I didnât pick my name by chance, it is how I feel life is as a Q.P.R. supporter. We thunder along out of control, racing up and down, hurtling around blind corners. Personally I wouldnât have it any other way. Comebacks, like last nights, are all part of this experience. So how does this one compare with other comebacks that spring to mind.
Q.P.R. 5 â 5 Newcastle. September 1984. Inspired by Chris Waddle Newcastle were 4 - 0 up at half time, we were dead and buried. Bannister, Wharton (og) and Gregory pull it back to 3 â 4 before Wharton made amends for his own goal by stretching Newcastleâs lead with a strike that should have knocked the stuffing out of Rangers. Wicks responded almost immediately and Gary Micklewhite coolly lobbed Carr in the Newcastle goal to level with virtually the last kick of the match. This was a tremendous fight back coming quickly after a heavy defeat at Spurs the week before, but was early in the season and not under the intense pressure of the modern day game.
Port Vale 4 â 4 Q.P.R. January 1997. Rangers were 4 â 0 down again at half time including a trademark Matt Brazier own goal. Port Vale returned the compliment and scored for us in the second half but with 5 minutes to go the score was still 4 â 1. Andy Impey produced a stunning strike to pull the score back to 4 â 2 and set up a barnstorming finish. Murray calmly chipped the ball over Musslewhite and the Spencer forced the ball over the line in the 90th minute to complete the comeback. This late, late comeback has to be placed into context that it was in a league lower and not played with the back drop of impending relegation.
Derby 2 â 2 Q.P.R. August 2010. This one should be instantly recallable for everyone. With 90 minutes on the clock we were trailing 2 â 0 to Derby. Agyemang powered through the defence to pull a goal back in the 92 minute before Jamie Mackie slotted home to secure an incredibly unlikely draw. The team would have been brimming with confidence before this match after starting the season with 3 straight wins, and it did propel us off on an undefeated run that lasted until December, but again it was early in the season without excessive pressure.
Q.P.R. 3 â 2 Liverpool. Last night. With only 10 matches remaining in the season and in one of the relegation positions we were losing 2 â 0 at home to a Liverpool side chasing a European place with 15 minutes to go. Goals from Derry, Cisse and Mackie (again) turned the match around to secure 3 very valuable points in the battle against the drop. Even allowing for the natural tendency to regard recent events as more important than older events, this comeback, the only one that resulted in a victory, is surely our greatest. Before the match the players must have been low in confidence, struggling under the pressure of relegation back to the Championship and were coming off the back of an appalling run of results and with a very difficult series of matches ahead, I donât think that they can be praised highly enough.
Does anyone see it differently?
Q.P.R. 5 â 5 Newcastle. September 1984. Inspired by Chris Waddle Newcastle were 4 - 0 up at half time, we were dead and buried. Bannister, Wharton (og) and Gregory pull it back to 3 â 4 before Wharton made amends for his own goal by stretching Newcastleâs lead with a strike that should have knocked the stuffing out of Rangers. Wicks responded almost immediately and Gary Micklewhite coolly lobbed Carr in the Newcastle goal to level with virtually the last kick of the match. This was a tremendous fight back coming quickly after a heavy defeat at Spurs the week before, but was early in the season and not under the intense pressure of the modern day game.
Port Vale 4 â 4 Q.P.R. January 1997. Rangers were 4 â 0 down again at half time including a trademark Matt Brazier own goal. Port Vale returned the compliment and scored for us in the second half but with 5 minutes to go the score was still 4 â 1. Andy Impey produced a stunning strike to pull the score back to 4 â 2 and set up a barnstorming finish. Murray calmly chipped the ball over Musslewhite and the Spencer forced the ball over the line in the 90th minute to complete the comeback. This late, late comeback has to be placed into context that it was in a league lower and not played with the back drop of impending relegation.
Derby 2 â 2 Q.P.R. August 2010. This one should be instantly recallable for everyone. With 90 minutes on the clock we were trailing 2 â 0 to Derby. Agyemang powered through the defence to pull a goal back in the 92 minute before Jamie Mackie slotted home to secure an incredibly unlikely draw. The team would have been brimming with confidence before this match after starting the season with 3 straight wins, and it did propel us off on an undefeated run that lasted until December, but again it was early in the season without excessive pressure.
Q.P.R. 3 â 2 Liverpool. Last night. With only 10 matches remaining in the season and in one of the relegation positions we were losing 2 â 0 at home to a Liverpool side chasing a European place with 15 minutes to go. Goals from Derry, Cisse and Mackie (again) turned the match around to secure 3 very valuable points in the battle against the drop. Even allowing for the natural tendency to regard recent events as more important than older events, this comeback, the only one that resulted in a victory, is surely our greatest. Before the match the players must have been low in confidence, struggling under the pressure of relegation back to the Championship and were coming off the back of an appalling run of results and with a very difficult series of matches ahead, I donât think that they can be praised highly enough.
Does anyone see it differently?
