Entertaining game ends with QPR's Under-21s winning five goal encounter
Crewe Alexandra Under-21s slipped to a 3-2 home defeat this evening in the Development League Two. Uche Ikpeazu and Ryan Colclough late on from the penalty spot were on target for the Railwaymen but we never led in the game.
Queens Park Rangers opened the scoring after just four minutes. Winger Jordan Gibbons provided a superb delivery and Tyler Blackwood stole in to convert via the woodwork.
Full-back Joe Kearns was an outlet in attack and was twice unlucky not to collect a pass more comfortably in his stride en route to goal. Ryan Colclough grew in confidence and dragged an early shot wide after more good work from young Kearns.
Darnell Furlong broke through two tackles before shooting over the crossbar before Crewe hit back in 24 minutes. Bradden Inman flicked a pass into Uche Ikpeazu and he kept his composure to hold off the intentions of Donaldson before calmly bending his shot round Joe Lumley for a deserved equaliser.
Inman and Ikpeazu again combined moments later but on this occasion, Inman fired narrowly wide. Crewe continued to press looking for another goal but after good work from George Cooper, both Ikpeazu and Nolan in the follow up had their shots blocked.
Colclough provided a splendid pass for Inman to race through but after being held off enough, he could only forced Lumley into a smart save and Cooper just couldn’t stretch to reach the rebound before it was cleared away from danger.
Queens Park Rangers certainly had their chances too with Frankie Sutherland firing just wide and the same players forced Matthews into a decent save.
Crewe conceded their second goal with the final kick of the first half. They were the cause of their own downfall with Nolan surrendering possession too cheaply and once the ball was push to the clinical Blackwood, he had the time and space to drill it with venom past Matthews from the edge of the Crewe box.
The visitors increased their lead on 50 minutes when winger Jake Mularaney and full-back Ossie Kakay combined to drill home past Matthews. Moments later Blackwood tried to chase down the Crewe Alexandra and was unlucky to see his block got wide.
Crewe conjured up a host of decent chances. Kearns shot just wide before a great run from Inman only needed more of a contact from Cooper just outside the six yard box.
An ambitious effort from Colclough hit the woodwork and rebounded to safety for the Hoops before Ikpeazu made way for Saunders. Colclough fired a free-kick into the wall and appealed for a stray hand.
QPR continued to be a threat in attack though and Matthews had to be alert to save with his legs from Mulraney and Jamie Sendles-White fired over from a corner taken from Sutherland.
Saunders was soon played in by Inman to force a save from Lumley before Nolan had a back post header punched clear.
Cooper couldn’t quite a quality cross from Saunders that flashed right across the six yard box and Crewe were understandably annoyed when an obvious penalty was not given as Saunders was about to shoot. The referee failed to award it much to the bewilderment of the crowd.
He did award one late on though after Colclough was tripped after chopping back inside the box, and the impressive forward picked himself to convert the penalty to give Crewe a late chance of securing a point, but it was beyond them as QPR kept the ball reasonably well in the closing stages.