Donny will be cock of hoops
QPR’s promotion bid stalled at Sheffield United last weekend as they went down 3-0 to a Billy Sharp hat-trick at Bramall Lane.
Now they take on a Doncaster side who might be nowhere near as fashionable but certainly possess plenty of substance to their play and the fixture could represent a banana skin for manager Iain Dowie.
Rovers don’t have much money to throw about but what they do have is stability within the ranks and an abundance of style with which they approach the game. They also appear to be a little under-rated by the bookmakers judging by the prices in accordance with the evidence we have seen so far.
They started the campaign with an excellent 1-0 win at Derby and they really ought to have followed that up with a replica scoreline against a decent Cardiff side last weekend but a late defensive mix-up between skipper Matt Lockwood and goalkeeper Neil Sullivan gifted the visitors a point.
However, the secret of Donny’s promotion success last season and the glittering football they are now beginning to impose at a higher level will always be evident in the nonchalant reaction of manager Sean O’Driscoll to virtually any disappointment they suffer along the way.
O’Driscoll’s indifference was a quality on view not only when he was asked about the late blunder that cost them two points against the Bluebirds, but also when a lack of cutting edge had cost them their place in the Carling Cup at Notts County four days earlier.
With him, there is no panic, no histrionics and no scapegoats to be made out of his players.
His reaction in a losing post-match press conferences rarely constitutes much more than a shrug of the shoulders and it’s a general attitude that helps to create a relaxing environment in which his players can flourish and express themselves on the pitch.
As such, there will be only one team under pressure at Loftus Road this weekend and you can be sure that the nerves in the home camp will start to jangle should the visitors be allowed to settle on the ball for any period of time during the game.
Verdict: QPR 1-2 Doncaster
