QPR lose three-goal lead in friendly at Crawley

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New QPR boss Mick Beale was given food for thought as his side squandered a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3 at League Two Crawley Town in a pre-season friendly.

Beale named a strong-looking starting line-up, with Seny Dieng, Luke Amos and Chris Willock the only three players missing from a 25-man squad that made the short journey to West Sussex.


New signings Jake Clarke-Salter, Kenneth Paal and Tyler Roberts were all named in a 4-3-2-1 formation before Beale made a flurry of changes in the second half with his side leading 1-0.

Sam Field headed Rangers in front when he glanced in Stefan Johansen’s corner after 10 minutes, with George Thomas, Albert Adomah missing good opportunities to increase Rangers’ advantage before the interval.

Beale named a completely different team for the second half – but kept with a back four – as Conor Masterson operated in an unfamiliar defensive midfielder role with Jimmy Dunne and Joe Gubbins operating as the centre-backs.

Macauley Bonne, who this week expressed his desire to move to boyhood club Ipswich, extended Rangers’ lead shortly after half-time when he dispossessed keeper Corey Adai on the edge of the box and curled the ball into the top corner.

The former Charlton man made it 3-0 on the hour when he fired in a low Mide Shodipo cross only for the home side to score two quick-fire strikes following defensive errors.

The first goal saw James Tilley blast home a low cross that Dunne didn’t clear after Niko Hamalainen had failed to deal with a routine long ball for former Rangers striker Aramide Oteh.

Three minutes later Osman Kakay lost possession on the right and Masterson’s last-ditch tackle conceded a penalty which was duly dispatched by Tom Nichols.

With the tails firmly up, Crawley continued to press and grabbed an equaliser eight minutes from time with Rangers again in disarray at the back.

Oteh’s shot was blocked by keeper Murphy Mahoney with Manny Adebowale rolling the rebound into the empty net to seal the comeback for the hosts.

QPR first half: Walsh, Adomah, Dickie, Clarke-Salter, Paal, Thomas, Johansen, Field, Chair, Roberts, Dykes.

QPR second half: Mahoney, Kakay, Masterson, Dunne, Hamalainen, Dozzell, Owens, Kelman, Bonne, Shodipo. Gubbins. Subs not used: Drewe, Duke-McKennna.