QPR Under-21s draw 3-3 with Watford

Goals from Aaron Mitchell, Sebastian Polter and Axel Prohouly at Vicarage Road

Victor Ibarbo (2) and Alex Jakubiak (pen) score for Watford

SEBASTIAN Polter scored one goal and set-up another as QPR’s Under-21 side drew 3-3 with Watford on Monday evening.





The German striker provided the assist for Aaron Mitchell before finding the back of the net himself as the R’s raced into a half-time lead at Vicarage Road.





Watford pulled one back after the break through Victor Ibarbo before Axel Prohouly restored QPR’s two-goal advantage soon after.





However, when Cole Kpekawa upended Obbi Oularé in the penalty area Alex Jakubiak scored from the spot before the second half substitute hit the equaliser in the 74th minute as Rangers gave the win away.





It was the hosts though that started brighter when inside two minutes Watford’s Obbi Oularé saw his effort cleared off the line after a good ball from teammate Alessandro Diamanti.





Following a strong run Hornets fullback David Sesay fired wide of R’s keeper Alex Smithies’ far post before Victor Ibarbo’s curling shot went wide of the upright with a quarter of an hour on the clock.





Despite their early pressure it was QPR that eventually took the lead after 19 minutes when Aaron Mitchell was on hand to finish from close range after German striker Sebastian Polter had nodded the ball down in the box.





Buoyed by their opener, Rangers nearly added a second two minutes later when Michael Petrasso – back from his Canada Under-23 exploits – saw his effort cleared off the Hornets line by Alfie Young after the winger had shown a good burst of pace.





It was then time for Polter to turn scorer as he doubled the visitors lead in the 27th minute when he was on hand to convert a low cross form six-yards.





Smithies was then called into action as he turned Oularé’s low goalbound effort around the post to deny Watford.





Oularé was back in the thick of it for the hosts six minutes after the half-time break but he shot wide of the target when Smithies found himself out of position.





Watford were then unlucky not to have pulled a goal back when Diamanti’s free-kick from 25-yards struck the top of the QPR crossbar with Smithies beaten.





The hosts pressure eventually told though when on 62 minutes they scored in fortuitous circumstances when Ibarbo’s effort deflected past a stranded Smithies.





It took the R’s just eight minutes to restore their two goal advantage however when substitute Axel Prohouly riffled emphatically past keeper Nathan Gartside from the edge of the area before 60 seconds later the Hornets were handed a penalty.





Oularé was tripped in the Rangers 18-yard box by defender Cole Kpekawa – who was subsequently booked – and substitute Alex Jakubiak made no mistake from the spot, sending Smithies the wrong way.





Spurred on the hosts then levelled as Jakubiak grabbed his second of the evening when Ibarbo’s shot crashed back off the post and the 19-year-old forward was on hand to tap in from close range with 16 minutes remaining.





Watford nearly grabbed a 90th minute winner but Smithies was on hand to claw away Diamanti’s long range free-kick as Rangers hung on for a point.





Rangers Under-21 side are next in action on Friday, 13th November when they host Cardiff City at Loftus Road.





Watford U21s: Gartside; Sesay, Johnson, Young (Jakubiak 69), Doherty; Smith, Byers, Stewart (Charles 54), Ibarbo; Diamanti, Oularé (Mensah 76).





Subs not used: Thomas, Hall





QPR: Smithies, Kakay (Komodikis 70), Kpekawa, Ajeti, Suk-Young, Mitchell, Comley, Corkery (Prohouly 60), Hamalainen (Grego-Cox 60), Petrasso, Polter.





Subs not used: Brzozowski.





See also ....