QPR 2nd Half

By: Tony Butcher
Date: 18/03/2001

Jeffrey replaced Allen at half time in a straight swap. Nothing happened for 6 minutes. QPR had, though, slightly altered their modus operandi. Instead of unthinking long balls for Crouch to flick on for Kiwomya, they sought to utilise the pace of their wide players.

Queens Park Rangers 0 Grimsby Town 1
18 Mar 2001, Nationwide League Division 1

They started to knock the ball between the full backs and centre backs and then whip in crosses for Crouch. After 51 minutes they had the first serious chance of the second half. A pass was played between Gallimore and Enhua and Kiwomya sprinted clear from behind Enhua. He let the ball run on and hit a first time shot straight at Coyne's big yellow chest from about 10 yards out, about 7 yards wide of Coyne's left hand post. Coyne stayed upright, despite Kiwomya allowing the ball to roll on, and on, and on, waiting for Coyne to dive. Excellent goalkeeping from our little secret. For the next 5 or so minutes Town were really under pressure, and the QPR supporters eventually remembered to make some noise. It was nice to know they were there. Baraclough (remember him?) sprinted down the QPR left past McDermott and, from near the bye-line outside the penalty area, hit a fast cross out towards the penalty spot. Crouch was unmarked and steered a header curling away from Coyne, towards the top left hand corner. Coyne sailed majestically to his left and planed the ball away (he was assisted by the lack of power on the header - it looped slightly). There was a confusing attack when Kiwomya was sent fee beyond Groves inside the Town area, on the right. Coyne again came out and blocked. A little later QPR broke behind the Town back line, again on the right, and a cross to the far post fell to their right-winger, Knight, who smacked a low hard shot across the face of goal. Hilariously (for us) Crouch, unmarked on the 6-yard line, jumped over the ball as he attempted to knock it in. Hey diddle, diddle, the cack in the middle, Crouch jumped over the ball. After 10 or so minutes of the half Town won a free kick on the right, near the touch-line about 15-20 yards out. It was curled in to the centre of the gaol, near the penalty spot, and Groves glanced a header a couple of feet wide of the 'keeper's right hand post. A goal kick was given even though it had brushed Crouch on the way towards goal. Only Groves complained. He really was "up" for this. I have never seen him so wound up.

Grimsby Town Coyne McDermott Enhua Groves Gallimore Donovan Burnett Coldicott Campbell Cornwall Allen   Subs Handyside 63 mins Pouton 77 mins Jeffrey 45 mins Croudson Willems   Attendance 17,608   Referee M Warren (Walsall)   League Table Ps Team P GD Pts 13 Crewe 37 -11 45 14 Wolves 35 -1 43 15 Pompey 38 -6 43 16 Norwich 38 -12 43 17 Sheff W 38 -21 42 18 Gills 36 -4 41 19 Grimsby 37 -18 39 20 Palace 37 -10 37 21 Stock't 38 -14 37 22 Hudds 36 -10 35 23 QPR 37 -25 33 24 Tranm' 35 -21 32 Full table

This Town attack silenced the crowd for a few minutes, as the game became quite awful again. Town were just non-existent as an attacking force, being organised in two lines of 4, with rarely more than one player supporting any attack. This was definitely a defensive ploy to contain and hope for a goal on the break, or from a set piece.

Around the hour mark Town had to withstand another period of intense pressure. It wasn't through great football, QPR just kept putting the ball into the penalty area. Enhua scrambled the ball away for a corner when a pass was flicked through and over the left of the Town defence. As a QPR attacker was about to shoot from a narrow angle 5 or 6 yards out Enhua threw himself across to block. The ball was eventually scrambled away for a corner. Enhua was rolling around just behind the goal, but limped back on as the corner was taken. He then limped off back behind the goal to receive treatment when the corner was cleared. This meant Town were down to 10 men, so Burnett (yes!) went back to play centre back. His first contribution was to miss-judge a long pass and stop it with his hand (when a QPR forward was behind him and likely to be able to run free towards the goal). He was booked by the referee and a free kick given about 25 yards out. At the same time Town tried to make two substitutions - Pouton replaced Cornwall and Handyside replaced Enhua. There was a bit of confusion as the referee didn't, at first, allow Handyside to come on, which caused mild panic amongst the Town supporters.

And from this point the game became like a cup tie. The free kick, which was just to the left of centre, was touched sideways for a QPR player to wallop goal-wards. It was hit low to Coyne's left. He scampered across and went a bit too far left, over-running the ball as it zipped off the pitch and curled slightly. Coyne adjusted his body and scooped the ball away to his left, with his right shoulder. The ball squirmed sideways and was eventually returned into the penalty area. It was a bit confusing, with bodies flying everywhere, but Coyne plunged to his right and parried a header away. I think. It was like a cup tie, with bodies everywhere and the ball occasionally emerged.

Town reverted to a 4-5-1 formation with Iron Mike Jeffrey alone like a leper many yards from a similarly shirted footballer. Pouton, at first, seemed to be given the role of support player, from a centre right-ish position, but gradually sunk further back. A couple of minutes after coming on Pouton hooked a cross in from near the right corner flag to Jeffrey, about 10 yards out, right in the centre of goal. He volleyed goal wards, but straight onto a defender's head. The referee decided to award a free kick for dangerous play. Funny how he didn't do that 1 minute later when Crouch controlled the ball at McDermott's head height. A couple of minutes after that Pouton surged down the right and whipped in a cross to the near post, towards Jeffrey and a QPR defender. Both missed the ball, or more accurately the QPR player did not miss his barging challenge on Jeffrey. The introduction of Pouton brought some zest to the attack, and he displayed aggression and skill in his 30 minutes. Even treating us to a step over, which followed an attempt by the QPR left wing to do unto him what he does unto others. It failed, because Pouton simply trumped him by making the tackle a step over (and surge). Exquisite.

Did I say Cup Tie atmosphere? Nothing typified this more than when a Town cross was cleared to the tricky left winger just outside the QPR penalty area, who hared off up the pitch. Burnett sprinted after him, caught him up by the edge of the Town area and dispossessed him with a superb slide tackle. A man size tackle, triple ply.

As the game progressed QPR became more and more direct, throwing more and more players up field. The game was seemingly bogged down about 10 yards from Coyne's goal. Town clearances simply went back to QPR as there was only Jeffrey upfield. Coyne was exemplary, catching crosses, knocking miss-cued crosses out for corners, blocking when the ball dropped in the 6-yard box and rushing off his line to collect loose balls. And then there were 10 minutes left.

Town were awarded a free kick close to the right corner flag, for a foul on Jeffrey, I think. Is that important? Probably not. We all stood up muttering, sotto voce, "what's the point". Donovan swung his cross lazily towards GROVES, somewhere just beyond the penalty spot, who headed down firmly, but not that firmly. Ready stuck his right leg out and slightly deflected the ball past the 'keeper into the bottom right hand corner of the goal. And then the players went Imre Banana. Burnett ran into the crowd, recreating his Autowindscreen celebrations, Campbell joined him and was promptly thrown back onto the pitch by the stewards (he was, literally). Groves ran over gesticulating wildly and great pleasure was shown. How very un-Town.

Then the chicken counting began - I counted 8 "You're going down with the Stockport's" and "You're going to Shrewsbury, que sera, sera". QPR abandoned their pretty passing game (i.e. they cut down from 3 to 2 passes before they hoofed it). And everything still went towards Stick-boy's head. Scrambles and more scrambles for 10 minutes, with Coyne forced to make a couple of plunging stops (his best was a little wasted as the referee had already given Town a free kick, a rarity in itself). The nearest they came to scoring was immediately after Town scored - Crouch was unmarked about 15 yards out, to the left of goal and hit a low, hard drive across the face of goal. Groves ran across and kicked the ball away.

And then there were 3 minutes of added time. As they began a QPR corner from the Town left was hit to the back post and a defender headed firmly just over the angle of post and bar, to Coyne's left. There weren't any more chances, just tension and worrying hoofs, and after 4 minutes the referee finally ended the game. Apart from Wembley, I haven't seen Town players celebrate so much. They hugged each other, and they all ran over and hugged Coyne. Willems sprinted over from the subs bench and celebrated with even more gusto than those who'd actually played. In essence they played like a team, they celebrated like a team. It meant something to each and every player. They all came over and waved fists at the supporters. Groves was still hyperactive and his usual phlegm and restraint was gone. The supporters were just as happy, I clapped so much my arms ached.

It was a poor football game, with Town having very limited ambitions. But we don't care, right? Town have been mugged enough times, we're due one back. The team was relatively solid (the left excepted), with impenetrable lines across the pitch. Coyne was magnificent again - the QPR supporters were all moaning about "that 'keeper" being unbeatable, but the rest of the team played their part. Burnett worked like a Coldicott today - I'd even go as far as to say he out-Stacy'd Stacy. Groves was a defensive rock, and Enhua was effective. Don't get too carried away, it was only QPR, but the players showed all the things the supporters crave, but haven't seen recently. It was enjoyable, mainly because, frankly, QPR were never, ever going to score. And we think we've got problems.

We came, we saw, we left with the points. When will the opposition learn. We are the party-poopers extraordinaire.

Nicko's Man of the Match - Coyne, a series of super saves. Honourable mentions to Groves and Burnett, but without Coyne we would have lost.

Add To Facebook

This site is by the fans, for the fans, and we will consider articles on any subject relating to the Mariners whether it be related to current news, a nostalgic look back in the past, a story about a player, a game or games in the past, something about Blundell Park or football in general. Click here to submit your article!

Related Stories

• QPR Report
• 2000-2001 Squad Statistics
• Player Stopwatch
• More Stories