by Lukas Ross
An end-to-end encounter at the Kiyan Prince Foundation stadium ended 1-1. Despite a draw being fair, QPR had the chances to win it, and had a stonewall penalty dismissed with 6 minutes to go.
The game started in a rather abysmal manner, as Masterson missed his kick and Wilmot scored the easiest goal of his life with under 3 minutes on the clock. It set the tone for a long afternoon.
However, we fought our way back into it and oh so nearly equalised within 1 minute. The ball was worked forward encouragingly and the initial effort was blocked before Bright’s cross back into the area somehow evaded everyone and went out on the far side.
Despite that, we continued to trail and had several let-offs, namely a superb chance for Ismaila Sarr 2 minutes before half time, only to be denied with a brilliant Seny Dieng save.
Into the second half we went, and we were immediately greeted with a substitution. Wallace off, Hamalainen on.
We started off the second half rather convincingly, with Masterson’s looping header coming off the top of the bar.
There were a few dirty challenges in there, Watford did admittedly get away with a few in my opinion.
Then, 13 minutes from time, it happened. Some lovely link up play in the middle of the park before Chair was fed in by some slick passing between Dykes and Hamalainen before Chair neatly found the back of the net.
Then, we were in the ascendancy going into the last 10 minutes.
Then, we had a major talking point 6 minutes from time. A corner comes in from the right wing, and Barbet seemingly has his shirt tugged, but the ref pointed for a Watford free kick. I did not realise that it was opposite day today. Barbet gets fouled and concedes (yes, concedes) a free kick.
The game then petered out towards a 1-1 draw.
However, on 91 minutes, a ball comes out into the box after some insane passing but we nearly had a repeat of “hand of God” and Dykes used his left arm to get it in. The goal was obviously disallowed and the game ended at 1-1.
Given how much we were berating the team selection just after 2pm, this is a very solid result.
Onwards and upwards from here.
Come on you R’s!