As Middlesbrough prepare to visit Shepherd’s Bush, LFW looks back at their memorable trip to Loftus Road back in 1992 when they shared six goals with QPR.

Recent Meetings

Middlesbrough 0 QPR 3, Saturday February 26, 2010, Championship

Rangers wrapped up a second 3-0 win of the season against beleaguered Boro when the sides last met at the Riverside Stadium. Tony Mowbray had taken charge of the north east club since Rangers ran out easy winners at Loftus Road but the former Celtic boss could do little to prevent a repeat with Neil Warnock’s QPR outfit marching emphatically towards promotion. Heidar Helguson’s first goal, after a bustling run from Adel Taarabt, was scrappy but his second, a thumping header from Wayne Routledge’s cross, was an absolute peach. Helguson had been a regular penalty taker for the R’s and when a spot kick was awarded 20 minutes from time a hat trick looked there for the taking until Adel Taarabt insisted he was on spot taking duties that day. Suddenly a comfortable win looked like turning sour as the players argued on the field but Taarabt got his way, scored the kick, and players later joined the travelling supporters on the train back for a memorable, triumphant return to London.

Middlesbrough: Steele 6, McMahon 6, Hines 5, Davies 5 (Haas 82, -), Bennett 7, Emnes 5 (Zemmama 59, 5), Arca 6 (Robson 59, 6), Bailey 5, Taylor 5, McDonald 5, Lita 5

Subs Not Used: Ripley, Boyd, Grounds, Smallwood

Booked: Robson (taking free kick too quickly)

QPR: Kenny 7, Orr 7 (Connolly 78, 6), Hall 7, Shittu 7, Hill 7, Derry 7, Faurlin 8, Routlede 8, Taarabt 8, Buzsaky 7 (Ephraim 69, 6), Helguson 8 (Hulse 84, -)

Subs Not Used: Cerny, Gorkss, Moen, Miller

Booked: Faurlin (foul) Hall (foul)

Goals: Helguson 41 (assisted Taarabt), 61 (assisted Routledge), Taarabt 68 (penalty won Taarabt)

QPR 3 Middlesbrough 0, Saturday September 10, 2010, Championship

The last time these sides met at Loftus Road, Rangers ripped into Gordan Strachan’s team in the second half to secure a fourth comfortable win of the season after just five league games played. Kept scoreless at the break, and almost falling behind when big-money Scottish target man Kris Boyd missed a gilt edged chance from the middle of the six yard box, Rangers were not in the mood for compromise after the break. Heidar Helguson rolled in a penalty, Hogan Ephraim stabbed home another after a fine pass from Taarabt and Jamie Mackie added a third from an Ephraim assist all within the first 14 minutes of the second stanza. Later in the game Bradley Orr left the field injured, and then his replacement Peter Ramage ruptured cruciate knee ligaments, but manager Neil Warnock quickly shipped in Kyle Walker on loan from Spurs who turned out to be an inspired signing and the week only got better with a 3-0 away win at Ipswich on the Tuesday quickly followed with a 2-0 success at Leicester. QPR would go on to be crowned champions.

QPR: Kenny 7, Orr 7 (Ramage 69, 6), Connolly 7, Gorkss 7, Hill 7, Derry 8, Faurlin 8, Mackie 8 (Smith 80, 6), Taarabt 8 (Buzsaky 70, 7), Ephraim 8, Helguson 8

Subs Not Used: Cerny, Leigertwood, Agyemang, Parker

Goals: Helguson 49 (penalty), Ephraim 53 (assisted Taarabt), Mackie 59 (assisted Ephraim)

Middlesbrough: Steele 7, Bates 5, McManus 5, Wheater 5, Robson 4, Tavares 6, O'Neil 5, Bailey 4 (Halliday 79, 6), Kink 6 (Hoyte 55, 6), Boyd 6 (Lita 65, 7), McDonald 6

Subs Not Used: Coyne, Miller, Arca, Smallwood

Booked: Robson (foul)

Middlesbrough 2 QPR 0, Saturday February 23, 2010, Championship

The two thumping 3-0 wins during the promotion season were in stark contrast to QPR’s abject failures against Boro the previous year. Strachan enjoyed his first win as Boro boss in emphatic fashion at Loftus Road — a 5-1 success sparking a meltdown in Jim Magilton’s reign as manager that subsequently saw him sacked after an alleged assault on Akos Buzsaky in the dressing room after a similarly dire defeat at Watford. By the time the R’s travelled north for the return fixture they’d worked their way through Paul Hart and were about to swap Mick Harford for Neil Warnock with relegation starting to loom large. Understandably they put up feable resistance in a dreadful encounter that was settled by two penalties to the home side just before half time. A rash tackle by Peter Ramage on Jeremie Alliadiere set the ball rolling five minutes before the break and that was quickly followed by an equally stupid lunge, this time from Kaspars Gorkss on Leroy Lita. Barry Robson comfortably outwitted loaned goalkeeper Carl Ikeme with both spot kicks. We had an excellent turkey and stuffing roll from a van behind the away end. They also did roast beef.

Middlesbrough: Coyne 7, Naughton 6, Wheater 7, McManus 6, Pogatetz 6 (Taylor 78, 6), Flood 6, O'Neil 6, Robson 8, Aliadiere 5 (Franks 66, 6), Lita 6 (Arca 83, -), Killen 6

Subs Not Used: Jones, Hoyte, Miller, Grounds

Booked: Killen (foul)

Goals: Robson 39 (penalty), 45 (penalty)

QPR: Ikeme 6, Ramage 4, Stewart 5, Gorkss 4, Hill 4 (Borrowdale 53, 4),Cook 6, Leigertwood 7, Faurlin 6 (Taarabt 69, 6), Buzsaky 7, Simpson 6, German 5 (Bent 54, 6)

Subs Not Used: Cerny, Vine, Balanta, Ephraim

Booked: Gorkss (foul)

Previous Results

Head to Head >>> QPR wins 15 >>> Draws 15 >>> Middlesbrough wins 13

2010/11 Middlesbrough 0 QPR 3 (Helguson 2, Taarabt (pen))

2010/11 QPR 3 Middlesbrough 0 (Helguson pen, Ephraim, Mackie)

2009/10 Middlesbrough 2 QPR 0

2009/10 QPR 1 Middlesbrough 5 (Agyemang)

1997/98 QPR 5 Middlesbrough 0 (Sheron 2, Gallen, Bruce, Vickers og)

1997/98 Middlesbrough 2 QPR 0 (FA Cup replay)

1997/98 QPR 2 Middlesbrough 2 (FA Cup - Gallen, Spencer)

1997/98 Middlesbrough 3 QPR 0

1995/96 QPR 1 Middlesbrough 1 (McDonald)

1995/96 Middlesbrough 1 QPR 0

1992/93 Middlesbrough 0 QPR 1 (Ferdinand)

1992/93 QPR 3 Middlesbrough 3 (Ferdinand, Penrice, Sinton)

1988/89 QPR 0 Middlesbrough 0

1988/89 Middlesbrough 1 QPR 0

1982/83 QPR 6 Middlesbrough 1 (Allen 3, Mickelwhite, Flanagan, Gregory)

1982/83 Middlesbrough 2 QPR 1 (Allen)

1981/82 QPR 1 Middlesbrough 1** (Stainrod)

1981/82 Middlesbrough 2 QPR 3** (Stainrod 2, Neill)

1978/79 QPR 1 Middlesbrough 1 (Goddard)

1978/79 Middlesbrough 0 QPR 2 (Harkouk, Eastoe)

1977/78 QPR 1 Middlesbrough 0 (Busby)

1977/78 Middlesbrough 1 QPR 1 (Busby)

1976/77 Middlesbrough 0 QPR 2 (Masson, Abbott)

1976/77 QPR 3 Middlesbrough 0 (Givens (pen), Masson, Bowles)

1975/76 QPR 4 Middlesbrough 2 (Francis 2 (1pen), Givens, Bowles)

1975/76 Middlesbrough 0 QPR 0

1974/75 QPR 0 Middlesbrough 0

1974/75 Middlesbrough 1 QPR 3 (Bowles, Givens, Rogers)

1972/73 Middlesbrough 0 QPR 0

1972/73 QPR 2 Middlesbrough 2 (Givens, O’Rourke)

1971/72 QPR 1 Middlesbrough 0 (Clement)

1971/72 Middlesbrough 3 QPR 2 (McCulloch, Marsh)

1970/71 QPR 1 Middlesbrough 1 (Francis)

1970/71 Middlesbrough 6 QPR 2 (Clement, Marsh)

1969/70 Middlesbrough 1 QPR 0

1969/70 QPR 4 Middlesbrough 0 (Bridges 2, Clark, Clement)

1967/68 Middlesbrough 3 QPR 1 (L Allen)

1967/68 QPR 1 Middlesbrough 1 (Marsh)

1966/67 Middlesbrough 2 QPR 2 (Marsh, Lazarus)

1966/67 QPR 4 Middlesbrough 0 (Marsh 3, L Allen)

1946/47 Middlesbrough 3 QPR 1** (Boxshall)

1946/47 QPR 1 Middlesbrough 1** (Pattison)

1912/13 Middlesbrough 3 QPR 2**

** - FA Cup

Memorable Match

QPR 3 Middlesbrough 3, Saturday September 19, 1992, Premier League

The Premier League was just two months old when these sides met at Loftus Road back in September 1992. QPR, into a second year under the guidance of manager Gerry Francis, were looking strong with Les Ferdinand, succeeding Roy Wegerle as the team’s go-to striker, banging in the goals left right and centre. After a second half to the 1991/92 season where they’d beaten Man Utd 4-1, eventual champions Leeds 4-1 and Manchester City 4-0 (three of that year’s top five) the R’s had hit the ground running in the new campaign with one defeat from their first eight matches and four wins.

The only thing holding the R’s back from being among the early pace setters at the top of the league was drawing too many games — Ipswich had rode their luck and Arsenal had got away with several questionable penalty incidents in respective 0-0 draws at Loftus Road.

Middlesbrough came to town as one of the newly promoted teams. Beset by financial problems throughout the 1980s they’d actually been relegated to the Third Division in 1985 and come within ten minutes of liquidation before local businessman Steve Gibson brought together a consortium to save the club. Gibson has spectacularly bankrolled Boro ever since, seeing them move to the brand new Riverside Stadium and reach a UEFA Cup final in 2006. Led by inspirational captain Tony Mowbray and wily manager Lennie Lawrence they finished second in the 1991/92 Second Division and thereby won the right to be founder members of the Premier League.

Boro had started well at the higher level. Champions Leeds were thrashed 4-1 at Ayresome Park and they won four and drew one of their first seven matches prior to the visit to Loftus Road. Lawrence’s side won 1-0 at Man City the week before heading to W12 while QPR were winning 2-1 at Southampton which set up an intriguing encounter between two of the division’s better performing sides at the time.

Boro led at half time. Jimmy Phillips whipped a corner into the near post and the captain Alan Kernaghan headed down into the bottom corner. A goal of embarrassing simplicity from a Rangers point of view.

With Gerry Francis’ words ringing in their ears the Super Hoops came out and blitzed the second half. On the hour patient build up with Andy Impey and Justin Channing at the heart of things eventually crafted a crossing opportunity for Andy Sinton but he wasted that and Chris Morris was able to clear. The loose ball fell to Ray Wilkins and he calmly fed it back to Sinton who checked inside onto his right foot and composed himself for a better delivery that Les Ferdinand attacked ferociously in the air, flying in over the top of Derek Whyte to power a header into the roof of the net from 12 yards out. One of the best headers you’ll ever see as long as you watch the game.

In true QPR style though they then undid the hard work by conceding a second goal almost immediately. Whyte fed young striker Tommy Wright who played an untidy one two with Bernie Slaven down the left wing which was somehow enough to completely unlock the Rangers defence, present Wright with a one on one situation and see Boro retake the lead.

So QPR had to start again. There was certainly an element of hit and hope about Ian Holloway’s long punt down the field a short time later but the niggly, hard running style that Gary Penrice was known for — plus the former Bristol Rovers forward’s desperation to end a goal drought stretching back to the previous February — made something of the chance. First the barrel chested striker caught Whyte trying to shepherd the ball out for a goal kick and pinched it from him, then having hooked it along the byline he found Brian Horne the on-loan Middlesbrough goalkeeper flat footed and perhaps expecting a pull back so was able to squirm a fairly pathetic shot underneath him and into the Loft End goal for a second equaliser.

All set for a late QPR winner it seemed. Not so. With six minutes left on the watch the QPR defence contrived to implode once more and concede a third shambolic goal of the afternoon. Wright lofted a free kick to the back post and with markers caught under the ball and Stejskal rooted to his line a queue of unmarked Boro attackers formed and eventually Willie Falconer took responsibility to rise unchallenged and power home what seemed certain to be a winning goal.

Rangers were paper thin at the back, but remained spirited and threatening going forwards. Deep into stoppage time they salvaged a draw in the most dramatic fashion imaginable. Substitute Dennis Bailey was one of eight hooped men packed into the penalty box for a final throw of the dice with an Andy Sinton free kick. The initial delivery was cleared but Wilkins squared the loose ball to Holloway who sent in a searching cross to the back post and, with the Middlesbrough defenders this time caught under the ball and the QPR players lined up to take advantage, Impey steamed in with a blockbusting header that seemed a stone wall certainty to fly into the top corner of the net. Somehow, at point blank range, Horne thrust up an arm at the last second and tipped the ball onto the underside of the bar to preserve the visitors’ precarious lead. The QPR fans packed onto the Lower Loft terrace couldn’t believe it but their despair soon turned to loud penalty appeals as, amidst the carnage created by the ball rebounding back into play in a penalty box containing 18 players, Andy Sinton was hacked to the ground as he tried to gather possession and referee Gerald Ashby pointed to the penalty spot.

With the last kick of the game Sinton stepped up himself and rolled a nervous penalty past Horne and into the bottom corner. Three times behind, Rangers were level again and there was barely time to restart. Given QPR’s defence from the previous Middlesbrough kick offs, that was probably just as well.

Rangers ended up fifth that season, the top placed London club. Boro, however, collapsed. Having lost just two of their first nine and come mighty close to winning a fifth game in seven outings in West London they then drew nine and lost seven of the next 18 games plunging them into a relegation battle which they ultimately failed in. Les Ferdinand scored again in a 1-0 win at Ayresome Park later in the season, part of a run of 11 defeats in 15 games for Lawrence’s side, and they were demoted alongside Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace.

QPR: Stejskal, Channing, Peacock (Holloway), McDonald, Wilson (Maddix), Impey, Barker, Holloway, Sinton, Ferdinand, Penrice

Sub not used: Roberts

Boro: Horne, Morris, Phillips, Kernaghan, Whyte, Peake, Slaven, Flaconer, Wilkinson, Wright, Mustoe

Attendance: 12,272

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ngbqpr added 07:22 - Sep 26 I remember that 3-3 well - the only time I've ever watched a game from a box at LR. I vowed never to do so again after such an exciting game was spoilt for me by the fact that only two of us out of the 10-12 in there showed any remote interest in the match. Interesting to note the crowd...
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MrSheen added 08:52 - Sep 26 Warren Neill in the last minute of extra time in a 3rd round replay at old Ayresome Park, kicked off our 1982 cup run. More memorable surely, but you might struggle to find anyone who was there.
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Northernr added 10:32 - Sep 26 But that's an away game, we're playing them at home on Saturday.
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