QPR have big problems as MK Dons make Redknapp feel Lowe

By Tom Moore, at Loftus Road Saturday, January 26, 2013
4:53 PM

FA Cup fourth round: QPR 2 MK Dons 4

MK Dons' Darren Potter scores the fourth goal during the FA Cup Fourth Round match at QPR. Photo credit: Anthony Devlin/PA Wire.

Shambolic. Pathetic. Abysmal. All of those words could describe QPR’s performance against MK Dons as they were outbattled, outplayed and outclassed by their League One opponents.

Harry Redknapp said before the game that if his side couldn’t beat Karl Robinson’s men, then there’s a problem and his fears must have raised when Armand Traore turned the ball into his own net.

The R’s had more of the possession but failed with the final ball and shot woefully lacking from the west Londoners and goalkeeper David Martin only had to be alert on one occasion to deny Jamie Mackie.

And it got worse Anthony Kay provided the assist to double the lead five minutes before half time, with a long ball over the top that Ryan Lowe ran on to and slid the ball across Green and into the corner.

MK Dons' Ryan Lowe celebrates scoring the second goal during the FA Cup Fourth Round match QPR. Photo credit: Anthony Devlin/PA Wire.

It got worse for QPR five minutes after the break as they were exposed down the right flank by Lowe and his cross found its way to Ryan Harley who tapped into an empty net from close range.

If the west Londoners were in disarray after the third they were shambolic after the fourth as they failed to deal with Harley’s free-kick and Darren Potter was on hand to fire home.

Although Jay Bothroyd and Fabio Da Silva scored in the final 10 minutes they were nothing but a consolation and it leaves Rangers to think about their battle for survival.

It could have been different as QPR had the ball in the net inside the opening 60 seconds but DJ Campbell’s strike was chalked off for offside.

But MK Dons took the lead after four minutes as the R’s failed to deal with a corner from Shaun Williams and Armand Traore turned the ball into his own net under pressure from Dean Lewington.

Jamie Mackie thought he should have been given a penalty midway through the first-half after creeping past Jon Otsemobor, whose goal against AFC Wimbledon took the Buckinghamshire club into the third round, who outmuscled him in the area.

The R’s frontman appealed for a penalty but Mike Dean turned down the protest.

Mackie was put through by Campbell with half an hour gone but MK Dons goalkeeper David Martin was out quickly to prevent the former Plymouth man from pulling the trigger.

QPR were then undone by a simple long ball over the top from Kay that went over the woeful Anton Ferdinand and allowed Lowe to run through and fire the ball home.

Half time was unsurprisingly met with boos from the home supporters who had, by and large, packed out Loftus Road for this fourth round tie as cheap tickets on offer from the club.

Surprisingly there were no changes from the R’s at the interval as Redknapp was clearly hoping that his side would sort themselves out after a probable half-time rollicking.

But whatever he said at half-time didn’t work as five minutes after the break it was three as Lowe broke down the right and slotted the ball across goal for Harley to tap in.

The goal led to mass outcry among the home fans and the visiting supporters were asking their side for a fourth.

And they got their wish minutes later as Harley’s free-kick fell to Potter, who slotted past Green.

QPR still struggled to string passes together with Ji-Sung Park, in as captain for the rested Clint Hill, failed to find his radar and home fans headed to the exits.

The South Korean captain was jeered off when he was withdrawn midway through the second half and Shaun Derry was his replacement.

Dean Bowditch nearly made it five for the Buckinghamshire outfit but Green was able to palm his effort away as the match entered the final 15 minutes.

With seven minutes remaining Bothroyd scored a consolation as the MK Dons defence were already thinking about Sunday’s draw.

Derry nearly set up a potential grandstand finish but dragged his shot wide with a minute remaining and it capped it when Alejandro Faurlin blazed wide.

As it entered stoppage time Rangers had a second wehn Fabio slotted home from a narrow angle but it was too little too late.

QPR: Green, Traore, Ferdinand, Park (Derry 67), Mackie, Granero, Fabio, Ben Haim, Faurlin, Bothroyd, Campbell.

Unused Substitutes: Murphy, Hill, Onuoha, Ephraim, Zamora, Mbia.

MK Dons: Martin, Otsemobor, Lewington, MacKenzie (Harley 20), Williams, Potter, Bowditch (Alli 90), Smith (Lines 75), Chicksen, Lowe, Kay.

Unused Substitutes: Kouo-Doumbe, Flanagan, Rasulo, Ismail.

Referee: Mike Dean.

Attendance: 17,081.