QUEENS PARK RANGERS 2 - 0 AFC Bournemouth

With the news that eight youth players are being released at the end of the season, and some already out on trial at other clubs, you might have expected to see Joe Gallen’s side struggle against the Cherries. Not a bit of it!

The Merit Division is only eight games long and Saturday’s home win over Bournemouth at Brunel University means that of their three matches played so far QPR have won two and lost one (to Premiership outfit West Brom).

Although a number of regular faces were missing, Joe Gallen retained a strong spine to his team and the gaps were filled very ably by some promising trialists and a number of the Under 16s players. New youth scout John O’Brien is obviously making the most of his Arsenal connections, with several players from Highbury on trial.

Rangers lined up with Sean Thomas in goal, Sean Clohessy from Arsenal at left back (Daniel Murphy is on trial at Carshalton Athletic and was instrumental in their win on Saturday), Karl Yelland from Southampton at right back, and John Fletcher partnering big Pat Kanyuka in central defence. Centre back Ryan Johnson has apparently gone out on loan to Carshalton. Under 16s players Matt O’Connell and Joe O’Rourke were on the right and left wings respectively (Sonny Farr is on trial at Luton) with Scot Mulholland and Ruben Zadkovich in central midfield, and Luke Townsend played up front with Aaron Samuel from Arsenal.

Bournemouth started brightly with their defence playing high up the pitch and a fine young keeper sweeping behind them, and Joe Gallen kept it tight for the first half hour. As the half wore on though, it became clear that the Cherries didn’t have the personnel further upfield to retain possession, and QPR visibly started to relax and play a more open, attacking game. 0-0 at half-time.

Two minutes into the second half Matt O’Connell latched onto a through ball, raced ahead and beat the keeper with ease. Fifteen minutes later Rangers broke through again and Pat Kanyuka sent a cheeky chip over the goalkeeper for Joe O’Rourke to head into an empty net.

Bournemouth should have pulled one back when John Fletcher made a howler of a back pass which was pounced on by the Cherries’ centre forward. You would have said keeper Sean Thomas had no chance, but he forced the striker wide and then somehow got a hand to the ensuing fierce shot to send it crashing off the post instead of into the net.

Apart from that QPR saw the game out comfortably, with Townsend and Zadkovich having a couple of shots off target.

All in all an entertaining game with two exciting goals, and heroics from the keeper. Luke Townsend did everything but score, including a great run in the second half when he went past four opposition players only to see his shot saved. Clohessy at left back showed good positional sense, was willing on the overlap, always made himself available and linked up well with Baidoo when his old Arsenal team-mate came on.

Man of the match: Matt O’Connell on the right wing, one of the youngest players on the pitch, ran riot through Bournemouth’s defence at every opportunity. A pleasure to watch.

QPR: Thomas S, Yelland, Fletcher (Munday), Kanyuka, Clohessy, O’Connell, Mulholland (Smart), Zadkovich, O’Rourke (Baidoo), Townsend, Samuel