Planet Swans ArchivesFULHAM CHRONICLE
QPR got back on the winning track – but the game will be remembered for the double sendings-off that handed the midfield to Adel Taarabt.
Yet again the midfielder (pic) bossed a show reduced to 20 men after just 19 minutes. In fact, although Taarabt lost a team-mate in Clint Hill when the defender got his marching orders after a tussle with Alan Tate – the Moroccan gained time and space to showcase his magic with two strikes as well as missing a sitter.
An explosive three minutes brought the first in 15 games for Jamie Mackie and the two dismissals.
After Mackie had ended his drought with a low drive just outside the box, Kyle Walker hit fourth gear, went past two Swansea players and was crudely brought down by Tate as he bore down on goal.
For reasons best known to them,Shaun Derry and Hill let the Swans defender know exactly what they thought, which brought a predictable squaring up from a clutch of players – with heads on heads and wrestling arms, but at the end the one still raised was referee Crossley brandishing a pair of reds.
Rangers immediately sacrficed Tommy Smith for Bradley Orr, and Tate’s replacement off the bench was Neil Taylor with both sides shoring up their defence.
An amazing piece of deft dribbling saw Taarabt wriggle clear five minutes after half-time only for his pass inside to bypass Helguson’s toe by a millimetre.
When the Moroccan repeated the feat a minute later, Walker on the end of the pass was unlucky to see his 18-yard shot thump a Swansea back and away for a corner.
Helguson’s penalty for the third as Taarabt was felled by Ashley Williams, knocked the stuffing out of what was left in Swansea sails, and when Taarabt had all the time in the world to fire a left-foot drive under a poor excuse of a save from De Vries – Rangers were back on track.
The irresistible Taarabt made a mug out of Joe Allen as he nutmegged the Swansea midfielder, and then let fly from 20 yards to beat De Vries again.
And the Swans keeper will be glad to see the back of QPR. Two years ago he broke a leg playing Rangers. Back then, Tate went in goal – this time the defender was already in the bath.
