UNITED 0, QPR 0 UNITED: Ankergen, Douglas, Thompson (Howson 32), Healy, Lewis, Nicholls, Heath, Marques, Cresswell, Blake (Johnson 73), Sa (Foxe 77). Subs: Stack, Moore.
QPR: Camp, Cullip, Bolder, Ainsworth, Rowlands, Lomas, Cook, Stewart, Timoska, Blackstock, Mancienne. Subs: Cole, Kanyuka, Furlong, Jones, Smith. Referee: Tony Bates (Staffordshire) United welcomed back experienced midfield man Alan Thompson in place of Ian Westlake, and strikers Richard Cresswell and David Healy were back in the starting line-up, in place of Ian Moore and Tresor Kandol. Rui Marques, who missed the second half of the 1-0 defeat at Cardiff with a head wound, following a collision with Jonathan Douglas, was fit to resume. New loan signing Jemal Johnson, a 21-year-old striker who joined United from Wolves the previous day, was on the bench. Rangers had won only once in their last five Championship matches but they were one place above the relegation zone and three points better off than bottom-placed United when the game kicked off. A foul on Kevin Nicholls by Adam Bolder gave United a free kick 28 yards out. Thompson took it but chose to loft the ball forward for Heath, rather than have a crack at goal. Rangers cleared but, urged on by their biggest following of the season, United pushed forward again and won two corners in quick succession, but nothing came of either. Healy tried his luck with a long range shot that was off target and shortly afterwards Douglas got away on a determined run but had his progess ended by a foul tackle. The resultant free-kick was cleared. Rangers had a great opportunity to take the lead in the 14th minute when Heath slipped just outside the penalty area to let Dexter Blackstock in but Casper Ankergren came out quickly and brought off a great block just inside the area. A Bolder foul on Blake brought United another free-kick and Blake took it, hitting the ball through Rangers' defensive 'wall'. It almost took keeper Lee Camp by surprise but he managed to get down to parry the ball, which rebounded to be cleared. Just after the hour mark, Thompson, who had been under treatment for a calf injury, limped out of the game to be replaced by Jonny Howson. When United won another corner, Blake played the ball back deep to the unmarked Douglas, who steadied himself for a shot from 30 yards which took a deflection. But Camp still managed to make the stop. Camp was again in action, this time bringing off a fine one-handed save when Healy flicked Blake's free kick towards the far post. Two minutes from the break, Blake clipped the outside of a post with a curling free kick awarded after Timoska had been booked for bringing down Cresswell. Then keeper Camp was booked for timewasting. Two minutes into the second half, Camp brought off a good block when Healy's lofted forward ball found Cresswell who fired an angled shot goalwards. In a match that meant such a lot to both sides, there was understandably a tenseness about much of the play and chances were limited. United were having to do more defending this half as Rangers began to move the ball about with a greater sense of purpose. Ankergren was called on to make a save to a fierce low shot from Bolder and the United keeper needed two attempts to do so. But United were inches away from taking the lead after 64 minutes when Healy unleashed shot from the right which struck the bar. Twenty minutes from the end Ankergren brought of another good save, this time palming a shot from Cook wide after the ball had deflected off Nicholls. With 18 minutes remaining, United replaced Blake with Johnson. The official attendance was 29,593 - easily the biggest of the season, beating the previous best, for the visit of Sunderland back in September last year, by more than 6,000. United mounted a late spell of pressure but Rangers pulled men back to defend their ranks and United had to settle for a draw. _______________________________________________ the Leeds List is an unmoderated mailing list and the list administrators accept no liability for the personal views and opinions of contributors. Leedslist mailing list [email protected] http://list.zetnet.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/leedslist maybe if I can work out a reason I can get home
