This was one of those academy games that seem to defy comprehension. Having spurned numerous opportunities in a dazzling first half display, the Swans team went into the interval with a shock goal conceded bang on half-time. With just a minor personnel change for the 2nd half, the game somehow turned completely, QPR getting a further 4 goals to secure a convincing 5-0 victory.
Kieran Petrie – who had a singularly unsuccessful short spell with us in 2021 – notched a hat-trick.
We were missing the injured Ben Lloyd and Seb Dabrowski, nevertheless we fielded a strong looking starting XI. Sam Parker hugged the right touch line, Nathan Tjoe-A-on played as an orthodox left back in a clear back 4.
We lined up 4-3-3: Kit Margetson, Josh Pescatore, Arthur Parker (captain), Jack Fanning (s – Richard Faakye 60m), Nathan Tjoe-A-On; Harlan Perry, Dan Watts (s – Caio Ifans 76m), Ramon Rees-Siso; Sam Parker (s – Zac Jeanes 46m), Sammy Henia-Kamau, Maliq Cadogan (s – Aimar Govea 60m).
Unused sub – Sam Seager g/k.
The 1st half was a frenetic affair, very few stoppages, the Swans putting the visitors under immediate pressure and stretching the QPR defence with lots of early possession for Sam Parker and Maliq Cadogan. Henia-Kamau and Parker both had sight of goal. Henia-Kamau was sent clear by a clever Pescatore pass on 20 minutes, couldn’t round the keeper and had his subsequent shot from an acute angle headed off the line. Watts, Rees-Siso and Cadogan also went close as Rangers desperately fought to stay level. At this point, it seemed only a matter of time before the Swans went ahead.
QPR weathered the storm and surprisingly took the lead when right winger Petrie worked the ball inside and scored with a shot that found the net off the far post.
Sam Parker, who’d had an enterprising 45 minutes, came off at half-time. It’s difficult to pinpoint quite how we fell away so significantly in the 2nd half, but we certainly weren’t the same force.
Petrie flicked a corner home on 54 minutes, a soft goal to concede. Midfielder Sutton subsequently scored 2 goals from distance. Zac Jeanes was a little too uncertain with a straightforward chance at 2-0 and that was probably the defining moment in the contest.
QPR looked increasingly comfortable and coped with everything we created. Petrie’s hat-trick deep in added time rubbed salt in the wounds. A quite bizarre turnaround.
Modest plus points were Sam Parker’s cameo and the energy shown by Watts and Perry. Tjoe-A-On didn’t particularly shine.
Scoring: Petrie 0-1 45m; Petrie 0-2 54m; Sutton 0-3 67m; Sutton 0-4 73m; Petrie 0-5 90+3m.