Queens Park Rangers v Scunthorpe United

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Football League Championship

Queens Park Rangers :
Kenny, Orr, Hill, Gorkss, Connolly, Derry (Leigertwood 87), Taarabt (Buzsaky 73), Faurlin, Ephraim, Helguson (German 90+1), Mackie.
Subs not used:
Cerny, Ramage, Parker, Clarke.

Scunthorpe United :
Murphy, McNulty (Byrne 82), Raynes, Nolan, Canavan, Togwell, Woolford (Grant 76), O'Connor, J.Wright, Dagnall, Forte.
Subs not used:
Slocombe, McClenahan, A.Wright, Collins.

SULSESC REPORT

by Ealing Gazette at Loftus Road

LUCKY Rangers fans were treated to another Adel Taarabt magic show as the Moroccan masterminded a win that takes the Rs clear at the top of the league.

Neil Warnock made sure his star player had added reason to do well - unexpectedly handing him the captain's armband in the absence of the injured Fitz Hall - and how his thrilling star player responded.

Taarabt was full of feints, dummies, dribbles and incisive passing in front of a terrorised Scunthorpe defence and was once again involved in every serious Rangers attack.

No wonder the fans repeated their mantra 'He's just too good for you!'

There was an end product too. His corner was glanced home by Bradley Orr's head in the 17th minute - giving the full-back his first goal for the club.

And a sweet move involving Taarabt and Orr (pictured) should have brought a goal - Heidar Helguson having his close-range header kept out by United keeper Joe Murphy.

But the moment of the match was a sublime 40-yard pass that picked out Helguson, who sprang the offside trap and lifted the ball over the advancing Murphy.

Murphy was seriously overworked and did well to keep out another Helguson header just before the break - with Hogan Ephraim the provider for once.

Taarabt does have another side to his game maybe and was booked for a dive inside the area by ref Graham Salisbury.

He got away with a ticking off for one borderline tangle but did not escape a yellow card when he went down under a challenge from defender Sam Togwell late in the first half.

Taarabt was much quieter in the second half and by extension, so were Rangers, although Kaspars Gorkss sent one header onto the top of the crossbar and Helguson was again guilty of a glaring miss after Ephraim had scampered onto a Taarabt pass and pulled the ball back invitingly from the byline.

But his fade-out at least allowed Rs fans their first sight this season of another player with a golden touch - Akos Buzsaky.