It was sunny for a change in Landore and, given QPR are one off the bottom of the PDL2 South division and we’d beaten them 7-2 away earlier in the campaign, the portents seemed encouraging. However, we were missing players such as Josiah Kallicharan, away on international duty, and fielded a very young squad. Bobby Lewis and Alfie Jones played in the closing minutes the previous evening at Cardiff. 14 year old Ifan Harding, who featured in the U18s squad at Watford last weekend, was named as one of the substitutes.
We lined up essentially 3-5-2: Tom Wright; Kaven Bloniarczyk (captain) (s – Ben Phillips 78m), Archie Quick, Jack May; Alex Godfrey, Bobo Evans, Bobby Lewis (s – Alffi Hughes 59m), Alfie Jones, Elis Thomas (s –Kai Rhodes 59m); Ioan Johnston (s – Caio Ifans 59m), Harvey Gray (s – Ifan Harding 71m).
Unused sub: Callum Deacon. No goalkeeper substitute.
To cut to the chase, the choice of a back line of 3 did not work – we were under pressure down both flanks for the entire first half and couldn’t cope with Colombian youth international left winger Ashley Trujillo or James McAvoy (not that one) on the other side. Bloniarczyk and May in particular were left exposed and our trio were frequently left marking player for player – with one successful QPR pass or dribble opening our backline up. There were periods where we couldn’t get out of our own half. Consequently we didn’t get much respite, often bypassing midfield altogether and sending aimless balls forward. I should add this was not through any lack of effort on the part of our youngsters.
QPR went close a few times in the early stages, Wright pushing a shot from the busy midfielder Nesiri – a Kosovan – around the post on 16 minutes. We gave a rare response when Alex Godfrey got behind his full back and delivered an inviting low cross that was just ahead of Harvey Gray.
Just as it seemed we were grinding out the contest to half-time, we conceded on 37 minutes to a really poor goal. McAvoy worked his way through challenges to deliver a centre for the completely unmarked Trufillo to head home right on front of goal. Trufillo went close again almost immediately when he robbed a Swans defender in a dangerous spot, only to be blocked. Before the interval McAvoy and Trufillo had further shots off target and right back Jerrell Tang had a potshot from outside the area saved by Wright.
It seemed unlikely we would not address the formation issue, but out we came in the second half unchanged.
We did enjoy a bit more possession and initially played more effectively through the lines. A quick break down our left side offered a chance for centre forward to get a second stab at a centre and we were 2-0 down with just 7 minutes of the second half played. 5 minutes later Neill slammed home a 3rd, collecting a hasty defensive clearance that made it only to the edge of the box. In between, we had our first real clear chance when Godfrey picked out Gray in space inside the box, but the shot was off target.
Kai Rhodes, Caio Ifans – just back from injury – and Alffi Hughes took to the field on 59 minutes and we reverted to 4-4-2, with Ifans and Rhodes providing some vim on the left, but the damage had already been done by then. Although we continued to push forward, we did not create a great deal in the remainder of the game, Rhodes having a half-chance at the far post that keeper Fittall collected. QPR simply saw the game out.
Very often the U18s are an entertaining watch. It just didn’t happen for us today. Our players were understandably frustrated with the course of the game. Alex Godfrey was a prominent outlet throughout the second half and young Ifan Harding admirably got fully involved when stepping into the centre forward role for the final 20 minutes.
Micah Hyde left his QPR post before Xmas to return to his former club Watford. Tom Charles now coaches the QPR U18s. Tang, Neill, McAvoy, Neziri and Trufillo excelled for the visitors, although quite how or why we didn’t get to grips with the patent threat of McAvoy and Trufillo seemed a mystery.