For the first time in the 140+ days since Luton last won, Rob Edwards’ post-match lap was met with a minority of boos from the home fans. There was still applause, but the Championship was not meant to start like this. One point from four games.
Let’s start with the game. QPR had a good start. They should have scored when Dembele was given the freedom of the box but sent his shot wide. Town then grew into the game and took the lead when a corner was cleared to Baptiste who swung a lovely ball back in. Home debutant McGuinness crashed a header the keeper did well to parry but with Elijah lurking, Dunne tucked it into his own net.
There should perhaps have been a penalty a few minutes later when Carlton went down in the box but nothing was given. The ref had shown how keen he was to get his cards out when Chong was booked inside the first 100 seconds for handling the ball after he thought he was fouled.
Half time. Confidence in the stands.
Second half Town upped the pressing and for ten minutes or so it was a question of when we would get a second. Elijah having the best chance when one-on-one with the keeper who smothered a tame finish.
Then the calamity.
First a big hoof down the pitch saw the QPR striker Frey – who looked a class apart all game – bully McGuinness. It still should have been dealt with but somehow the ball found its way to Madsen who equalised. Two minutes later QPR simply passed their way through the entire midfield and backline, and Frey dispatched a clinical volley past Kaminski.
Taylor and Walsh were chucked on. There was no real sign of an equaliser until injury time when Joe put a header over when he seemed destined to score.
A word now on the transfer window. Barkley and Ogbene sold for £13 million. McGuinness and a Spanish fella from Sweden who can’t play until January brought in for roughly the same amount. But we don’t appear to have addressed the departures of both Ogbene and Townsend on the right side. And it seems odd every set piece is taken by Alfie, which must make it pretty straightforward to teams to face us.
There were links to all sorts of players who didn’t materialise. Jed Wallace perhaps the most notable. But despite protestations from club and manager, this is the second consecutive transfer window that has to go down with the label desperately disappointing.
Two weeks now before a trip into the Lions Den to face Millwall.
#COYH
Town: Thomas Kaminski, Reuell Walters, Reece Burke (Teden Mengi 46), Mark McGuinness (Liam Walsh 75), Amari’i Bell, Alfie Doughty, Shandon Baptiste (Zack Nelson 84), Jordan Clark, Tahith Chong (Joe Taylor 75), Carlton Morris (C), Elijah Adebayo. Subs not used: James Shea, Cauley Woodrow, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, Tom Holmes, Marvelous Nakamba.