Quest pundits Ian Holloway and Ali Maxwell believe Cardiff City’s first goal against QPR should not have stood.
Isaak Davies, fresh from signing a new contract with the club this week, came off the bench to kickstart a superb second-half comeback for Steve Morison’s side in west London.
Midway through the second period, he linked up with Joel Bagan down the left-hand side, shrugged off the attentions of Hoops’ Rob Dickie and struck a low shot at home keeper David Marshall. The former Bluebird saved the effort but the ball span over his head and over the line.
It provided the spark the Bluebirds needed, with Ruben Colwill adding a second via a gorgeous 20-yard free-kick just four minutes later.
But Holloway and Maxwell were in agreement that Davies fouled Dickie in the build-up to the equaliser.
“I thought Cardiff were really impressive today,” host Colin Murray said.
“The problem we have, have a look at this foul on Dickie, was he strong enough, should he have stayed up?”
“That’s a foul!” Holloway responded, believing an infringement had taken place. Maxwell concurred.
“It is a foul, it is, he’s very tenacious, isn’t he, Davies, and there is a part of me which thinks ‘should Dickie be going down there?’ He’s about a foot taller than him, he should be stronger than him,” said Maxwell.
“Then you see Dickie doing pretty much the same thing (for the Cardiff free-kick from which they score), who (Davies) also stays on his feet to his credit. The referee does well to play the advantage.”
“But they are both fouls, right?” Murray interjects.
“They are both fouls, so give them both,” Holloway said.
With both pundits in agreement over the awarding – or non-awarding – of the free-kicks, they also struck the same chord on Colwill’s winner.
The youngster has been in and out of Morison’s squads in recent weeks, but Maxwell praised the new permanent manager’s handling of the starlet.
“Unbelievable strike from Ruben Colwill and what a season he’s having really,” he said.
“Steve Morison (is) managing him well. He’s not just chucked him in at the deep end, he manages his minutes, as he does with Davies, as he does with Mark Harris, as he does with Bagan. Playing these young players who will be the future of Cardiff City who they need.
“Colwill scored the winner against Forest earlier on in the season away, now the winner at Loftus Road.”
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“I’ve got to say, that is a great goal,” former QPR boss Holloway added of Colwill’s free-kick. “What a free-kick from a young man, well done, and well done to Steve Morison.”
The manager himself has pleaded for patience over Colwill, urging everyone to “relax” and let the Wales man find his own course in the game.
“It’s an unbelievable free-kick,” Morison said post-match. “He was fantastic in the game.
“He needs to keep his feet on the floor and you lot [the press] need to keep your feet on the floor.
“He scored a really good goal. He also had three shots before that which all went into the second tier of the stand. I’d much rather him hit the target three times, not score the free-kick and score those chances.
“Let’s make sure we all relax. It was an unbelievable moment and it wins us the game tonight. Him and everyone else is really pleased.
“It was a real team effort.”
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