Queen's Park Rangers 3 Middlesbrough 0

13 September 2010 09:00
Queen's Park Rangers 3 Middlesbrough 0[LNB] IN terms of player turnover, both Middlesbrough and QPR are at the top of the league.[LNB] This is evidenced by the fact that just five of the players starting at Loftus Road on Saturday started the comparative fixture last December.[LNB] Boro won that one 5-1 in Gordon Strachan's first triumph as manager, but on Saturday evening, the Scot cut a disconsolate figure as he had witnessed his side switch off and concede three goals in a crazy 15-minute spell in the second half.[LNB] To Boro's credit, there was no hint of what was to come after the interval. In terms of chances created, Boro had a couple, as had QPR.[LNB] But goals from Heidar Helguson, Hogan Ephraim and Jamie Mackie on 49, 53 and 59 minutes ended the game as a contest.[LNB] Strachan was in no mood for small talk after the game, which he said had left him and his players shellshocked.[LNB] It was a smashing first half and I think both sets of fans got their money's worth, but in the second half only QPR fans got their money's worth.[LNB] I'm sure they are feeling fantastic about themselves.[LNB] We're quite shellshocked about what has happened.[LNB] QPR are a good side when they get into the lead. There's a freshness and enthusiasm about them while we weren't at our best. We now have to hunt for improvements.[LNB] In midweek, Rangers manager Neil Warnock and attacking midfielder Adel Taarabt were presented with the manager and player of the month awards. Usually, the recipients of such awards find themselves on the losing side immediately after, but there was no sign of any such curse at Loftus Road.[LNB] Indeed, Adel Taarabt gave an early indicator as to his talents on three minutes when he jinked through the Boro back four to see his shot saved by Luke Steele.[LNB] QPR's back four gave Scott McDonald time and space, but the Australian's shot from 25 yards whistled past Paddy Kenny's right-hand post on nine minutes.[LNB] Hogan Ephraim had two chances to take the lead for Rangers inside two minutes, firstly when his shot from the edge of the box squirmed out of Steele's hands, Robson clearing, and again when he collected a quick QPR freekick on the left side, Steele saving well at his near post.[LNB] Boro were not out of the woods though, and on 20 minutes Taarabt fired a daisycutter wide of Steele's left post.[LNB] The early indications were that the 5-1 win Boro achieved at this ground last December was merely a flash in the pan.[LNB] Indeed, the metaphorical pan was exactly where Boro's hopes were going.[LNB] However, Boro withstood the pressure and began to exert more authority on proceedings.[LNB] Rangers allowed Boro to pass the ball in their final third without any pressure, but this bore no fruit on 36 minutes when Matthew Bates' eventual cross found McDonald at the far post, whose volley crashed into the side netting.[LNB] QPR felt they had a shout for a penalty on 40 minutes when Helguson fell in the box under pressure from Nicky Bailey, but had referee Mick Russell given it, Boro would have been right to feel aggrieved.[LNB] But seconds later, Rangers' Taarabt fired another warning shot when his goalbound shot was expertly touched around the post by Steele.[LNB] As halves go, this was a pretty even one. But QPR came out all guns blazing in the second half, and referee Russell made the correct call on 48 minutes when Robson clumsily pushed Heidar Helguson in the box.[LNB] The Iceland international stroked his spot-kick to Steele's left.[LNB] And it was two four minutes later. Taarabt and Ephraim had been thorns in Boro's sides for the first half, and they linked up to devastating effect.[LNB] Taarabt, a £600,000 signing for Rangers in the close season, swept in an inch-perfect cross for Ephraim to touch neatly past Steele's near post.[LNB] It was clinical and decisive, and showed just why QPR are top.[LNB] The third followed on 59 minutes. Taarabt and Ephraim exchanged short passes on the right, the latter's cross met Alejandro Faurlain whose shot was blocked, but Jamie Mackie followed up and fired through the traffic to extend QPR's lead.[LNB] Boro were on the ropes.[LNB] Three goals within 15 minutes of the restart completely killed the visitors off.[LNB] Of the goals, Strachan said: The first goal came due to inexperience, that Barry Robson is not a left-back. He did a lot of good things in the game but we had to change it around after that. For the second, Batesy accepts that he switched off and that he should have come across to cover their lad, and the third goal was a scramble.[LNB] A break in play allowed QPR fans to raise a chorus of You're getting sacked in the morning' towards Gordon Strachan. Par for the course, water off a duck's back but the fact that the Boro fans in the Bloemfontain Road end were joining in will have stung a little.[LNB] Boro rallied somewhat, but despite half-chances for substitutes Leroy Lita and Justin Hoyte, they were unable to breach the QPR defence.[LNB] Ephraim missed the chance to make it four and compound the misery for the Boro supporters on 87 minutes when his curling effort bounced off the crossbar.[LNB] Match facts Goals:[LNB] 1-0: Helguson pen (49, coolly stroked spot-kick sent Steele the wrong way)[LNB] 2-0: Ephraim (53, was first to Taarabt's floated cross to guide past Steele)[LNB] 3-0: Mackie (59, rifled home via a deflection after Alejandro Faurlain's shot was blocked)[LNB] Bookings: Robson (48, foul)[LNB] Referee: Mick Russell (Hertfordshire): Made the right call with the penalty and was right not to give a spot-kick to QPR in the first half. Generally did well 7[LNB] Attendance: 14,784[LNB] QPR (4-4-2): Kenny 6; Orr 6 (Ramage 5, 69), Hill 6, Gorkss 7, Connolly 7; Derry 7, Faurlin 6, EPHRAIM 9, Mackie 7 (Smith 80); Taarabt 9 (Buzsaky 6, 70), Helguson 7. Subs (not used): Cerny (gk), Leigertwood, Agyemang, Parker[LNB] MIDDLESBROUGH (4-4-2):[LNB] 7 STEELE: Can't be blamed for the goals, and had to be at his best to deny Taarabt and Ephraim[LNB] 5 Bates: Switched off for the second goal and was generally off his game[LNB] 5 McManus: Found it difficult to deal with QPR's attacking threat[LNB] 5 Wheater: Was unusually unsteady on his feet on a few occasions but did his job reasonably well[LNB] 6 Robson: Clumsily gave a penalty away but up until then he had been a fairly decent makeshift left-back[LNB] 4 Kink: Ineffective on the right flank. Rarely put crosses in and his shot accuracy was woeful. Substituted[LNB] 5 Tavares: A harsh debut, but his patient passing seemed out of kilter with the pace of his team-mates[LNB] 6 O'Neil: Will be pleased to get a full 90 minutes under his belt, but overall disappointed with the result[LNB] 6 Bailey: Swung his fair share of decent crosses in, but QPR's back four were at their best and found chances limited[LNB] 4 Boyd: Needs to use his strength more, went down too easily and spent more time playing for a foul than working the defenders[LNB] 5 McDonald: Was busy, but had no support from midfield or his strike partner[LNB] Subs:[LNB] Hoyte (for Kink 55): On the edge of the game 6[LNB] Lita (for Boyd 65) Little chance to impress 5[LNB] Halliday (for Bailey 79) (not used): Coyne (gk), Miller, Arca, Smallwood.[LNB] MAN OF THE MATCH[LNB] HOGAN Ephraim All plaudits have gone to Adel Taarabt, but it was Ephraim who made the difference with some quality balls into the box and always looking to shoot.[LNB]

Source: Northern_Echo