QPR (2) – Blackburn Rovers (1) – ‘The Ball Flew Past the Astonished Patterson’
Football League Division 2
Team: Brown, Poppitt, Powell (G), Clayton, Heath, Gilberg, Waugh, Smith, Addinall, Cameron, Shepherd
Attendance: 13,291
On Monday, 3rd September 1951, the R’s kicked off at 6.30pm against Blackburn Rovers at Loftus Road.
Charles Buchan filed his match report the following day for ‘The Chronicle’.
‘Five minutes from the end, when lights from the adjoining flats brightened the gloom and Rangers’ supporters were giving the slow handclap, centre forward Addinall scored a wonder goal that gave his side a victory they did not deserve.
Cameron centred the white ball from the left touchline and Addinall, standing on the penalty line, hit it on the volley with his left-foot.
The ball flew past the astonished Patterson. The handclap changed to cheers.
The goal was a nasty shock to the Rovers, who had commanded play in the second-half, but it was their own fault. They should have won the game long before then.
Grand approach work by Todd, Glover – the new outside-right from Luton – Wright and Wharton had the Rangers defenders on the run.
But Wright and Graham missed easy chances of ensuring Rovers their first league win of the season.
They lasted a hard pace much better than Rangers, but until their forwards learn to hit a ball accurately and promptly when inside the penalty area, Rovers are likely to remain at the bottom of the table.
The defence, rather slow on the turn, made few mistakes. Eckersley was in England form, and Bell in front of him was the complete wing-half.
Rangers began as though they would overwhelm Rovers. Addinall who scored the first goal in the 18th minute, and Waugh and Shepherd raided and centred with great effect.
Eighteen-year-old Cameron, too, showed great promise with neat passes and two grand shots, but it lasted for only half-an-hour.
In the second-half they looked slow by comparison with Rovers. Only the good work by Heath, Poppitt and Powell, assisted, of course by Rovers’ weak finishing, saved them during this stage.
They were beaten only once, when Wright equalised early in this half, though Brown, a safe goalkeeper, had many narrow escapes.’
Elsewhere, it was reported that Rangers were the latest club to make a bid for Arsenal’s international inside-forward, Reg Lewis.
‘Injured Rangers’ forward Cyril Hatton, will be out of action for some time, and they feel that Lewis would restore punch to the attack.
There has been no settlement so far. Although Lewis is again in the Reserves, it is unlikely that he will move.’
Within the programme notes it was reported that: ‘Can you imagine anything more monotonous than putting your leg in a bucket of very hot water for about one minute, then taking it out and plunging it into a bucket of very cold water for the same short time and repeating the process continually for an hour!
Twice a day for three days, that was Bill Heath’s routine last Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, following each session with a spell on the massage table.
Reason, the bruise to his calf muscle was deep-seated and had to be dispersed quickly.’
Five days later, Rangers lost 1-3 at Bury, and as for Reg Lewis he went on to complete his playing career in North London.
Steve Russell