Blades peg back R's to deny Hart

19 December 2009 17:44
Hart, who this week took over at Rangers just a month after being axed by Portsmouth, saw his new side take the lead after just 90 seconds of Saturday's Championship clash through Mikele Leigertwood.[LNB]But Richard Cresswell levelled for the Blades and Loftus Road's latest new boss was denied a winning start when Ben Watson headed against the crossbar in injury time.[LNB]Hart's appointment, following Jim Magilton's controversial exit this week, is the ninth managerial change in just over two years since owner Flavio Briatore arrived at Loftus Road.[LNB]Of the last three permanent bosses, Paulo Sousa lasted the longest with 26 matches at the helm, Magilton managed 23 and Iain Dowie just 15.[LNB]Little wonder, then, that Hart has only been given a contract until the end of the season.[LNB]United, by contrast, have had three managers in 10 years and, having resisted the temptation to sack Kevin Blackwell during a recent poor run, have now gone seven games unbeaten.[LNB]Hart received a lukewarm reception from a crowd clearly tiring of welcoming incoming managers, but the proceedings livened up considerably with Leigertwood's early strike.[LNB]The midfielder, who has played under all six permanent bosses and three caretakers since arriving from the Blades in 2007, lashed Watson's half-cleared corner through a crowd of players and, via a hefty deflection, past Mark Bunn.[LNB]The lead lasted just six minutes, though, after Watson's short backpass let in Toni Kallio who squared the ball for Cresswell to bundle over the line.[LNB]Both teams had chances thereafter but Bunn and fellow goalkeeper Radek Cerny barely had a save to make.[LNB]Bunn did halt Routledge in his tracks and Adel Taarabt hit the side netting for Rangers while United defender Matt Kilgallon headed over.[LNB]United should have gone in ahead in first-half stoppage time but Jamie Ward volleyed wide from eight yards out.[LNB]In the second half Routledge put a volley into the side netting, before Jay Simpson claimed a penalty, to no avail, after tripping over Chris Morgan's leg.[LNB]At the other end Quinn shot wide, James Harper blazed over and Cresswell's header fell the wrong side of the post.[LNB]And Hart missed out on a victorious start to his stint in west London when Watson headed against the bar at the death.[LNB][LNB]

Source: Team_Talk