Bristol City U21 4-0 QPR U21

Four-star City ease to Under-21 win

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Kevin Krans..

Experienced side brush aside QPR at Ashton Gate.

An experienced City side strolled to a straightforward victory over Queens Park Rangers in front of new senior boss Sean O’Driscoll at Ashton Gate.

Aspiring first-team regulars Bobby Reid and Joe Bryan struck in the first half before a Kevin Krans brace after the interval completed a 4-0 rout.

The visitors were first to threaten through winger Michael Doughty, who broke free on the right flank and unleashed a ferocious shot which had to be dealt with by City keeper Dylan Castenheira high to his right.

But Alex Russell’s side soon took control of proceedings, breaking the deadlock through Reid after ten minutes.

Midfielder Luke Dobie threaded an intelligent pass in behind the defence for lively striker Krans, whose low cross was thrashed goalwards by Reid.

Rangers goalkeeper Aaron Lennox looked to have kept the City midfielder at bay, but the power of the strike carried the ball across the line regardless, and it trickled into the net.

By now City were dominant. Reid might have doubled his tally moments later but saw Lennox get fingertips to his more subtle left-footed attempt, before Krans was twice denied last-ditch blocks.

First, Neil Kilkenny’s piercing through ball found Dobie on the right corner of the penalty area. As Lennox vacated his goal-line, the midfielder declined the opportunity to chip the keeper and instead crossed for Krans, whose header was blocked on the line by former England defender Luke Young.

Then another Kilkenny pass set Krans free, who neatly cut back inside on to his left foot only to see his driven shot blocked by Freddie Champion.

It had been all City, but QPR spurned a glorious chance to equalise on the half-hour mark through Jeremy Balny, who broke clean through on goal but dragged his shot wide of Castenheira’s right-hand post.

It was to prove a costly miss, as Bryan doubled the advantage just on the stroke of half-time. Taking the ball neatly in his stride, the winger turned his man and rifled an accurate shot across Lennox into the far corner.

It was the least City merited on the balance of play, and the goal Krans deserved followed on 60 minutes. Latching on to Reid’s ball over the top, the youngster raced through and dispatched a fine lob over the advancing Lennox which bounced up into the roof of the open net.

From then on it was plain sailing for City, who coasted to a convincing victory rounded off by Krans' second goal six minutes from time following good work from Bryan in reaching the byeline.

Kilkenny and Marvin Elliott both lasted 55 minutes ahead of O’Driscoll’s first game in charge at Leeds on Saturday, while Lewin Nyatanga completed the full 90 minutes.

City: Castenheira, Battersby, Jones (Dobbs 37), Nyatanga, King, Dobie, Elliott (Simms 55), Reid, Kilkenny (Hall 55), Bryan, Krans. Subs not used: Woolacott, Cline.



Goalscorers - Reid 10mins,Bryan 45mins,Krans 60-84mins..

http://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/article/20130114-under21qprreport-598461.aspx?pageView=full#anchored

SOD with his notebook and John Ward were both there watching this match tonight..