Cup was half empty at the break admits angry Iraola
QPR ........................................... 2 Armstrong 40, Dykes 42 BOURNEMOUTH ............................ 3 Tavernier 49, Moore 58, Kluivert 69
BOURNEMOUTH manager Andoni Iraola blamed his side’s lazy first-half performance after they were forced to recover from a two-goal half-time deficit to avoid an FA Cup banana skin against Championship strugglers QPR.
The Hoops had earned an unlikely 2-0 half-time lead thanks to swift breakaway goals from Sinclair Armstrong and Lyndon Dykes.
But the Premier League side hit back with three goals in 21 minutes straight after the break to reach the fourth round.
Marcus Tavernier and Kieffer Moore both scored from corners before substitute Justin Kluivert rounded off the comeback for a much-changed Bournemouth side.
Iraola admitted he almost paid the price for resting a number of key players, with top scorer Dominic Solanke not even in the matchday squad.
“We didn’t start the game well,” said Iraola. “We had to play with more sense of urgency. We were patient in possession but without attacking spaces. You play slow, you don’t make the chances.
“The second half was a much higher rhythm. We needed a change in attitude. We needed to play in a different way.
“We are much better when we think we have nothing to lose. Now our challenge is to start like this in games. We have to be more aggressive.”
Defeat was QPR’S 52nd in the FA Cup third round – more time than any club has ever exited the competition at this stage.
Despite being mired in a Championship relegation fight, hopes of a memorable upset were raised by their two first-half goals.
Yet their downfall was a familiar problem, with Tavernier and Moore’s goals meaning 10 of the 15 Marti Cifuentes’ side have conceded during his tenure have come from set-pieces.
“You don’t need to be a genius and just look at the stats,” said Cifuentes.
“Five goals in open play in this amount of matches is a fantastic stat. But unfortunately set-pieces have been an issue for a while.” QPR: Begovic 6; Drewe 6 (Kakay (61) 6), Dunne 6, Fox 6, Larkeche 6; Dixon-bonner 6 (Pedder (89) 5), Field 7 (Talla (80) 5), Dozzell 6; Smyth 6 (Adomah (61) 5), Armstrong 7, Dykes 6 (Paal (80) 5) BOURNEMOUTH: Travers 6; Aarons 6, Mepham 5 (Christie (46) 6), Senesi 6, Tavernier 8; Scott 8, Cook 7; Brooks 5 (Kluivert (46) 7), Billing 7 (Adu-adjei (89) 5), Sinisterra 7; Moore 7 (Zabarnyi (84) 5) STAR MAN: Alex Scott – Inspired Bournemouth’s comeback with a commanding performance in the middle. REF: Rebecca Welch 8