Sussex: London away games are always enjoyable for the SussexBaggies, as it means we don’t have to leave at the crack of dawn and can often get back home within two hours.
We had been to Loftus Road only once before, and seen us lose 3-1 in The Championship under Roberto Di Matteo in what was Neil Warnock’s first game in charge of QPR.
For those who haven’t been before, Loftus Road is a ground where you barely have any room to move in the stand and especially in the concourse, but where it is very easy to create a good atmosphere due to how close you are to the pitch compared to some of the bigger Premier League grounds.
NorthyJnr: The day started when my mum took me and my Dad to Wellingborough station. We waited a few minutes for the train to London St Pancras. When we got on there was no seats available, so me and my Dad had to stand for just over an hour.
Matters were made worse when at the next stop a family of six came into the bit of the train that we were in, so I was reading the paper-sports section, of course, and I was squashed, due to the large family all sitting right next to me whilst my Dad was stood opposite me with more room, I struggled through to London, where we got off.
My Dad then told me that we were going to the Albion Pub in Goldsmiths Row which I was exited about. We walked from the tube station to the pub which was great and filled with loads of new and old Albion pictures. We had a few drinks in there, and Dad has a bit of a cold, so he said he needed a few double whiskys to help his cold – any old excuse!
We headed to the tube station on our way to the ground. On the tube we only had 16 stops till we got off! After that we walked to the ground. Inside my Dad got me a hot chocolate and he got a beer, then he let me go and have a look inside Loftus Road. I thought, "this is small" (My garden shed!!!!)
Team
Sussex: Roy Hodgson made only one enforced change to the side which had undeservedly lost 3-1 at home to Spurs a week previously, with Graham Dorrans replacing Zoltan Gera in the side to play just behind Shane Long in a 4-4-1-1 formation.
First half
The match started slowly, with neither side really creating any clear-cut chances in the opening ten minutes or so. We had the first real chance of the game when, after a fine passing move in midfield, Jerome Thomas sent a tame shot straight at Radek Cerny in the QPR goal when clean through.
We were made to pay for this missed chance after 20 minutes, when the hosts took the lead. The goal was scored by Heidar Helguson, who sent a far-post header back across Ben Foster and into the opposite corner after a cross from Joey Barton. Although the cross and header were both reasonably good, most Albion fans justifiably thought that the goal was preventable and that it was an unusually sloppy goal to concede after our recent defensive improvements.
NorthyJnr: That was a blow which led the players putting their heads down a bit, and QPR should of gone two-up when a ball was played though to Wright-Phillips who chested it down before cutting into the box then volleyed into the top corner. Offside was given, but the replay showed McAuley playing him on. It was a let off for us and we went into half time 1-0 down.
During half time, Adel Tarrabt had a shot at an open goal and missed so, as you would, I stood up and shouted: "WAYYY!!!!" Tarrabt saw me and gave me a wave!
Second half
Sussex: It was clear Roy Hodgson needed to have a word with several of the players at half-time, as we had looked off the pace against a QPR side who had played reasonably well, but who certainly had a couple of weaknesses which we should have been looking to exploit.
We nearly found a way back into the game just after the break, when the impressive James Morrison lost his footing in the penalty area under the challenge of Danny Gabbidon and Armand Traore. Like most Albion fans, I appealed strongly for a penalty. However, having seen a replay of the incident, it appears as though the referee Martin Atkinson got it spot-on to not award a penalty.
The game was beginning to become and end-to-end encounter, with Barton missing a gilt-edged chance to score what could have been a crucial second goal just after our penalty appeal.
The best we were able to create for much of the ensuing period were half-chances, as our attacking players worked hard, but were unable to cause their defence any real problems.
We were fortunate to still be in the game around the hour mark, when we somehow scrambled the ball away from inside the six-yard box after we were unable to effectively clear a low cross from Traore.
NorthyJnr: Hodgson then brought on Odemwingie for Dorrans. He also took off Thomas who wasn't at his best, Tchoyi replaced him. We did eventually find the goal on 80 minutes through Shane Long. Morrison played a through ball for Odemwingie who did a few stepovers before crossing the ball where Long came sliding in at the far post to tap it in and acknowledged the travelling support in celebration.
We then had all the momentum to go and get the three points. There was lots of pressure from us in injury-time when QPR cleared the ball off the line. Full time 1-1, though we should of won.
We then walked back to the tube, with Albion fans singing all the way back.
On the train coming home I saw a man with a QPR jacket. He walked over and started talking about the game. He thought QPR were better than us in BOTH halves. My Dad did not agree and told him so! The QPR fan decided to go to another part of the train, although Dad was really very friendly!
Overall, I was happy with a point.
On reflection
Sussex: On reflection, a draw was the best we could hope to get after what was quite a poor performance in patches.
We never really got going in the first half and had we been two or three goals down by the time we scored what proved to be our equaliser, I don’t think any Albion fans could have complained.
However, we hung on in there and may have even scored a winner late on, although that would have been very harsh on a hard-working QPR side who should stay up without too many problems based on their performance yesterday.
Impressive performances came from Steven Reid, Jonas Olsson, Shane Long and an eye-catching 25-minute cameo from Peter Odemwingie.
My Man of the Match, however, would go to James Morrison, as he was at the heart of our best moves once again and ran the show in midfield even during spells of the game when were struggling. It seems as though he is back to his best now, so long may it continue!
I thought we were capable of picking up three points yesterday and had we played as well as we did against Spurs, we probably would have done. Despite this, we cannot complain too much about a point at Loftus Road and should certainly see it as a point gained.
Boing Boing!
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