QUEENS PARK RANGERS 2 CITY 1
League Division 1
16th December 1978
Attendance 12,902
scorers
City Channon(91)
QPR Hamilton(48 & 56)
ref E Read
City Corrigan, P Futcher, Donachie, Power, Booth, Watson, Owen, Channon, Deyna, Hartford, Barnes – sub R Futcher(73)
QPR Parkes, Clement, Gillard, Hollands, Howe, Roader, Shanks, Francis, Eastoe, Bowles, Harkouk – sub Hamilton(45)
Queens Park Rangers had only won twice at home this season and City had failed to win in their last seven League games so there was a lot to play for.
In an attempt to mix things up Tony Book dropped Brian Kidd and Colin Bell.
QPR went close early on when former City youngster Stan Bowles played the ball to Harkouk, who laid on a chance for Eastoe, but he stabbed the ball over as Joe Corrigan quickly left his line to close the chance down.
City countered with a free kick, which Peter Barnes took quickly, his shot deflected off the wall and rebounded off the Rangers’ upright.
In the second half Gillard did well to centre for half time substitute Billy Hamilton to volley in to give QPR the lead.
City countered with te strong runnig of Asa Hartford in midfield, he set Paul Power free on the left of the penalty area, but his strike was well saved by Parkes.
QPR countered and Bowles fed a beautiful ball in to Clement in the six yard box, who then rather than shooting lifted the ball to the far post for Hamilton to head home into an open net for his second goal of the game just eleven minutes after coming on as substitute at half-time.
City tried to get back in the game and virtually from the kick off a thunderous volley from Hartford was well saved by Parkes.
As the game entered injury time, Mike Channon powered through the midfield, pushing the ball through to Ron Futcher on the edge of the area, he squared it to Power, and with Channon continuing his run into the box, Power cleverly passed it into the England striker’s stride, who calmly passed the ball into QPR’s net.
It was too little, too late from Tony Book’s side and they had now slipt down to 15th in Division One.