Matchday Essentials 2001-2002 Click here for the latest match previews and reports
Click here for Quick Guide QPR 4 Click here for your Rough Guide to Wycombe Wanderers
Wycombe Wanderers 3
Saturday 29th December 2001
Football League Division Two
Andy Rammell - injured Wycombe fans left Loftus Road more than a little shellshocked after seeing Wanderers reduced to nine men on the stroke of half-time before finally going down 4-3 to an impressive QPR side. It will be the highly controversial double sending off of Jermaine McSporran and Danny Senda that will remain the talking point of Wycombe's first ever senior visit to Loftus Road. Both players were shown straight red cards for alleged violent conduct following a penalty award to the home side for a clumsy challenge by Jason Cousins on Kevin Gallen when the score was 1-1.
Wanderers players reacted badly to Gallen's delight of winning the spotkick, with Michael Simpson and Danny Senda leading the charge of abuse directed at the Rangers player. The obligatory mass brawl followed and following a lenghthy discussion with both his assistants, referee Phil Prosser made the amazing decision to send-off McSporran. A case of mistaken indentity perhaps but after further advice and to make matters worse for Wycombe the official then directed Senda down the tunnel. It was a full five minutes later before the spot-kick was eventually taken and to complete the scene Martin Taylor dived to his left to push away Andy Thomson's effort.
Before all this fun Wycombe fans had seen a rather surprising team selection by Lawrie Sanchez, with both Darren Currie and Stuart Roberts left out of the starting line-up in favour of Dannie Bulman and Keith Ryan. As expected Jason Cousins came in for the injured Paul McCarthy while Andy Rammell returned after his three match ban with Paul Emblen ruled out due to suspension.
It was Cousins who had a gilt-edged chance to put Wycombe ahead within the opening couple of minutes. The ball had fell to Cousins around eight yards from goal after Dannie Bulman's shot had been deflected but Cousins was unable to keep his snap effort on target.
However, there were ominous signs that Wycombe were soon to be run ragged at the back. In the 6th minute Gavin Peacock's shot from the right bobbled up and Martin Taylor was grateful to push the ball wide of the far post. Five minutes later Senda was caught out on the Rangers left flank by Karl Connolly but tops scorer Andy Thomson was unable to convert the loose ball at the far post.
It was Thomson who gave the home side the lead on 27 minutes when he followed up Karl Connolly's shot from the left that had been parried at the near post by Taylor. However, Wycombe drew level four minutes later when Terrell Forbes barged Rammell off the ball following Simpson's high ball into the box from the right wing. Steve Brown stroked home the penalty with his left foot, dummying Fraser Digby before sending the R's keeper the wrong way.
The goal boosted Wycombe's moral and McSporran then had two glorious opportunities to put Wycombe ahead before madness descended on West London. First in the 34th minute an excellent through ball from Rammell found 'Jocky' but he couldn't find the space to get in a decent strike on goal. The best chance came a minute before the end of normal first half time. Brown and Simpson combined to send 'Jocky' away down the right but Digby narrowed the angle and the eventual shot was saved at the near post. Moments later Wycombe's day was turned upside down as the match officials lost control of a situation that could have been covered with a couple of yellow cards to each team. Instead of that, Mr Prosser and his side-kicks conned the public out of watching a fair game.
Half-time QPR 1 Wycombe 1
With Wycombe reduced in ranks the match looked effectively over as a contest when first Gallen on 54 minutes and then Connolly seven minutes later gave Rangers a 3-1 lead. However, urged on by a seething mass of Wycombe fans, Dannie Bulman smashed home a 63rd minute free-kick that had been brought forward to the edge of the Rangers penalty area to make the score 3-2. Gavin Peacock restored the two goal cushion for the home side on 76 minutes but as always Wycombe refused to give up and when Ben Askar pulled back Rammell on 80 minutes, it was 'Rambo' who picked himself up to convert Wycombe's second spot-kick of the day. Sadly Rammell limped off minutes later with an ankle injury but with both Roberts and Currie now involved it was left to Simpson to go within inches of salvaging a remarkable draw with a stoppage time shot that whistled past the upright.
Final Score QPR 4 Wycombe 3
Wycombe: Taylor, Senda, Cousins, Rogers, Vinnicombe, Ryan, Bulman (sub 88 Currie), Simpson, Brown (sub 72 Lee), Rammell (sub 82 Roberts), McSporran
subs not used: Carroll, Johnson
Yellow Cards: Vinnicombe (dissent 45)
Red Cards: McSporran (unknown 45), Senda (violent conduct 45)
QPR:: Digby, Forbes, Ben Askar, Palmer, Murphy, Rose, Peacock, Doudou, Connolly (sub 89 Bignot), Gallen, Thomson
subs not used: Evans, Griffiths, Pacquette, Bonnot
Yellow Cards: Connolly (foul 51), Murphy (dissent 63), Ben Askar (foul 80)
Referee:P Prosser (Gloucester) Attendance:14,834 (Wycombe 2,343)
Interactive Stats
Match and players
All the Wycombe results, scorers, team line-ups and statistical breakdown of the current season - FULLY INTERACTIVE to your heart's content.
Latest Table and form Updated table with results archive of ALL Division Two games plus form guide and previous meeting between ALL clubs for the past four seasons.
Squad Info
Quick Links

Chairboys on the Net - click here to reload from the top
Match Report Archive.
Current season plus all matches back to July 1996 >>>
Click here for Quick Guide Quick Guide to The R's
Past meetings, connections, web links and more
Visit The Gas Room"Was our reporter at the same game? Have your say!!"
Click here other results on this dayOn This Day
More Wycombe results from 29th December
All match reports © 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,2000, 2001
Chairboys on the Net - Not to be reproduced without our written permission.


Back To Top

Chairboys on the Net All there is to say and know about Wycombe Wanderers on the Internet
HOME||||INDEX||||ROUGH GUIDE||||NEWS||||REPORTS||||FIXTURES&RESULTS||||INTERACT