Kingstonian 0-5 Queens Park Rangers
RANGERS WREAK HAVOC

After dispatching three Football League teams in three attempts many people might have thought that a win over Queen's Park Rangers would be a mere formality. It was never going to be anything of the sort of course, and when the teams were announced this was confirmed. QPR were starting with a very strong side - including Nigerian international Daniel Shittu - whilst the majority of Kingstonian's strongest eleven were rested before Wednesday's match against Premiership Charlton.

That allowed several fringe players the opportunity to impress those watching once more, in particular both full-backs Tony Sweet and Liam Garman, both of whom are competing for positions which are anything but settled.

Photo: kingstonian.net

The visitors - who, strangely, were the only team displaying their hoops - started like the proverbial train and should have led inside two minutes. Wesley Daly played in a corner from the right and Steve Palmer met it at the far post but steered his left-footed shot wide under little pressure. Kevin Gallen then struck Adrian Jones' upright moments later following a good move down the R's right as the visitors showed their class.

The opening goal came on seventeen minutes from Doudou. Gino Padula took a corner from the left and the striker ran to the near post to head home. The lead was doubled just four minutes later when Daniel Shittu beat Peter Barnsby worryingly easily on the left and crossed for Gallen to score. In between Phil Donaldson had a good chance at the other end but headed wide.

Youngster Leon Worley was showing some good form on the K's left, and he almost set up a goal for the home side just before the break. His cross was just missed by Green in the middle, but Sweet had been following up, and he laid the ball back for Donaldson to set Green up once more. The resulting header was just wide of Nick Culkin's post.

Photo: kingstonian.net

The first-half ended on something of a sour note when Padula departed from the scene on a stretcher following a seemingly innocuous challenge. This prompted the first of several changes to the Rangers' team in the second half, and after some ten minutes of the half it was K's who were forced to make a change.

Shortly after Jones produced a brilliant save after a Marc Bircham shot was deflected off of his own player, a ball was played through the K's back-line for Gallen to run onto. Barnsby tracked him back and managed to shepherd the ball back to Jones, but as defender and goalkeeper met, Barnsby tumbled and was left clutching his right leg. The stretcher appeared for the second time, and Barsnby's pre-season took a huge downturn.

The depth of the QPR squad really shone through in the final twenty minutes. With most of their better known players by now on the bench, it was left to their replacements - who are still, let us remember, full-time professionals - to run at the tired K's defence.

Photo: kingstonian.net

Substitute Andy Thomson made it three when he connected with a Mamady Sidibe cross from the right, and then four when he converted a seventy-eighth minute penalty after Tony Sweet was adjudged to have fouled Bircham.

The fifth goal came with just a couple of minutes remaining when the impressive Thomson ran to the goal-line and pulled back for Sidibe to slot home.

Five-nil might have been slightly harsh on goalkeeper Adrian Jones, who had another good game, but all-in-all QPR were by far the better side. There were, however, some very promising signs from these K's players. There was very little experience on display amongst the fourteen players who took part in this match, but they showed, in patches at least, that they have the potential to play an important part in this season's league campaign.