Cardiff v Q.P.R. Match preview

Last updated : 24 March 2006 By Michael Morris
City welcome old friends Q.P.R. to Ninian Park tomorrow in a match that the Bluebirds must win to keep up their play off challenge.

City's rivals for 6th place, Preston and Wolves, are also at home. Preston welcome Plymouth and Wolves entertain Sheffield Wednesday.

None of the three home teams can afford to slip up.

On the pitch City are set to name an unchanged side from last weeks 1 - 0 win at Plymouth. The only likely change will come in the bench when Martyn Margetson is expected to be back to replace his cover for last week, Lee Worgan.

Q.P.R. come to Ninian Park with former Bluebirds Gareth Ainsworth and Richard Langley in the squad. Ainsworth, with 7, is their leading scorer this season.

Rangers will definately be without Kevin Gallen who was red carded last week. He starts a 3 match ban. Paul Furlong and Matthew Rose could return from injury.

Don't forget that there will be a bigger crowd than usual becuase of the kids being allowed in for free. Allow yourself time to get into the ground.

Dave Jones is not taking Q.P.R. lightly. Even though they are comfortable in mid table with relatively little to play for other than pride, Jones knows they will want to win at Ninian Park

"The trouble is, if a team's got nothing to play for, they might as well just go out there and enjoy it," said Jones.

"So I don't believe it's easier to play teams like this. I believe if you are at a football club, you get paid and you have a duty to go out and do your best and I don't care what position you're in.

"So I expect it to still be another hard game. There's a lot of talk of ex-players coming back and trying to stick one over on the club and everything else. That gives an ingredient to the game, but it's more about what we've got at stake and what we've got to do to get the three points.

"It doesn't matter who you play, everybody you come up against at this stage of the season has something to fight for.

"They say QPR have nothing to play for, but I'll guarantee they have players within their squad who'll be playing for their future, so, of course they have something to play for.