Hoop Dreams - QPR FC

Oh, this was dire. If QPR play worse this season and still win they will be incredibly fortunate. They could only just muster a victory over a team two divisions below them in a ground that was only a quarter full. On top of that, for the first time this season, team spirit seemed to have evaporated and the performances as a whole are now getting worse game by game. Despite the win, few who took part could be happy with their contribution.

Jim Magilton did make changes to try and test out his squad, though this meant a return to the dreaded Leigertwood-Mahon partnership in midfield. That left Akos Buzsaky on the left wing and Hogan Ephraim on the right, with Rowan Vine partnering Patrick Agyemang up front. The defence saw Matt Connolly at left-back with Gary Borrowdale rested for the first time this season, Kaspars Gorkss and Damion Stewart alongside each other in the middle and Peter Ramage at right-back. Man Utd loanee Tom Heaton made his debut in goal and would prove to be one of the few bright points.

Vine had a decent effort early on, twisting and turning in the box before forcing a low save from Alan Martin in the Stanley goal and Stanley also looked dangerous on the break, Michael Symes powering a shot across goal soon after which brought a good reaction save from Heaton. Already, the signs that QPR were struggling were there for all to see. The shape of the team looked poor, passes were going wayward and certain key players couldn't raise their games.

Magilton specifically singled out Buzsaky after the match and the wisdom of that will be proved in the weeks ahead, but he certainly had a very poor game. The impetus to create is so often laid on his shoulders, particularly in a formation with Mahon and Leigertwood sitting back in the middle, so when he has a poor game, it is very noticeable and has a very detrimental effect on the team. Most surprisingly, he looked tired even in the first half and was labouring to keep up with the game.

A lack of discipline and team spirit was now creeping into the Rs performance as well. Before the half was out, Vine and Agyemang were arguing with each other over their positioning with the former player also berating Ramage for a missed ball. Vine did have one final chance to open the scoring when played through on goal, but again struck directly at Martin. The resulting corner from Buzsaky went to no-one and this was repeated on a number of occasions throughout the game.

Half-time and cue boos from the 5000 supporters who could be bothered to turn up, which just about drowned out the 50 or so Stanley fans who sang throughout the entire game. Magilton quickly switched things around at half-time, with Gorkss making way for Borrowdale and Agyemang being replaced by Adel Taarabt. To be forced to make changes so early though showed a lack of confidence in his starting players and mirrored the confusion on the pitch. If you turned to look at Magilton or John Gorman at any point during the game, you would see two men caught in a losing battle to communicate some kind of message that just wasn't getting through.

Taarabt looked to make an immediate impact but still suffers from poor decision-making and a wayward shot and towards the end of the game, dabbled in some unsuccessful step-overs which were just embarrassing considering the circumstances. Ephraim was also getting more involved and he sent a stinging shot in the direction of goal early in the half, but Martin dealt with it comfortably.

It served as a range-finder though and soon the winger went one better and produced an effort which was the equal of his curled effort in the opening round. A Ramage cross found Ephraim on the edge of the box and after some quick control, he flicked a lob into the far corner to open the scoring.

Wayne Routledge came on straight away for Mahon and demonstrated why he should now be considered a certain starter. He is one of the few players in the squad to have some self-belief at the moment and set about the Stanley defence immediately. He settled the tie on 90 minutes with a cracking drive from the edge of the area, after ten minutes in which the Hoops sat back and came close to conceding an equaliser. There was still time for the whole defence to go to sleep allowing Symes a goal from point-blank range which Stanley and their supporters deserved.

QPR have clearly not found form yet this season and any pre-season hype has long been extinguished, but this was the first game where I began to doubt Magilton's control and influence over the team and where the desire of the players could be called into question. Their abject first-half performance should have inspired anger in them, but it only served to accentuate their petulance as numerous players began to bicker with each other on the pitch.

By openly criticising the team performance and singling out Buzsaky, perhaps Magilton is trying to re-assert some authority and try to halt what looks like a game-on-game decline, despite the victory. Its effectiveness will be proved quickly as QPR will not be able to reproduce this kind of display and expect any kind of reward. A win in the league is a necessity now before the atmosphere at Loftus Road turns more poisonous.

HIGHS - Hogan Ephraim now pushing for a first-team place; Matthew Connolly putting in an assured performance at left-back and even more so when switched to the middle; Tom Heaton's excellent debut which saved the team from a real embarrassment.

LOWS - Poor performance from Buzsaky which led to the manager criticizing him; non-existent team spirit and confusion over positioning across the pitch; a quarter-full Loftus Road which put the Briatore 'project' into sharp focus.

QPR - Heaton, Ramage, Stewart, Gorkss (Borrowdale 46), Connolly, Mahon (Routledge 68), Leigertwood, Buzsaky, Ephraim, Vine, Agyemang (Taarabt 46)

Subs not used - Cerny (GK), Helguson, Pellicori, Balanta.

Goals - Ephraim 68, Routledge 90 + 1.

Bookings - Ramage

Accrington Stanley - Martin, Kempton, Edwards, Winnard, Murphy (Kee 73), Procter, Joyce, Ryan (Turner 81), McConville (Grant 73), Miles, Symes

Subs not used - Dunbavin (GK), Richardson, Mullin, King

Goals - Symes 90 + 4.

Bookings - Ryan

Referee - C L Pawson

Attendance - 5203