Cup Preview: Fleetwood Town v Queens Park Rangers

6 January 2023

Fleetwood Town take on Queens Park Rangers in the Emirates FA Cup Third Round on Saturday 7 January, and we have all the details you need to know in our match preview ahead of the 3pm kick-off.

Fixture: Fleetwood Town v Queens Park Rangers

Competition: Emirates FA Cup Third Round

Date: Saturday 7 January 2023

Kick-off: 15:00

Venue: Highbury Stadium

Highbury Stadium - Parkside Stand (4).jpg

FLEETWOOD TOWN

The Cods come into this exciting cup tie off the back of a terrific start to 2023, with a 3-0 away victory over Shrewsbury Town. After ending 2022 with a slightly disappointing set of results, after an away win over MK Dons, Town will be hoping to go on a cup run, by extending their good form to game two of the new year by beating Neil Critchley’s QPR.

Town were frightful in attack in Shropshire on New Year’s Day and didn’t give Shrewsbury a chance. It was the best possible start to the year for Scott Brown’s side. On loan Luton Town striker Admiral Muskwe was on target in his return to the side after injury, as was Promise Omochere - who bagged his first goal for the club since joining from Irish side, Bohemians.

Fleetwood were solid at the back and the attack clicked for 90 minutes, which hasn’t always been seen thus far in 2022/23. For Town’s good run of form to continue Saturday, Fleetwood will need to take the positives from their win on the road last weekend.

To get to the Fourth Round of the FA Cup would be a great achievement for the Cods as they haven't done that in their history. Thus would be a massive boost to take into their next game versus Oxford United when they return to league action.

QUEENS PARK RANGERS

Sitting 12^th in the Championship, QPR were once as high as second but with the loss of their former head coach Michael Beale and a run of some bad results, they’ve dropped to mid table.

Since Critchley took over, QPR have won just once, which was in the former Blackpool’s managers first game where they were 1-0 winner over Preston North End. After that, they were beaten by Luton at home, then took a point from both Cardiff City and Sheffield United.

Even while in a sticky patch of form, QPR do boast a strong squad with the likes of Ilias Chair, Chris Willock, and Lyndon Dykes in the ranks. Critchley has a host of good players to choose from ahead of the weekend's match.

WHAT THE MANAGER HAD TO SAY REGARDING THE GAME

Fleetwood Town boss sat down with the local media to speak about this weekend’s tie.

Brown said: “Neil Critchley is a fantastic coach. He’s been at Blackpool and Aston Villa, and you don’t end up at those club’s without being a good coach and manager.

“He will have his tactics spot on. They play with a 4-3-3 and have great energy up top.”

Speaking about how the Cods can trouble QPR, Brown touched on being able to compete, especially with the game being on home turf."

Brown added: “For us, we need to make sure we are on our game. We are playing a Championship club and its great experience for our players.

“We want them to enjoy it, we want them to show that there isn’t much of a difference between the two sides. We want to be able to compete at home against them on Saturday!”

Brown is looking forward to the game, it is going to be a great advert for two Football League sides going toe-to-toe in the FA Cup, and finding some form is something of interest to Brown.

He said: “It’s our home form we need to focus on, we’ve drawn a lot at home, and we just want to make it a hard place to come for teams. Yes, we have played some nice football, but we haven’t killed games off.

"Killing games off on a regular basis is something Brown wants to see more of, and that was apparent in the Cods’ last outing."

IFOLLOW DETAILS

There will be no iFollow due to this being an Emirates FA Cup game and the competition having their own rights to broadcasting.

GET YOUR ONWARD CARD TODAY!

Make sure you are in the stands to watch the Cods during the 2022/23 Sky Bet League One season by getting your very own Onward card. Adult tickets start at just £14.17 a month and Under-16s from just £1.92 a month!

Match Reports

Report: Town make history after beating QPR in the FA Cup Third Round

7 January 2023

Fleetwood Town made history on Saturday afternoon after beating Championship side Queens Park Rangers at Highbury Stadium.

Goals from Toto Nsiala and Promise Omochere were enough to see the Cods through to the Fourth Round of the Emirates FA Cup for the first time in their history, even after a Sam Field opener for the visitors.

The game opened with both teams playing at high-intensity levels and Town came at QPR first. Carl Johnston played a diagonal ball to Danny Andrew, who played in Cian Hayes, and then the resulting cross into the box was turned away for a corner kick.

QPR fielded quite a strong side for this Third-Round tie, Neil Critchley possessed some good names in his line-up.

That quality wasn’t showing early on as it was the Cods with most of the chances. However, QPR’s first shot on goal came in the 11^th minute as Chris Willock got on the end of a ball in by Ilias Chair, but his shot was blocked on the line by Wiredu.

Carlos Mendes Gomes had to receive some treatment in the 22^nd minute but play soon resumed. There wasn’t too much going on in the game past the quarter-hour mark, both teams had settled, and chances seemed hard to come by.

That changed when QPR’s Albert Adomah had a shot saved from just outside the box, however, it wasn’t a powerful enough hit to trouble Jakub Stolarczyk in the Town goal. Not too long after that Hayes sprinted down the left and drilled another ball into the QPR box, but nothing came of that.

The deadlock was broken in the 36^th minute when QPR pounced on a scramble in the box and Field was on target to net for the visitors.

Town came back though, with an instant response to going behind when Toto Nsiala calmly headed home from an Andrew corner to put the hosts back in the game. As the game entered its break, the Cods were level with QPR after that inspired finish from Nsiala.

As the second half commenced, Town came out of the traps the faster of the two sides again, as Hayes continued to cause QPR problems. He took the ball beyond a visiting defender and his shot stung the palms of Senny Dieng in the QPR goal.

Fleetwood then did have a glorious chance to take the lead, Omochere’s effort was saved by the keeper, and the ball then fell to Admiral Muskwe who missed connection with the ball. Town kept pressing and continued to make a better start to the second 45 minutes.

QPR came back at Town with some chances of their own as half an hour remained. Critchley’s side had a couple of corners in succession but failed to convert from either. In the wind and rain, the second half was an end-to-end affair which looked as if it could go either way.

Hayes’ impact on the game nearly came full circle as his shot in the 65^th minute was inches wide of the goal. Midway through the second though, Town did get into themselves the lead though when a player in form, Omochere fired in a shot on the half turn from just inside the QPR box. Town’s good tempo throughout the game seemed to be paying off.

As QPR looked to get a foot back in the game, everything they tried wasn’t working. Town looked to have the game under control, especially once they took the lead in the 66^th minute.

As the game came to an end, the Cods shut up shop and took the tie away from the visitors and it’ll be a first-time ticket to the Fourth Round for Fleetwood next as they defeat Championship outfit QPR.

Town XI: Stolarczyk (GK), Andrew, Wiredu, Mendes Gomes (G. Garner 60’), Vela (C), Muskwe (Morton 81’), Warrington, Omochere (Batty 81’), Hayes (Patterson 76’), Nsiala, Johnston.

Unused subs: McMullan (GK), Devlin, Lane, Holgate, Baggley.

QPR XI: Dieng (GK), Kakay (Paal 81’) Dunne, Dickie, Willock (Richards 67’), Dykes, Chair, Field (C), Hamalainen (Laird 81’), Dozzell (Armstrong 81’), Adomah (Roberts 67’).

Unused subs: Archer (GK), Mahoney, Masterson, Iroegbunam.

Match Reports

Ticket News

Last chance to buy your tickets for the QPR game

7 January 2023

With Fleetwood Town taking on Queens Park Rangers this afternoon at Highbury in the FA Cup, there's only a limited amount of time left for you to pick up your match tickets.

Cup fever returns to the Fylde Coast today as Scott Brown's side welcome Neil Critchley's men to Highbury Stadium for a Third Round Emirates FA Cup tie.

Supporters can pick up tickets before kick-off at the club's ticket office down at the stadium, or to make it easy, you can buy tickets online HERE!

SEATING

Adults: £20

Seniors (65+): £10

Under-18s: £2

STANDING

Adults: £18

Seniors (65+): £8

Under-18s: £1

If you would like to know any further details, please contact the Ticket Office on 01253 775080.

Ticket News

Fleetwood Town

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Bring your kid to Highbury this weekend for just a quid!

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