RICKY'S BRACE BEATS BRIGHTON

Joe Gallen’s Under 18 side continued their winning ways at Harlington on Saturday, collecting three points in a victory over last year’s youth league champions Brighton.

The side had a slightly makeshift look to it as a result of injuries. Team captain Andrew Howell moved from his regular left-back position to partner Welsh U19 international Karl Yelland at centre half, with Billy Coyne and Alex Sethi playing at right and left full back respectively. Romone Rose shook off an injury to play on the right wing and on the other flank Cyrus Sylvan-Vanterpool stepped up from Under 16 level for the first time.

Matt O’Brien and Harry Smart played in central midfield with Danny Maguire and Ricky ‘The Hitman Sappleton up front.

QPR burst out of the traps in an energetic first-half performance, with the best chance of a goal falling to Sylvan-Vanterpool who looked to have gone past the Brighton keeper but saw his shot deflected away at the last moment by the goalie’s outstretched hand.

Brighton upped their game in the second half and looked to be edging the game until 10 minutes from the end when QPR’s trialist striker unleashed a fierce shot from 20 yards which the keeper stopped but couldn’t hold, and Ricky Sappleton pounced to put Rangers 1-0 up from close range.

The Seagulls piled on the pressure looking to salvage a point, but Rangers held them off with some stalwart defending, notably from Billy Coyne at right back. Then in the last minute of time added on, QPR’s trialist striker set up the second goal by laying the ball back to Harry Smart who split the Brighton defence with a fantastic pass through the middle that Sappleton lashed into the net.

The win moves Rangers up to second in the early table behind Gillingham who have also taken maximum points from their opening two games. Rangers next action is the first match of the Youth Alliance Cup group stage in which we face Swansea. That game takes place on the 2nd of September at Harlington.

QPR team: Trialist GK, Coyne, Yelland, Howell A, Sethi, Rose, O’Brien, Smart, Sylvan-Vanterpool, Maguire, Sappleton. Subs used: Goodchild, O’Connell, trialist.