Queens Park Rangers v Blackburn Rovers

HOOPS
1981/82
ORIENT 1
QPR 1
DATE: Sunday 18th October 1981
COMPETITION: Division Two
QPR SCORER: Gillard
ATTENDANCE: 8,192
THE PROGRAMME: 20 pages, price 35p
HONOURS were even in the very first
competitive fixture staged on a Sunday in
the history of QPR.
Rangers started the day in ninth position
whilst Orient were rock bottom on four points
but boosted by the appointment of new
manager Ken Knighton.
Knighton fired up the home crowd before the
game by saying: “I like to think that Orient
already have the players and the staff to climb
clear of the relegation zone. After such a
traumatic start to the season, survival is the
only immediate objective.
“None of the players can expect a divine right
to be in my team but I’m assessing the
capabilities of my newly inherited squad and
everyone is a potential first teamer.”
On a cold and windy occasion, it was Rangers
who started brightly. Their early pressure was
rewarded when a penalty was given on 15
minutes after Tommy Taylor fouled Gary
Waddock in the box. However, the usual
dead-eyed marksman Clive Allen tamely
stroked his spot-kick straight at grateful
home keeper Mervyn Day.
With Waddock emphatically winning a myriad
of midfield battles, another gilt-edged Hoops
chance went begging as John Gregory
nodded wide from a few yards out in the 32nd
minute. Mike Flanagan also went close on
several occasions for the R’s.
Orient played their part in a lively affair, aided
and abetted by veteran ex-QPR men Stan
Bowles and Barry Silkman who were in fine
form. Indeed, Silkman went close with a
couple of fierce shots that rattled the
woodwork. Meanwhile, a cross from Bowles
was almost turned into his own net by
Flanagan.
However, it was Rangers who made the
breakthrough in the 78th minute courtesy of
a speculative effort by left-back Ian Gillard.
But the O’s equalised through a header by
another former QPR man in Tommy
Cunningham shortly afterwards.
Hoops boss Terry Venables said afterwards:
“We should have already made the match
safe by the time we scored.”
RANGERS: Burridge, Gregory, Fenwick,
Waddock, Hazell, Roeder, Micklewhite,
Flanagan, Allen (Burke 64), Stainrod, Gillard
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