall, Hall, Page, Ward, Doyle, Adebola, McKenzie, Cameron, Duffy, Clarke, Currie (Kyle 83).
Subs: Gonzalez-Robles, Birchall, Bischoff, Tabb.
Scorers: Adebola 47
Bookings: Duffy 25, Hall 68, Kyle 90
Referee: Mr C Penton
Attendance: 12, 840
Official SIte

COVENTRY PERSPECTIVE - OFFICIAL MATCH REPORT
oventry deservedly beat QPR by a goal to nil thanks to a battling display with Dele Adebola getting the only goal of the game.

The Sky Blues went through a far-from-average warm-up for this one, having had to desert their coach, get the tube to Shepherd's Bush and walk to Loftus Road. The players only emerged for their pre-match run-through half an hour before kick-off but the game still got underway at 3pm.
Darren Currie was named in the starting eleven for his Coventry City debut, playing on the left hand side of midfield, while Colin Cameron replaced the injured Don Hutchison and surprisingly lined-up on the right.
Clive Clarke played in his third position since joining the Club on loan little over a month ago at centre midfield. Elliott Ward was back at centre half having recovered from a back strain, with Jay Tabb dropping to the bench at his expense.
Cameron got City's first shot on goal in the second minute but it was easily gathered by Rangers goalkeeper Simon Royce. And the former Wolves man was presented with the best chance of the game in the 19th minute when Dele Adebola went on a mazy run and pulled a lovely ball back which Cameron scuffed across the face of goal when he should have at least hit the target.
The match was flowing end-to-end but it was the Sky Blues who were creating the best of the early opportunities, although they failed to take any of them to establish a lead.
City were working their socks off throughout the team and Adebola in particular was seeing a lot of the ball up front, while Cameron looked impressive in the engine room.
The home side started to impose themselves more on the tie as the first half came to an end and Andy Marshall had to be alert to make an excellent one-handed save to ensure the scores remained goalless while substitute Ray Jones shot just wide from 15 yards.
The Hoops had finished the first half the stronger side but City emerged completely fired up at the start of the second and after McKenzie had wasted a glorious one-on-one chance to give the Sky Blues the lead, the impressive Adebola put City ahead in fine style.
The powerful striker collected a square ball, span his marker and hammered a shot high into the net past the helpless Royce to make it 1-0 in the 47th minute with his 100th career goal. QPR went straight up the other end and nearly equalized as a Marc Nygaard header clipped the top of the crossbar.
But it was City who continued to apply all the pressure and Currie could have marked his debut with a goal when McKenzie floated in a beautiful cross but the loan man could not get over his header and placed it over the bar.
John Gregory made a double substitution with just over half an hour remaining introducing the experienced strike partnership of Kevin Gallen and Martin Rowlands.
As you'd expect from a side that had beaten the league leaders away from home last week, QPR were not going to take things lying down and threw everything at the Sky Blues to get back in the match.
With eleven minutes left on the clock City carved out a great move which nearly sealed the three points. Marcus Hall went on an overlap down the left and whipped in a superb cross which McKenzie connected with a diving header but unfortunately his effort flew just wide of the upright.
With six minutes remaining Adams made his first switch as Kyle replaced Currie who'd had a competent if unspectacular first appearance in a City shirt.
Marshall has been performing superbly in goal in recent weeks and he pulled out an excellent one-handed stop from Gallen in the 87th minute to preserve Coventry's slender advantage.
With five minutes of stoppage time signaled there was a nervy end to the tie but the Sky Blues continued to stand firm to pick up a superb victory after an extremely committed performance.
Coventry

And Earlier, OFF THE FIELD THIS CLUB STATEMENT
QPR can confirm that four members of the Youth Team are currently helping the British Transport Police with their enquiries following an incident at Earls Court tube station on Thursday.
The thoughts of everyone at QPR are with the families of those involved.
The Club will make no further comment relating to this incident at this time.

Statemen

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