IT is 39 years ago this week since the most exciting football match I have ever seen live…
QUEENS PARK RANGERS 5, NEWCASTLE UNITED 5
Saturday 22nd September 1984, Canon League Division One
A LAST gasp equaliser by Gary Micklewhite capped QPR’s amazing comeback after they trailed 4-0 at half-time.
The R’s started this day lying 13th in the top flight under boss Alan Mullery. Newly promoted Newcastle United were three places above with a point more.
After losing the toss, Rangers had to attack the Loft in the first half. An incredible afternoon on the Omniturf plastic pitch unfolded as follows…
3 minutes: Newcastle winger Chris Waddle outstripped Terry Fenwick on the left and sent in a deep cross for Neil McDonald to head powerfully in off the underside of the bar. 0-1.
17 minutes: A defence-splitting pass from Peter Haddock put Waddle in the clear and he coolly fired past diving Hoops keeper Peter Hucker. 0-2.
22 minutes: Waddle lashed home from close range after Kenny Wharton’s initial effort had bounced back from the upright. This was the first time that QPR had conceded three goals in a match on the artificial turf. 0-3.
24 minutes: R’s striker Gary Bannister muscled past a defender and lifted a shot over visiting custodian Kevin Carr. However, the goal was disallowed for a foul by Bannister.
41 minutes: Newcastle’s fourth attack of the game and their fourth goal! Waddle cut inside from a wide position and unleashed a ferocious shot into the top left hand corner. He therefore became the first opposing player to score a hat-trick on the Omniturf. By now, the 2,500 travelling fans directly behind that goal in the School End were engaged in a noisy victory celebration. 0-4.
Half-time: Some Rangers supporters decided that they had seen enough and left the stadium to go home. Manager Alan Mullery opted to take off midfielder Mike Fillery and send on winger Ian Stewart for the second period, thereby deploying a four man attack. The omens were not good though, because the last time Rangers had conceded four goals at home in the first half was in a 6-3 defeat by Coventry in November 1963.
49 minutes: Bannister outstripped the Newcastle defence and sent in a vicious right footer that Carr did well to parry. As the ball looped upwards, Bannister followed up himself to head in from six yards. 1-4.
56 minutes: Gary Micklewhite caused panic in the visitors’ box and forced a wild clearance from Newcastle man Haddock. This smashed into the face of his team mate Kenny Wharton before rebounding backwards for a spectacular own goal. Wharton was out cold for two minutes after that but was able to carry on. 2-4.
57 minutes: Micklewhite was involved again, this time completely over-hitting a back pass from the centre circle. The ball seemed to be dipping under his own crossbar before Hucker back-peddled frantically to tip it over the top.
65 minutes: Another disallowed goal for Rangers when Simon Stainrod whipped a low shot beyond Carr.
74 minutes: Micklewhite’s through ball set up John Gregory for an exquisitely chipped finish. 3-4.
84 minutes: In a rare Newcastle breakaway, Waddle advanced in a seemingly offside position and crossed for Wharton to convert from three yards. Surely that put the outcome beyond doubt with six minutes remaining! 3-5.
85 minutes: A towering header by Steve Wicks from a Micklewhite cross gave Rangers fresh hope and the noise from the home fans reached crescendo point. 4-5.
90 minutes 40 seconds: Gregory’s dummy on the edge of the box created space for Micklewhite to scamper through and fire high into the right hand corner from 12 yards. This prompted an outbreak of blue and white hooped delirium around the stadium. 5-5.
The final whistle blew seconds later and the QPR players raised their arms in salute as they gained a standing ovation from their ecstatic home fans. Even those shell-shocked Newcastle supporters sportingly applauded the hooped heroes.
R’s manager Alan Mullery told the press afterwards: “I am sitting down because I am still shaking. I will remember this game for the rest of my life.
“At half-time we were devastated. To concede four times – let alone five – was never on. I told my players they had no chance, so they should just go out and play for their pride in the second half.
“But a miracle took place and my team made that miracle happen.”
Newcastle boss Jack Charlton said: “After being four goals up, we are sick at only drawing this match.”
England manager Bobby Robson was in the crowd and said: “I haven’t seen a game like that for years. There were some magnificent goals.”
“FIVERS!” was the headline of a Sunday Mirror match report by John Hall which read…
“Gary Micklewhite crowned the fightback of the season as Rangers’ Houdini hot-shots came back from the dead to snatch a miraculous point.
“Four down at the interval, Alan Mullery’s shell-shocked side looked dead and buried as Chris Waddle left them standing with a stunning first half hat-trick.
“But Rangers bounced back off the canvas with a comeback that had the Loftus Road fans reaching for the tranquilisers.”
QPR: Peter Hucker, Warren Neill, Ian Dawes, Wayne Fereday, Steve Wicks, Terry Fenwick (captain), Gary Micklewhite, Mike Fillery (sub: Ian Stewart 45 minutes), Gary Bannister, Simon Stainrod, John Gregory.
Newcastle: Kevin Carr, Malcolm Brown, Wesley Saunders, Peter Haddock, John Anderson, Glenn Roeder, Neil McDonald, Ken Wharton, Chris Waddle, Peter Beardsley, David McCreery. Sub not used: Paul Ferris.
Attendance: 14,526.
*Credit for photos in this article belongs to @TonyIncenzo*
