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Notts County came into this game unbeaten in their previous seven games. It's really quite absurd as at the start of the season they were amongst many peoples tip to do well. Yet after spending most of the season bottom of the table they have suddenly hit championship winning form in the last couple of months.
We were made to look the April fools when Paul Heffernan scored after only 5 minutes when our defence was caught on the break. Despite being 1-0 down we weren't playing at all badly and were creating chances when we got caught for a 2nd time this time Ian Baraclough adding to the ever growing list of ex-Rangers to score against us. In recent seasons the likes of Simon Barker, Bradley Allen, Simon Osborn and Kevin Gallen have all come back to haunt us - alas, Baraclough didn't let us down. At least he had the grace to not over-do celebrations (unlike Allen for Charlton a few years ago). Infact Baraclough almost seemed ashamed as he was mobbed by his team mates.
One has to remember that "Bara" served us in one of the most difficult periods in our history and was, by many, a highly thought of player. He certainly seemed aware that he was quite a popular figure whilst with us. Once a Ranger...
Danny Shittu started the fightback on the stroke of halftime when he blasted in his 2nd goal for the club after a turning in a Jerome Thomas shot. From the moment the second half kicked off we were the superior team. We created several chances before Matthew Rose got his third goal of the season when he headed in a great cross from Shittu just after the hour mark.
Thomas, the youngster on-loan from Arsenal, was outstanding today. He was a class act in the first half and despite fading a little in the second half he was still a constant danger. He rarely loses possession and you can sense an air of expectancy when he's on the ball. The comeback was completed eight minutes from time when Dominic Foley, back after a loan spell earlier in the season was cut short due to injury and on himself for the injured Andy Thomson, tucked away a shot into the bottom corner after a wonderful first time flick from Richard Langley had put him through one-on-one. The stadium erupted and it was the first time we'd come back from 2-0 down in a league game to win 3-2 since we beat Leeds United at Elland Road in the 1990/91 season.
My ratings;
QPR: 4-4-2: Evans 6; Forbes 7, Palmer 6, Shittu 8, Bignot 7; Langley 7, Rose
7, Peacock 6, Thomas 8; Gallen 6, Thomson 6 (Foley 7). SNU: Digby, Murphy,
Griffiths, Pacquette.