Lutel James led Rangers a merry dance after the Londoners had made a bright
and breezy start.
The 24-year-old rookie striker, signed from Unibond League Premier Division
side Hyde United last October, doesn't look big enough to be a nuisance, but his
pace and strength certainly unsettled the visitors' rearguard.
Danny Maddix and Chris Plummer were both booked in the first half for heavy
challenges on the mercurial James, but they couldn't prevent him scoring the
second goal of his brief career in the Nationwide League.
That came in the 24th minute when Bury goalkeeper Dean Kiely launched a
massive kick deep into Rangers territory. Nigel Jemson headed on and James
sprinted clear before confidently slotting a low, right-foot shot beyond Ludek
Miklosko and into the far corner.
It was a stunning blow for Rangers who had snapped into action straight from
the kick-off with Matthew Rose almost giving them a second minute lead with a
20-yard drive which just cleared the angle of upright and crossbar.
Miklosko saved superbly to keep out a Lennie Johnrose header, but Rangers were
still a threat when wing-back Antti Heinola was stretchered off in the 20th
minute after an accidental clash of heads with Paul Williams. Paul Murray
deputised.
Kevin Gallen thought he had equalised after 30 minutes but was ruled offside,
and Rangers were lucky to survive until half-time without conceding another
goal.
The visitors were again in aggressive mood after the break when their better
brand of football pushed Bury backwards.
Gallen and Maddix both tested Kiely before 34-year-old Iain Dowie's
close-range shot from a Gavin Peacock cross levelled matters after 66 minutes.
The alert Miklosko grabbed the ball off the head of Johnrose as the balance of
possession swung back in Bury's favour and the Czech Republic goalkeeper was
again on hand to block from James after the goalscorer had swooped onto an Ian
Barraclough miscue.
Peacock's midfield skills brought Gallen and Chris Kiwomya into the spotlight
along the flanks, and Dowie was willing to chase less-than-half chances, but in
the final reckoning, the draw was a fair end to an entertaining match.
Teams
Bury: Kiely, Woodward, Lucketti, Swailes, Williams, West, Daws,
Johnrose, Billy, James (Littlejohn 85), Jemson (Preece 75).
Subs Not Used: Souter.
Booked: Swailes.
Goals: James 24.
QPR: Miklosko, Heinola (Murray 20), Baraclough, Morrow, Plummer,
Maddix, Rose, Peacock, Dowie, Gallen, Kiwomya.
Subs Not Used: Rowland, Slade.
Booked: Morrow, Plummer.
Goals: Dowie 66.
Att: 4,609
Ref: T Heilbron (Newton Aycliffe).
E-mail Article 
Print-Friendly
Subscribe to RSS Feed 
Post to del.icio.us
Facebook