Football League Division 2 – 18 December 1979
Team: Woods, Shanks, Gillard, McCreery, Hazell, Wicks, Waddock, Roeder, Allen (C), Goddard, Burke
Sub: Busby for Burke in 74th minute
Attendance: 26,598
After the 2-4 defeat at St. James’ Park three days earlier, the R’s then faced Chelsea on 18th December at Loftus Road. David Miller’s match report later appeared in the ‘Daily Express’:
‘Chelsea came from behind after Allen’s early strike to lead after 50 minutes with goals from Tommy Langley and John Bumstead.
Maybe Petar Borota should have saved the shot which crept across the mud and just inside the post to bring Clive Allen’s tally to 18 league and cup goals this season.
Both Docherty and Hurst were full of admiration for Allen, who blasted his first in the 36th minute from a 23-yard free kick after Colin Pates had dragged Paul Goddard off the ball by his shirt.
Right from the start Chelsea were intelligent and penetrating in their build-up, and they had several half-chances before Pates’ grotesque foul, for which he was justly booked, and Allen justly scored with a ferocious drive.
Tommy Langley equalised two minutes before half-time.
Five minutes into the second-half, Ian Britton slid the perfect pass on to the end of Bumstead’s 30-yard run to silence the Rangers’ followers.
But slowly Rangers drove Chelsea back and Roeder might have equalised before floating over the cross for Allen’s equaliser.’
The Supporters Club section of the match programme announced that there was a special train for the trip to Leicester. Depart St. Pancras 11.56 and the fare was £4.75.
Steve Russell
