Non-League and Academy football writer

I took a trip down to The Powerday Stadium, the home of non-League side Hanwell Town, to watch the QPR Development Squad take on AFC Bournemouth’s Under 21 side, in a top of the table clash in the Professional Development League. The game on Monday evening ended in a 2-2 draw, in what was an entertaining game of football, it was however, a real game of two halves. The first half was all about the visitors, Bournemouth, who dominated the game during the first half, even though QPR managed to create a couple of decent chances, it was to be Bournemouth’s half. A good move from Bournemouth on 17 minutes, saw the away side take the lead, through Balraj Landa. The AFC Bournemouth player received the ball inside of the QPR penalty area, before hitting a really good and powerful effort past QPR goalkeeper Matteo Salamon, and into the goal. Another very good passing move, less than two minutes later, resulted in Bournemouth doubling their advantage. With the Bournemouth centre-forward Daniel Adu-Adjei finishing well from inside the QPR box. A fine lofted effort from QPR player Micah Anthony, from outside of the Bournemouth box, saw his effort go just over their goal, as the home side tried to respond, before half-time.

In the second half QPR had noticeably improved in their play, and were now taking the game to Bournemouth more. Samuel Sackey hit an effort wide of the Bournemouth goal, from the edge of their box, before Bournemouth created a good chance at the opposite end of the pitch. The move ended with Finn Tonks picking out Dominic Sadi on the edge of the QPR box, but his low first time effort was saved well by the feet of QPR goalkeeper Matteo Salamon, with the effort taking a slight deflection. From a Bournemouth corner kick, Dominic Sadi had an effort on goal delfected onto Salamon’s crossbar, before QPR went forward with the ball. A good first time effort from Alfie Tuck on the edge of the Bournemouth box, was well pushed behind for a corner-kick, by Cameron Plain. And it was from the resulting corner kick that QPR found a way back into the game. After a bit of a scramble inside the box, Micah Anthony managed to score from close range. Soon after the game got started again, and after Dominic Sadi played a good pass through to Michael Da Costa Gonzalez inside the QPR box, it looked like Bournemouth were going to restore their two goal lead. However, Da Costa Gonzalez was denied by a good save from the impressive Matteo Salamon.

Soon after Noa Boutin had hit an effort wide of the QPR goal from the edge of the Bournemouth box, QPR managed to get level in the game. A cross into the Bournemouth penalty area from Micah Anthony, to pick out Kieran Petrie on the right side of the Bournemouth box, resulted in Kieran Petrie finding the bottom left corner of the Bournemouth goal, from his first time effort. Kieran Petrie hit a deflected effort wide of the goal from the edge of the Bournemouth box, before Bournemouth substitute Kian Tydeman hit a free-kick effort over the QPR goal, from the edge of their penalty area. Late on in the game Bournemouth defender Ben Greenwood made a great and very important standing challenge inside the Bournemouth box, before the referee sounded his whistle for full-time. This was a very good game of football between two top sides and title challengers in the Professional Development League. I was very impressed with how quick and precise Bournemouth were with their passing and in how they moved off the ball, during the first half. The impressive Noah Boutin went on some really good forward runs down the left flank for Bournemouth, and he linked up really well with Dominic Sadi, throughout the game.

Dominic Sadi was a player who really impressed me. The 20 year old who spent some time with Wingate & Finchley prior to being signed by Bournemouth, would take up some very good positions in which to receive the ball from. He also showed real skill and quality on the ball, and as I mentioned, his link-up play with Noah Boutin, was very good throughout the game. Bournemouth right-back Finn Tonks had a fine game, as did centre-forward Daniel Adu-Adjei, whose leading of the line was impressive. For QPR, I thought that Kieran Petrie had a really good game, and that he was very inventive with the ball, and also, QPR goalkeeper Matteo Salamon impressed with his all-round goalkeeping and decision making.