QPR were taught a real lesson in how to play good attacking football at Ninian Park last night. Cardiff were first to every ball and every tackle whilst Rangers were second best in all departments. If it wasn’t for Lee Camp in the R’s goal it could easily have been 6 – 1, Cardiff were made to look that good. 

De Canio went with his preferred away from home formation of 4-5-1, Camp was in goal with Delaney, Stewart, Hall and Connolly in front of him. The midfield consisted of Rowlands, Mahon, Legs, Vine and Akos, with Agyemang up top.  

Rangers started the match quite well, indeed the opening eight minutes or so were promising. However, as is the norm at the moment, we allowed Cardiff a chance on goal with yet more dire defending.  

A long ball pumped down the left flank by Capaldi should have been easily dealt with by the Rangers defence. However the ball was allowed to find its way to Joe Ledley, who from twelve yards out smacked a shot on target that was deflected away by Hall. The danger could easily have been cleared but as was the case all night the R’s defence backed off the ball and Paul Parry was allowed all the time and space to pressurise Delaney who attempted to pass the ball back to Camp. His poor ball lacked pace and Parry nipped in between Camp and Delaney and then crossed for Ledley to tap home at the back post. Not a great start!  

Moments later Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was allowed too much room in front of goal and from fifteen yards out should have done better with his shot not troubling Camp. Minutes later Rangers still hadn’t worked out how to defend and Camp was forced to make two world class saves in a minute first denying Peter Wittingham from long range and then the follow up from Hasselbaink who’s movement throughout was a joy to watch. Let’s hope that the Rangers’ strikers were watching him closely.  

Roger Johnson was then allowed time and space to fire in a fierce volley that Camp fisted away for a corner. On the half hour Stewart had the one and only real chance but his volley after Akos’s corner was struck well wide. Things got worse for De Canio as moments later Fitz Hall was forced off with what looked like a Calf strain; he was replaced by Mancienne who in my opinion should have started.  

Almost immediately Cardiff scored the second, a ball over the top from Ledley was controlled superbly by Hasselbaink, yet again the Rangers defence failed to play to the whistle and stopped with their arms in the air, this allowed the Dutch legend time and space as he exchanged passes with Ledley and the young Welsh international tucked the ball past Camp.  

On the stroke of half time Matt Connolly was stretchered off, replaced surprisingly with Blackstock.  

The two teams came out after the break and Rangers forced two corners in quick succession ending with Blackstock's header being tipped over by Oakes in the City goal. However the status quo soon resumed with R’s being run ragged by City. 

On 58 minutes it was game, Hasselbaink again broke our attempt of an offside trap, squared to Paul Parry and the Welsh international was left to put Stewart on his backside and plant an easy shot past Lee Camp. Not much happened after this in terms of goal mouth opportunities apart from Camp once again bailing out the defence with a good save from Ledley (again!)  

We pulled a goal back with fifteen to play. Hogan Ephraim, who had replaced Akos early in the second half, crossed from the by-line, at first it was easily dealt with by Oakes however Big Dave must have clattered The Keeper in the ribs as he dropped the ball and it trickled into the net, such is the poor view of the far end at Cardiff not one fan in the Rangers end had realised that we had scored until Vine ran back to the centre circle and placed the ball down for Cardiff to get on with things. I was surprised that the ref allowed the goal as Oakes went off injured straight away.  

Legs had one last chance in the six minutes of injury time, but his shot was tipped onto the post by the replacement keeper. The final whistle came soon after this and the Rangers players stomped off the pitch and only big Dave and Rowlands bothered to come over and acknowledge the travelling fans that had made the journey. Never mind we can’t play as badly against Bristol City, can we?  

Man of the match – Lee Camp: Without thinking it’s got to be Camp, the Rangers stopper bailed us out time and again last night and it’s not for the first time either. The highlight of his performance has to be the two world class saves inside a minute from Hasselbaink and Whittingham.