BALTIMORE, Maryland May 12, 2014 - Derby County beat back Brighton in the second leg of their playoff, 4-1, in a match that was not nearly that close, thereby sealing the Ram's appointment at Wembley on 24 May. Their opponent will be decided on Loftus Road tonight when the Rangers entertain Wigan Athletic. The two had at it where the Latics play last week, but the match ended scoreless. Thus, the winner tonight will play Derby County at Wembley twelve days hence. The BBC says that no fourth place finisher in the Championship League has been promoted since way back in 1998. But the last time that Wigan beat Queens Park was in 2011 when both were in the Premier.
Rangers coach Clint Hill spent much time since Game 1 hoping he had not made his last appearance in this playoff series. He appeared to plant a vigourous elbow into Wigan's Rob Kiernan close to the outset, but apparently has dodged suspension. Said Hill: "I have apologised. I caught him. It was a little bit reckless." Diplomatic Latics boss Uwe Rösler didn't see the actual incident, but says he was told it should have been whistled. "The pressure is on QPR now," said Rösler. "They came for the draw and got it."
Harry Redknapp, the Ranger boss, disagreed, insisting: "I picked a very open team. I picked two out-and-out wingers."
Both side had wonderful chances, for all the good it did either of them. Former Burnley Star Charlie Austin starts for QPR. Few Burnley fans need to be reminded of that.
Bright Coach Oscar Garcia has resigned in the wake of his side's double defeat to Derby County in their playoff. Derby beat Brighton four times in this recently concluded season - for Brighton, that is. Derby's will continue one more game.
Garcia will have nightmares about Chris Martin. Martin scored the first goal in the first match, a goal that equalized the game after the Seagulls broke on top. Martin takes credit for the second although technically it was an own goal. From the top of the box he slugged a shot that hit off the cross bar, richocheted off and banged into the back of Brighton keeper Tomasz Kuszczak. From there, it trickled in to the Seagull net. In the second leg, his merciless shot sealed Brighton's fate, that's all. Nightmares!
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