Smiles all round as Rangers dump City

GERRY FRANCIS' Queens Park Rangers pulled off an excellent 3-1 win at Manchester City - but the man with the biggest smile would have been Charlton boss Alan Curbishley, writes Peter Gardner.

The Addicks extracted maximum benefit from Rangers' first win in 10 games as third-placed Manchester City were cast 13 points adrift of the runaway First Division leaders.

City manager Joe Royle said: "Alan Curbishley will be an even happier man than Gerry Francis."

Francis added: "Of course I am delighted too, that's seven games unbeaten for us. I accept we rode our luck a bit out there and had to defend in depth for long periods.

"But we handled them well. They make so many chances but our defenders were outstanding.

"I think City will be a Premiership side next season.

"They deserve to be up there and while you have to earn that right, I am sure Joe Royle will do it, although he knows full well that that is when the real problems start. He will know because he was there with Everton; I know equally well from my time at Tottenham."

Rangers were constantly stretched as Republic of Ireland and former Wimbledon winger Mark Kennedy caused havoc on both flanks.

Rangers rode their luck for an anxious 25 minutes with Gerard Wiekens powering an early header against the bar while Paul Murray twice made splendid interceptions to deny Danny Tiatto and Jamie Pollock.

However, Rangers, numerically superior in midfield, struck twice in eight minutes - although it took errors by City's England-rated young goalkeeper Nicky Weaver to hand them the advantage.

Weaver first mishandled a 37th minute Richard Langley free kick leaving quick-thinking Chris Kiwomya to exploit the blunder.

Then he failed to hold a 45th minute Ian Baraclough drive from the left and Stuart Wardley, a 27th minute replacement for injured skipper Gavin Peacock, challenged Wiekens who conceded an own goal.

A 74th minute Mikkel Beck penalty, a second goal in successive games for the Danish international striker on loan from Derby, left Rangers coasting before Jeff Whitley pulled one back for City five minutes from time.

Meanwhile, referee Rob Styles will not take charge of any more QPR games this season after Francis complained to the Football League about him.

The appointments list for Rangers' First Division matches appears to show the director of football at Loftus Road has got his wish of avoiding the controversial Waterlooville official.

Styles was withdrawn as fourth official from QPR's televised 1-1 draw with Fulham last week because the League didn't want him "in the firing line" and he is not scheduled to referee or run the line for any more of Rangers' games this season.

Francis made an official complaint about him after he sent off two Rangers players in separate games.

He awarded Charlton a controversial penalty in their FA Cup Fourth Round tussle in January and showed Chris Plummer a second yellow for the push which led to the spot-kick.

He also double-booked striker Rob Steiner as Rangers crashed 1-0 to Fulham at Craven Cottage in September.

But a League spokesman said it was a coincidence he was not involved with any more Rangers games.

WATFORD have handed trials to two Finnish teenagers in a last- ditch bid to stay in the Premiership - and both have already got on the scoresheet.

Striker Toni Hanto scored for the reserves in their 4-3 defeat at Reading yesterday. Jaukka Sauso, a centre back, played 45 minutes of that game, after scoring for the Under-19 Academy side at the weekend.

Watford are without strikers Gifton Noel-Williams, Tommy Mooney and Nick Wright because of long-term injuries and have not kept a clean sheet since September.

Copyright 2000
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.