FA Cup
26 January, 2013
Queens Park Rangers
Robert Green
1
Fabio
20
Anton Ferdinand
5
Tal Ben-Haim
21
Armand Traoré
3
Jamie Mackie
12
Alejandro Faurlín
32
Esteban Granero
14
Ji-Sung Park
7
D.J. Campbell
39
Jay Bothroyd
37
Substitutes
Bobby Zamora
25
Nedum Onuoha
15
Hogan Ephraim
22
Stephane Mbia
40
Shaun Derry
4
Clint Hill
6
Brian Murphy
26
MK Dons
1
David Martin
2
Jon Otsemobor
3
Dean Lewington
5
Gary MacKenzie
6
Shaun Williams
8
Darren Potter
9
Dean Bowditch
11
Alan Smith
12
Adam Chicksen
14
Ryan Lowe
24
Antony Kay
Substitutes
0
Ryan Harley
21
Bamidele Alli
98
Chris Lines
4
Mathias Doumbe
99
Tom Flanagan
0
Zeli Ismail
31
Georgio Rasulo
Referee: Mike Dean
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Milton Keynes Dons progress into the fifth round of the FA Cup for the first time in their history after an emphatic 4-2 victory over Premier League side Queens Park Rangers. The Dons were 4-0 up after 56 minutes, and held onto their victory despite a couple of consolation goals from the home side in the last 10 minutes. It took only four minutes for the visitors to break the deadlock, with Dean Lewington poking home for a goal that was later noted down as an own goal by Armand Traore. Despite significant pressure from Harry Redknapp's men, they were 2-0 up by half time when Ryan Lowe pounced on a long ball that Anton Ferdinand had misjudged to finish brilliantly. Incredibly, it was 3-0 just five minutes into the second period when substitute Ryan Harley slotted home from close range, and 4-0 five minutes after that when Darren Potter scored. QPR fans began heading for the exits in numbers, while the MK Dons faithful were in good voice and enjoying their afternoon ("We want five, we want five", they chanted). Jay Bothroyd headed home to open QPR's account on 83 minutes, before Fabio added a second in stoppage time. But neither were enough to turn things around, and MK Dons marched into the fifth round of the competiton, while QPR crashed out with their tails firmly between their legs.
MK Dons have done it. They've pulled off an historic and emphatic victory over Premier League opposition, beating QPR by four goals to two. The fifth round beckons for Karl Robinson's men.
A second consolation for the home side, as Fabio lashes home to reduce the deficit to just two. We're in stoppage time, though, so no chance of a comeback now.
Dean Bowditch makes way for Dele Alli.
Great chance for Bobby Zamora, who latches onto Jay Bothroyd's flick on but can only volley wide of the goal.
Good save by Robert Green to deny Adam Chicksen bagging a fifth goal for MK Dons.
Alejandro Faurlin clips the ball into the box, Bobby Zamora knocks it down and Jay Bothroyd nods it home with just seven minutes left on the clock. A late comeback maybe?!
Jay Bothroyd pulls one back for QPR!
Good chance for QPR to open their account for the afternoon, as Jamie Mackie races through on goal, but David Martin comes out to block.
MK Dons fans are chanting, "We want five, we want five...". I wonder what the pre-match odds were on them bagging four with no reply?
Alan Smith departs after a characteristically gritty showing this afternoon, using every ounce of his experience in the middle of the park. Sheffield Wednesday loanee Chris Lines comes on to replace him for his Dons debut.
The likes of Fabio, Jamie Mackie and, since his introduction, Bobby Zamora, have looked lively today, and are really showing some much-needed fighting spirit that Harry Redknapp will love. Lots of problems in other areas for Rangers, though.
Fabio looks to create something for QPR, as he combines with Jay Bothroyd in the box. Bothroyd's touch is a little heavy - perhaps his lack of match action showing slightly - but to his credit, Fabio manages to win a corner.
Ji-Sung Park's torrid afternoon is over - much to the delight of the QPR faithful, who jeer as he leaves the pitch. The Korean will be looking to forget this afternoon more than most. He's replaced by Bobby Zamora.
Ji-Sung Park has, in no uncertain terms, had an absolute shocker this afternoon. He's barely connected a pass and looks totally out of touch.
Good driving run from Jamie Mackie, whose endeavour never seems to wean. But the Scotland international is stopped in his tracks, and MK Dons clear.
There's a danger of QPR losing their discipline here, and since going 3-0 down, they've made a few silly challenges that really aren't helping their cause. Harry Redknapp was quite vocal in saying this game wasn't that important in the grand scheme of things, but he will do well to pick his side up after what looks likely to be a humiliating defeat.
QPR fans are leaving already, and who can blame them? They find themselves 4-0 down, at home, to a League One side. But let's not take anything away from MK Dons, who have been brilliant so far this afternoon. It's shocking defending again from the home side, who fail to clear, allowing Darren Potter (and not Shaun Williams) to add a fourth.
There really are no words. Jubiliation for MK Dons and sheer humiliation for QPR, as Shaun Williams adds an incredible fourth goal to the visitors' tally.
The League One side have surely booked their place in the fifth round now. Ryan Lowe does brilliantly to keep the ball in down the right, before crossing into the box for Ryan Harley, who couldn't miss. This is what the FA Cup is all about.
Oh my days! Ryan Harley makes it 3-0 - that's three goals to nil - to MK Dons. Unbelievable scenes!
QPR get the ball rolling for what could be a huge 45 minutes - particularly for the visitors, MK Dons, who had never reached the fourth round of the FA Cup before today; never mind the fifth.
Mike Dean calls time on what was a great first half of football for the visitors; not so much for the home side. Harry Redknapp and Karl Robinson will be delivering very different team talks over the next 15 minutes. QPR have 45 minutes to salvage their FA Cup place, while MK Dons have 45 minutes to hold onto what would be an historic victory. The League One side lead 2-0; the second half is sure to be a corker.
Fabio becomes the first player in the referee's book, after upending a Dons player as he looked to launch an attack.
MK Dons are in dreamland, and Anton Ferdinand must want the ground to swallow him up. He misjudges a long ball, letting it bounce over him which in turn allows Ryan Lowe to nip inside and finish brilliantly. The League One side lead 2-0. Wow.
Out of absolutely nowhere, Ryan Lowe makes it 2-0 to MK Dons!
Really good, flowing move from QPR - probably their best of the game so far. It ends with Esteban Granero's shot drifting just wide of the goal, but positive stuff from the home side.
Chance for Jay Bothroyd who, after some neat play on the edge of the box, attempts to drill an effort goalwards, only for David Martin to watch it wide.
Jay Bothroyd plays a lovely through ball into the path of the onrushing Jamie Mackie, but Dons 'keeper David Martin comes rushing out to claim with a neat slide. Good positioning and timing from him.
After a 15 minute spell of heavy pressure from QPR, the game has flattened out somewhat now. MK Dons won't mind that one bit. But still, the home side look the more likely to nab the next goal.
MK Dons are doing well to limit the home side's chances, but are not being allowed to play their natural game. That early goal puts them in a really interesting position. The longer the game goes on, the more urgent QPR's quest for an equaliser will be.
Jon Otsemobor almost costs his side a goal, allowing Jamie Mackie in on the wrong side of him, but the MK Dons full back does well to recover and make an important challenge.
Ryan Harley comes on to replace Gary MacKenzie.
It's been more or less all QPR since MK Dons opened the scoring early on, but they've not yet had a clearcut chance to speak of. Ji-Sung Park wins a corner for the home side, just as Dons centre half Gary MacKenzie pulls up with what looks like a hamstring injury.
DJ Campbell, in only his second QPR game since returning to the club from his loan at Ipswich, starts up front with Jay Bothroyd this afternoon. His first chance from the edge of the area is caught easily by Martin in the Dons goal.
Another good chance for the home side, but Armand Traore's shot is saved well by David Martin. Ji-Sung Park is denied a follow-up by an excellent block from Dean Lewington.
The ball bounces up kindly on the edge of the MK Dons box for Fabio, who can't quite control his volley, lashing it wide of David Martin's post.
MK Dons win the ball in midfield and break quickly - their move culminating with Ryan Lowe shooting straight down Robert Green's throat.
What a great start for the visitors. This puts QPR under real pressure now, and we know they're not particularly on form at the moment. It could be an interesting afternoon.
Moments after Alejandro Faurlin had a goal ruled out for offside, MK Dons find themselves with an early lead. Dean Lewington, under pressure from Armand Traore, bundles the ball over the line after a corner, and the travelling support go wild. It's actually going down as a Traore own goal.
Dean Lewington opens the scoring after just four minutes for the League One side!
We're underway at Loftus Road. QPR in their familiar blue and white hoops; the Dons in all red.
Martin, Otsemobor, MacKenzie, Kay, Lewington, Potter, Williams, Bowditch, Smith, Chicksen, Lowe. Subs: Kouo-Doumbe, Flanagan, Harley, Alli, Lines, Rasulo, Ismail.
Green, Fabio, Ferdinand, Ben Haim, Traore, Mackie, Fairlin, Granero, Park, Campbell, Bothroyd. Subs: Murphy, Derry, Hill, Onuoha, Ephraim, Zamora, Mbia.
Join us just before kick-off for the confirmed team news, followed by all the minute-by-minute action from Loftus Road.
Recently re-signed striker Izale McLeod is cup-tied having featured in the competition this season already for Portsmouth, while Stephen Gleeson and Luke Chadwick are both out. Top scorer Dean Bowditch is a doubt, but Sheffield Wednesday loanee Chris Lines could make his debut.
New signing Loic Remy is a doubt after suffering from a tight hamstring for the past few days. He is likely to join Jose Bosingwa (back) on the sidelines. But the good news for Redknapp is that midfielder Esteban Granero and full-back Armand Traore are in line for returns after both shaking off knocks.
The only time QPR and MK Dons have faced each other was in last season's FA Cup, when the pair were drawn together in the third round. After Heider Helguson snatched an 89th minute draw for Rangers at stadium:mk, Danny Gabbidon's second half goal sealed a 1-0 win in the replay to ensure the Premier League side's progression. Their team today is almost unrecognisable from this time 12 months ago, though. The Dons had never made it to the fourth round before this year, while QPR's best performance in the competition came in 1981/82 when they drew 1-1 with Spurs in the final, before losing the replay 1-0.
MK Dons' former Manchester United, Newcastle and Leeds midfielder Alan Smith said in an interview this week that his side's fourth round clash with QPR today means more to him than the two FA Cup finals he's appeared in during his career. Smith has two runners-up medals to his name – won in 2005 and 2007 while at United – and admits to not knowing where they are now. The tenacious midfielder's sour memories of the competition intensified in 2006 when he suffered a horribly broken leg while trying to block a shot from Liverpool's John Arne Riise. The incident is remembered as one of the worst injuries in recent memory, and to make matters worse, United lost that game 1-0. Let's hope for Smith's sake, his afternoon today is memorable for better reasons.
QPR's woes this season have been well-documented. Rangers are bottom of the Premier League, but have had a slight resurgence in performances since Harry Redknapp took over in November. Today's FA Cup clash could be seen as a distraction or a chance to gain some momentum. Which it is will depend on QPR's performance and the end result. For MK Dons, the fourth round is unchartered territory – though their predecessors Wimbledon enjoyed a famous triumph in the competition in the late ‘80s. Their league form this season has been respectable, with Karl Robinson's men sitting nicely in 7th – just three points outside the play-offs. Their fixture with QPR today won't get half as much media coverage as their second round tie against AFC Wimbledon did, and while they secured bragging rights with a 2-1 victory on that day, there's an even bigger prize on offer this afternoon, should they overcome their top flight opponents.
Premier League strugglers QPR host MK Dons of League One this afternoon in the fourth round of the FA Cup. Kick-off is 15:00 GMT.