RESERVES BEATEN BY CHARLTON
Tuesday 30th October 2007
by Simon Skinner

A fairly experienced Rangers reserve side slumped to a disappointing 3-0 defeat at Loftus Road against their even more experienced counterparts from Charlton. The visiting side bossed the game for the most part and many of the R’s players will have done their chances of playing under new boss Luigi De Canio more harm than good. 

Jake Cole was in goal behind a back four of Marcus Bignot, Dominic Shimmin, Sampsa Timoska and Andrew Howell. Shabazz Baidoo, Jason Jarrett, John Curtis and Stefan Moore lined up in midfield with Ben Sahar and Danny Nardiello up front. The bench consisted of players from the Under 18’s side. 

Charlton should have had a pen early on when Shimmin appeared to fell the diabolical Izale McLeod. The lino flagged it, the ref waved it away. It was a poor decision from the fussy Mr Lennard. If he continues to show such a nitpicking attitude as he displayed for the most part he should go right to the top of his profession! 

After his early scare Shimmin went on to have a fine game and was the pick of the R’s players. Nardiello should have done better after intercepting a weak back pass but he dallied and allowed covering defenders to get back. McLeod missed a couple of excellent chances as the half wore on and Ben Sahar brought a fine save from Addicks keeper Darren Randolph after showing some quick feet. I was expecting much more from Sahar as he was now back in the pressure free, non results driven arena of the reserves he and his mother so crave. In truth he did little and didn’t seem that bothered by it all. 

Charlton took the lead on the stroke of half time after a horrendous Marcus Bignot error. There was little danger when the ball arrived with the R’s captain but he managed to fall arse over tit and presented the ball directly to Jerome Thomas. Thomas had to fight his instincts which were surely telling him to hurl himself to the floor as he did several times during the evening. Instead he stayed up and slotted calmly past the exposed Cole. 

Charlton doubled their lead shortly after the break when Darren Ambrose was afforded far too much time and space and took advantage by firing a fine twenty yarder into the bottom corner. 

Rangers were in little danger of creating anything of their own with Curtis and Jarrett turning in woeful performances at the heart of the midfield. Curtis gave the ball away time and again and Jarrett was incredibly sluggish. Bolder, Leigertwood and new signing Busácky will have little to worry about. The wide men also contributed little, with Baidoo doing marginally more than the terrible Moore. Even this standard appears to be way beyond him. 

Charlton scored their third with fifteen minutes left when Andrew Howell, who had been pretty good to this point, under hit a back pass and allowed McLeod in. Cole was once again left helpless as the former MK Dons man slotted home. Had their been the slightest chance that Cole could have saved it then I think he would as McLeod had shown little to indicate that he had the nouse to bag a goal. 

As the game wore on youngsters Billy Coyne, Romone Rose and Angelo Balanta came on for a trot; Rose in particular looked the part against two experienced centre backs in McCarthy and Bougherra.  

De Canio will not have been a happy chappy sitting in the Directors Box. Of the players on show the only ones that can be happy with their nights work are Cole, Shimmin and Howell (before the error). The others, the young lads aside, were poor to a man and are probably kicking themselves now. Let’s hope their aim is slightly better in that regard.

QPR: Cole, Bignot (Coyne), Shimmin, Timoska, Howell, Baidoo, Jarrett, Curtis, Moore, Sahar (Rose), Nardiello (Balanta). Subs not used: Crowther, Brown.