MATCH STATS QPR: P Jones, Lomas, Rehman, Stewart, Bignot, Rowlands, Bircham, Smith, Cook, R Jones, Blackstock. Subs: Royce, Rose (for Lomas, 90), Ward, Gallen (for R Jones, 76), Bailey. NORWICH CITY: Gallacher, Colin, Fleming, Shackell, Drury, Etuhu, Robinson, Hughes, Croft, Earnshaw, Huckerby. Subs: Camp, Dublin (for Robinson, 66), Safri (for Hughes, 74), McVeigh (for Croft, 86), Ryan Jarvis. SCORERS: QPR: Smith (24), Rowlands (45, 90) Norwich: Huckerby (4), Dublin (72), Earnshaw (pen, 83) MAN OF THE MATCH PinkUn, EN & EDP: Jason Shackell PinkUn Poll: Huckerby (56%) ATTENDANCE: 14,793 REFEREE: Andre Marriner (W Midlands) ADDED TIME: First half: 2 mins Second half: 5 mins YELLOW CARDS: QPR: Rehman (foul on Earnshaw, 32), Smith (deliberate handball, 46), Lomas (foul on Huckerby, 80) Norwich: Shackell (foul on Blackstock, 45) RED CARDS: None SHOTS ON TARGET: QPR 5, Norwich 6 SHOTS OFF TARGET: QPR 5, Norwich 7 CORNERS: QPR 7, Norwich 7 FOULS:  QPR 14, Norwich 16 OFFSIDES:  QPR 1, Norwich 3

Saturday October 14, 2006
DAVID CUFFLEY

An injury time equaliser for Queens Park Rangers by Martin Rowlands denied new Norwich City manager Peter Grant a winning welcome to the job at the end of a pulsating game at Loftus Road.

Rowlands struck a minute into time added on to prevent the Canaries, under caretaker boss Martin Hunter, registering their first away win of the season in a thrilling encounter.

Darren Huckerby gave City the perfect start with a goal after just three minutes but they found themselves 2-1 down at the interval.

On-loan midfielder Jimmy Smith levelled the scores after 24 minutes with a low drive from a pass by Lee Cook and Rangers went ahead in first half stoppage time when Rowlands hammered his first after a free-kick was played into his path by Marc Bircham.

Lee Croft missed a sitter eight minutes after the break but had a hand in City’s equaliser after 72 minutes, setting up Andy Hughes for a cross which substitute Dion Dublin side-footed home for his first goal for the club.

Robert Earnshaw looked to have given the Canaries victory from the penalty spot seven minutes from time after Huckerby was up-ended by former Norwich loan defender Zesh Rehman.

But there was a sting in the tail when Rowlands struck in the middle of a jittery Norwich defence.

It was an all-action contest which must have given Grant, sitting in the Director’s Box between chief executive Neil Doncaster and majority shareholder Michael Wynn Jones, plenty to think about when he takes over officially before Tuesday’s trip to Birmingham.

City went into a new era, with new boss Peter Grant watching from the stands, with a team showing four changes to the one beaten 4-1 by Burnley a fortnight ago, a result that heralded the end of Nigel Worthington’s reign as manager.

New Norwich City manager Peter Grant witnessed first hand at QPR the scale of the problem that he faces with the Canaries.

Caretaker boss Martin Hunter, in charge for just one game, recalled skipper Adam Drury, out for the past four matches after an ankle operation, at the expense of the on-loan Patrick Boyle.

Jason Shackell returned to the centre of defence in place of the suspended Gary Doherty. Dickson Etuhu was back in midfield after missing the Burnley game with an ankle injury, while Andy Hughes shrugged off a knee injury and was preferred in midfield to Youssef Safri, who was on the bench.

Striker Dion Dublin made way for the extra midfielder and was also on the bench along with Ryan Jarvis, Paul McVeigh and goalkeeper Lee Camp.

Rangers showed two changes to the team that won 1-2 at Southampton, with Steve Lomas back in midfield and on-loan Chelsea midfield Jimmy Smith also in the starting line-up. Mathew Rose and Stefan Bailey were the men to make way.

Forward Ray Jones recovered from an ankle injury to keep his place as Rangers went in search of their third successive win under new boss John Gregory.

New boss Grant took his seat in the Directors’ Box five minutes before kick-off and was quickly picked out by photographers on the touchline looking for their first picture of the man in charge.

As City kicked-off, Drury attempted to find Earnshaw with a long ball down the left but it was too strong and ran out for a goal-kick.

With two minutes gone Rangers won a free-kick just inside the Norwich half as Hughes fouled Bignot. The dead ball kick was played short to Bignot, whose cross was headed clear by Shackell.

With little more than three minutes gone, the Canaries stunned their hosts by taking the lead through Huckerby. A through ball by Etuhu left the home defence flat-footed and Huckerby was left with the fairly straightforward task of side-footing past keeper Jones, around the penalty spot.

Darren Huckerby slots home City's opening goal after just four minutes at Loftus Road.

As City pressed again, a cross by Drury caused Rangers to concede a corner. Huckerby went for a short corner routine with Robinson and the ball was played back to Croft but as the winger’s cross came over the flag went up for offside against Earnshaw.

The home crowd were already becoming irate as City won another free-kick 10-yards outside the Rangers area, but Huckerby curled the ball straight into touch.

With 10 minutes gone City won another corner as Smith cleared under pressure from Croft and as Shackell challenged for the flag-kick, Rangers desperately cleared for another corner on the opposite side.

This came to nothing but moments later Earnshaw went very close to making it 2-0 with a header from a Huckerby cross which Jones tipped round the post.

City’s fourth corner was cleared as far as Huckerby and Jones had to be alert to gather Huckerby’s centre as Fleming raced in.

It was certainly a lively opening by the visitors but Rangers had their first corner following a slight mix-up between Robinson and Gallacher.
Blackstock rose to meet the corner with a firm header and it was Shackell who came to the rescue for City by heading clear.

As Rangers won a free-kick midway into the Norwich half, Cook curled the ball towards the far post but Gallacher was out to make a comfortable catch.

As Rangers attacked again, Rowlands was having a real battle with Drury and in the end forced the City skipper to concede a corner. But as the kick came over, Hughes headed clear and Huckerby was quick to break forward.

Huckerby in turn picked out Earnshaw, who attempted a neat reverse pass to Croft, but the winger tumbled in the box and referee Marriner was unimpressed by the player’s appeals for a penalty, as were the home crowd.

Midway through the half, Rangers produced their best effort yet when a cross field ball from Bircham found Rowlands and he let fly with a powerful left-foot drive which flew just past Gallacher’s right-hand post.

Rangers were starting to have more of a say and with 24 minutes gone they drew level through Smith. Robinson’s attempt to cut out a through ball only succeeded in setting up Cook, who found Smith with a diagonal pass and the on-loan midfielder beat Gallacher with a low drive from the edge of the area.

Rangers were clearly lifted by the goal and Rowlands was only just off target from close-range in their next attack.

A high ball into the City area then posed problems for Gallacher, whose attempt to punch clear seemed only to make contact with one of his colleagues. Both Fleming and Shackell were left rubbing their heads as a result.

Croft was being booed by the home crowd after the earlier incident in the penalty area but he attempted to set up another attack on the right with a short pass to Colin, but when the fullback aimed his through ball towards Hughes City were again thwarted by the offside flag.

Shackell was forced to concede another corner on the half-hour and although Cook’s in-swinging kick was headed clear by Robinson, it took a late challenge by Jones on Shackell and the award of a free-kick to relieve the pressure for the Canaries.

Former Norwich loan defender Rehman earned the first yellow card of the afternoon after 32 minutes when he was adjudged to have pulled down Earnshaw five-yards outside the Rangers area.

After a long delay with up to a dozen players in all mixed up in the wall, Earnshaw curled the resulting free-kick just over the bar.

A neat exchange between Hughes and Robinson on the edge of the area set up Huckerby for a thumping volley which left Rowlands the worse for wear when he managed to get his head in the way.

Another promising attack from City was spoiled when Etuhu attempted to find Huckerby in space on the left but over-hit his pass into touch.

As Rangers broke quickly Gallacher did well to come out and claim a testing cross from Bignot.

Croft was not having the happiest of afternoons and he conceded a free-kick on the right-hand side of the Norwich area when he barged Bignot over from behind.

Rowlands wasted the dead ball opportunity but Rangers threatened again, winning another corner. Cook’s flag-kick was headed away by Etuhu but Blackstock, following up, was only just over the top with a powerful volley.

Earnshaw was looking lively and he was only just off target with a left-foot shot on the turn following a pass from Robinson.

Shackell had made an impressive return to the senior side but after he produced another important headed clearance, climbing above Blackstock, the Rangers player required treatment.

After a few moments, Blackstock hobbled back into the action in time for another in-swinging corner by Cook to be headed clear, almost inevitably, by Shackell.

However, the City defender blotted his copy book just seconds later when he was shown the yellow card for bundling over Blackstock on the edge of the box, conceding a free-kick in a dangerous position.

It was a costly infringement for the Canaries when, from the free-kick in first half stoppage time, Rangers took the lead. Bircham played the ball short to Rowlands, who beat Gallacher with a thumping right-foot drive.

It had certainly been an end-to-end half but City were left with plenty to do after the break to impress their new manager.

Half-time: QPR 2, Norwich City 1

There were no changes on either side when the contest resumed with Rangers on the attack and Etuhu was penalised for a foul on Bircham just inside the Norwich half.

As the ball was played to the edge of the Norwich area, Robinson made a timely interception and was fouled in the process by Blackstock.

City were indebted to Gallacher for an important save two minutes into the half as Rowlands weaved his way deep into the visitors territory and the keeper did well to beat away his fierce drive.

Suddenly it was all action again as first Fleming managed to get in the way of a pile driver from Bircham then, as City broke with lightning speed, Earnshaw conjured up a volley which Jones did well to palm away one-handed at the expense of a corner.

Darren Huckerby celebrates with Dion Dublin after Dublin struck his first City goal to put the visitors back on level terms at 2-2.

As with so many of Norwich’s set piece routines, however, it came to nothing as Huckerby curled his flag-kick straight into touch.

A slip by Colin allowed Rangers in down the left and when the cross came in from Cook, there were appeals for a penalty for a challenge by Etuhu on Smith.

Eight minutes into the half, City missed a golden opportunity to level the scores when Huckerby picked out Croft in the penalty area. The winger seemed to have done the hard part by giving Rehman the slip, but when it seemed easier to score, he fluffed his left-foot effort wide of the target, to the dismay of the visiting fans.

Things were heating up now and after 56 minutes, Smith was shown the yellow card for charging down a shot from Robinson with his hand just a few yards outside the area.

Disappointingly for City, Earnshaw curled the direct free-kick a couple of yards wide of the target.

A weak back-pass from Fleming almost had Gallacher in trouble at the other end and the keeper had to be quick off his line to hammer clear as Smith move in for the kill.

There was a delay for treatment to striker Jones after Colin came in with his foot dangerously high.

The free-kick was played to Cook and he worked wonders to get in a teasing cross to the far post where Shackell had to head clear for a corner.

The corner led to an extended game of head tennis in the Norwich area and Jones appeared distinctly unhappy after coming off worse in an aerial challenge with Gallacher, though the keeper did not appear to have committed a foul.

City were not afraid to try the route one approach with Gallacher aiming several huge drop-kicks towards Earnshaw, one of which was not too far off target in its own right.

Rowlands who was proving quite a handful, ran at the City defence once more as Rangers pushed forward and his left-foot effort was not too far wide of Gallacher’s left-hand post.

City made their first change of the afternoon after 66 minutes when Dublin was sent on to add some extra weight to the attack at the expense of Robinson.

City were still looking a bit stretched at times and Blackstock showed excellent close control when a corner from Cook reached him at the far post before he was eventually crowded out by a clutch of yellow shirts.
Croft was not enjoying his afternoon and as the Canaries attacked down the right he was penalised again for a foul on Bignot.

Huckerby’s persistence took Norwich deep into Rangers territory on the opposite flank and as the ball broke for Drury, the City skipper let fly with a left-foot drive which was just over the top.

The Canaries gave their new manager and their travelling fans a big lift after 72 minutes when they equalised with a well-worked goal by Dublin, his first for the club.

Croft picked out Hughes with a neat diagonal ball inside the area and with most people expecting a cross to the near post, the midfielder cut it back perfectly for Dublin to side-foot home in the simplest of finishes.

Less than two minutes later, Hughes was departing the scene to a big ovation from the City fans after signalling to the bench that he was struggling and he was replaced by Safri.

Robert Earnshaw fires the Canaries in front from the penalty spot.

It was end-to-end stuff and Huckerby produced another dangerous run that took him to the edge of the Rangers area, and his right-foot shot appeared to take a deflection on its way into the arms of grateful keeper Jones.

Lomas became the next name in the referee’s book 10 minutes from time when he halted Huckerby in full flight and there was now a sense that City were beginning to get the upper hand.

City’s grip on proceedings was confirmed seven minutes from time when they regained the lead through a penalty from Earnshaw.

A long through ball from Drury posed big problems for Rehman as he tangled with Huckerby and in the end the former Norwich loan-player pulled down his opponent and the referee immediately pointed to the spot.

Earnshaw took the spot-kick and although his Welsh international colleague, keeper Jones, got a hand to the ball diving to his right it was not enough to keep it out.

The goal was followed by the usual extravagant Earnshaw celebration, much to the delight of City’s travelling army of fans.

Caretaker boss Hunter made his final change with four minutes left when he sent on McVeigh in place of Croft.

With little more than two minutes left Rowlands attempted to put Rangers level with a chip from a tight angle, but to City’s relief it landed on top of the net.

City were now well in the ascendancy and a slip by Bignot handed them a corner. Huckerby played it short to McVeigh, but the substitute was penalised for a foul on Rehman.

There was something of a surprise for the visiting fans when the fourth official signalled five minutes of added time and no sooner had the board gone up than Rangers were level when Rowlands scored his second of the afternoon, beating Gallacher with a left-foot shot from a tight angle that the keeper could only help into the net at his near post.

Still City pressed forward and Etuhu was desperately close to putting Earnshaw clear as the seconds ticked away, only foiled by a Rangers interception.

Result: QPR 3, Norwich City 3