AKPOM BRACE HELPS SEE OFF HOOPS

Charlie Mack

Rangers travelled the mammoth journey up north backed by just under 500 travelling fans off the back of a 3-0 thumping at home against Sunderland. They came up against an inform and well drilled Middlesborough side with leading league goal scorer Chuba Akpom leading the line. After beating their automatic promotion rivals Sheffield United, Michael Carrick’s side looked to make it five wins in five.

Rangers started the game well looking much better than they have in the last few games with boro often misplacing passes and with an early corner for QPR and a boro injury, thinks looked bright. With an Akpom goal disallowed in the 17th minute due to a clear offside call, the home side had their first chance. A pretty quiet first half with Middlesbrough loosing possession too much for their liking but just before half time Rangers, Sam Field having a great chance deflected wide for a corner but could have put Neil Critchley’s struggling side 1-0 up at the break.

Goalless at the break meant the game was still up for grabs but boro came out the blocks much faster than the away side with Seny Dieng making a brilliant save to stop one of many Boro’s counter attacks from going in. Although the home side’s bright start in the early second half, the R’s determined defending kept the game goalless but it was not a matter of if the home side will score but when and it came with a header by inform Akpom in the 64th minute getting on the end of a good cross by Daniel Barlaser. Just over 10 minutes later and no response from the visitors, the ref gave a controversial penalty to the home side after a foul by Tim Iroegbunam. This was saved by Dieng originally but the rebound was converted by Akpom for his second of the game. Rangers looked down and out once again.

Rangers made their first change of the game in the 69th minute when former Middlesbrough player Albert Adomah replaced struggling Andre Dozzell where he got a clap from all four sides of the Riverside. A nice touch. QPR had a glimmer of hope when Ilias Chair struck a 35 yard free kick catching out boro keeper Zack Steffan to make it 2-1 with added time left to play. The home side were not affected by this as 2 minutes later went down the other end making it 3-1 with a well worked Riley McGree goal killing the game off.

The game ended 3-1 with the home side just five points off second and Rangers just sitting eight points off the bottom of the league winless in 11 and three losses on the bounce. With the team struggling for goals and injuries and the manger struggling for results it was inevitable that Critchley’s time was up at Qpr with an 8.6% win rate in 11 games for the hoops was sacked just over 24 hours after the loss leaving Rangers fans happy with the sacking but not the performances. Boro have West Brom at home on the 25th where they can make it six in six and QPR have a challenging game hosting Blackburn at the same time.