Match Report |
Swansea City 2-0 Queens Park Rangers | |
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Swansea City 2-0 Queens Park Rangers
Click HERE for more excellent match pictures from Andrew Thomas Swans produced another performance of grit and determination to secure a further three points. 
For once the Swans starting line up produced few surprises. Darren Pratley and Stephen Dobbie started after their respective injuries.
QPR came into the game on a terrific run of six unbeaten and the omens didn’t look too positive with Swans not having beaten Rangers in a League game since 1965.
John Hartson was introduced to the crowd prior to kick off and received a rapturous welcome from all parts of the ground including the QPR fans.
Side- de Vries, Rangel, Monk, Williams, Tate, Dyer, Britton, Pratley, Gower,
Within seconds of the kick off Swans looked to have an opening but Darren Pratley lost his footing on a pitch that had once more been heavily watered just prior to kick off.
It was Rangers that settled the better and the Swans goal was soon under threat. Wayne Routledge fired a low hard cross that Ashley Williams did well to turn behind for a corner, from which the ball fell to Akos Buzsaky. His powerful drive beat Dorus de Vries but just cleared the crossbar.
QPR were working very hard. In possession they attacked in numbers and when not in possession they put ten men behind the ball and harried any Swans player with the ball.
Routledge went close again before Swans starting to compete on equal terms.
Swans only real attacking threat came down the right with Nathan Dyer’s pace and he was being well supported by Angel Rangel. 
The longer the first half went on the less likely a goal looked like coming. Both sides were cancelling one another out with both defence well on top. Swans only managed two attempts, neither of which threatened a goal.
QPR started the second half confidently and very much had the upper hand again. Dorus de Vries made three saves in the first five minutes of the second half and one save in particular from a deflected shot was world class.
After yet another Rangers attack, Swans broke away only for Nathan Dyer to be pulled down in his own half by Rangers captain Martin Rowlands. Rowlands had been booked in the first half and received his marching orders. It was to change the game dramatically.
Down to ten men Rangers lost all their ambition and Swans soon gained the upper hand.
Darren Pratley tested Radak Cerny in the Rangers goal with a powerful right foot shot after excellent work down the right by Nathan Dyer.
On the hour an out of sorts Tom Butler was replaced by Lee Trundle.
Despite having the extra man and the bulk of possession it was still hard to see where a goal would come from.
Craig Beattie replaced Stephen Dobbie as Paulo Sousa shuffled his pack looking for the aces.
When it seemed the opening just wasn’t going to come again, it arrived from a source few would have expected.
Mark Gower picked the ball up just inside the Rangers half on the left wing. He hit a tremendous 50 yard cross field ball to Angel Rangel. Rangel with time and space made a few yards forward before sending a delightful cross to the far post picking out Mark Gower’s run. Gower met the cross with a left footed half volley that gave Cerny little chance. Gower’s celebrations were a little over the top for the referee and he received a yellow card but after such a long wait for his first competitive Swans goal few would criticise him.
Rangers made a couple of substitutions looking to get back into the game but their hopes evaporated on 77 minutes when midfielder Ben Watson received his second yellow card. He handled the ball near the half way line and will no doubt have some explaining to do to his Manager on the long journey back to
Paulo Sousa bought Jordi Lopez on for Darren Pratley and was no doubt hoping to kill the game off.
With Rangers down to nine most expected Swans to try to stretch Rangers on the flanks to create the spare man. Instead Swans seemed happy just to retain possession, mostly in their own half. It was a tactic that was to prove a masterstroke as Rangers appeared to switch off and Angel Rangel spotted an opportunity to free Nathan Dyer. He lifted the ball over the full back for Nathan Dyer to chase. The winger got to the bye line and spotted an unmarked Lee Trundle bearing down on goal, and picked him out perfectly to give Trunds the relatively easy task of scoring.
QPR continued to show spirit and a willingness to try to attack but there was no way back.
Ratings –
De Vries 9 – Outstanding display. One of his best games on his 150th appearance.
Rangel 8 – Back almost at his best. Monk 7 – Did well against a lively opponent in Simpson. Williams 8 – Composed display. Tate 7 – Guilty of losing possession too easily too often in the first half.
Dyer 9 – Another superb display leaving you wondering where he gets his energy from. Britton 7 – Looked happy to have Prats back alongside him. Pratley 8- Looked like he hadn’t been away. Gower 6 – Not his best game but the abuse he often gets from the stands isn’t justified. His first goal should do wonders for his confidence.
Dobbie 6- Almost impossible task with little support and two quality centre halves. . Subs-
Trundle 7 – Came into his own against nine men. Easy goal but got in a good position and demanded the ball. Beattie 7 – Looked hungry and keen. Lopez – Only on a few minutes. | |
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Swansea City 2-0 Queens Park Rangers
Paulo Sousa gained revenge against his former employers with a 2-0 victory over nine-man QPR to extend Swansea's unbeaten run in the Coca-Cola Championship to five games. After an opening 45 minutes which promised plenty but ultimately delivered just one tame effort on target, the second half provided far more entertainment. Swans keeper Dorus De Vries was called upon to make two stunning saves before R's captain Martin Rowlands saw red for a second bookable offence. And from then on the game swayed in the home side's favour. Mark Gower converted Angel Rangel's great cross 16 minutes from time and after QPR midfielder Ben Watson was also shown a second yellow card, Lee Trundle wrapped up all three points with his second goal in three games. The triumph ended Jim Magilton's six-match unbeaten run in the league and provided Swans with their first league victory over QPR since 1965. Akos Buzsaky came close to opening the scoring after just three minutes at a sunny but blustery Liberty Stadium, finding the roof of the net with a curling effort from the edge of the penalty area. A clearly confident R's side, on a high as a result of their impressive form of late, soon settled into their stride and Wayne Routledge was next to go close from 20 yards. After some patient build-up play, Stephen Dobbie forced Swansea's closest attempt, and arguably the closest of the first half, when his deflected effort at the near post flew narrowly wide. On-loan Arsenal striker Jay Simpson then fired off target at the other end with QPR enjoying their best chances on the counter, although neither goalkeeper had yet been forced to make a save of any note. Despite the best efforts of both sides it was becoming evidently clear that a goal for either would really bring the game to life. Swans midfielder Darren Pratley fired wide while Dobbie drilled straight at Radek Cerny - the first effort of the game on target - as the home side applied pressure in the closing stages of an opening 45 minutes which they had just about shaded. In stark contrast to the first half, De Vries was called upon to make a superb save just four minutes after the restart. Watson's corner was flicked on at the near post and the Swans keeper denied Simpson with an instinctive reflex save from close range. De Vries again had to be at his best just minutes later to produce a superb stop to keep out Routledge in an action-packed start to the second half. But having twice come close to breaking the deadlock, Rangers were reduced to 10 men in the 53rd minute when skipper Rowlands was shown a deserved second yellow card for a rash challenge on Nathan Dyer. The dismissal spurred the hosts in action and they immediately put QPR on the back foot, although for all their dominance they were failing to really test Cerny. Yet that all changed in the 74th minute when the unmarked Gower connected with Rangel's cross to open the scoring from close range. Watson received a second yellow for handball just minutes later, reducing the visitors to nine men. And it was left for Trundle to wrap things up when he connected with Dyer's right-wing cross from six yards in the 85th minute. |
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