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It is 47 years since we last met in the FA Cup. That was in the 3rd round too in a season that saw us go all the way to Wembley. Our only other FA Cup meeting came in our first Championship season of 1920/21 and that brought about a 4th round win.
This competition has not proved to bring too much success to either of us in recent years. The last team we overcame in an FA Cup tie was Bournemouth in 2005. We've gone out at the first time of asking in each of the last three seasons to Derby, Reading and Arsenal.
But QPR can outdo us on that score. They failed to win a tie in any of the last seven seasons and have been beaten by Swansea, Vauxhall Motors, Grimsby, Forest, Blackburn, Luton and Chelsea. The first three of those were 1st round ties.
It's not that long since were at Loftus Road. We played them in a league game there just three days after the victory at Chelsea. We won 2-1 and at the time Gareth Ainsworth was in temporary charge after the dismissal of Iain Dowie.
Things have changed since, Paulo Sousa has come in as the new permanent manager and he's wasted no time in making changes at Loftus Road.
He's already made three signings. Within days of his arrival they signed Gary Borrowdale from Coventry and Heidar Helguson from Bolton, both in loan deals to be made permanent in January.
Those two players have now completed their moves and they have also added Aston Villa's Wayne Routledge who was expected to complete a move to Cardiff where he had been on loan.
Since our win there they have been unbeaten at home, although they have failed to win any of their away games. But they have home advantage and we'll need to turn round that current form.
One way or another one of us is going to get a first win for a while in this competition. Some might think it not too important with a Carling Cup Semi-Final looming on the horizon, but why not have two cup runs.
The two players certainly missing for QPR are striker Rowan Vine and midfielder Akos Buzsaky, both of whom have long term injuries. Buzsaky suffered a cruciate ligament injury and is unlikely to play for the rest of the season.
New signing Wayne Routledge is not expected to feature so Sousa is likely to select from the players on duty in their last game. On that occasion they lined up: Radek Cerny, Damien Delaney, Damion Stewart, Fitz Hall, Peter Ramage, Hogan Ephraim, Martin Rowlands, Gavin Mahon, Lee Cook, Patrick Agyemang, Heidar Helguson. Subs: Matthew Connolly, Emmanuel Ledesma, Matteo Alberti, Mikele Leigertwood, Dexter Blackstock.
Owen Coyle might not be left with two many options, certainly not in midfield and defence. We are without both Steven Caldwell and Stephen Jordan, our two most consistent defenders, due to suspension. Jordan serves a one match ban for reaching five yellow cards whilst Caldwell starts a two match ban having been sent off by referee Trevor Kettle last Sunday.
In midfield the hero of our last cup tie Kevin McDonald has no chance of playing and Chris McCann is rated very doubtful and I don't believe he will play.
Left back Christian Kalvenes is back in training after six weeks out injured but Coyle has hinted that he might not bring him straight back in after such a long lay off.
It really is down to the bare bones and with seven substitutes we will just about be able to fill the bench. What the Burnley side will be is anyone's guess but if Kalvenes is not risked then we might have Wade Elliott at right back again.
We could have the following: Brian Jensen, Wade Elliott, Clarke Carlisle, Michael Duff, Graham Alexander, Robbie Blake, Joey Gudjonsson, Alan Mahon, Chris Eagles, Martin Paterson, Steven Thompson: Subs: Diego Penny, Christian Kalvenes, Remco van der Schaaf, Adam Kay, Alex MacDonald, Ade Akinbiyi, Jay Rodriguez.
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Burnley were in front as early as the sixth minute of the game. Ray Pointer outpaced them down the left win and crossed for Jimmy Robson. He found his shot blocked but John Connelly ran in to hammer the ball home from close range.
QPR had a good spell during the first half but our half back line of Jimmy Adamson, Tommy Cummings and Brian Miller had little difficulty in keeping them at bay and only once did they come close.
It was Burnley who probably should have had more goals but we had to settle for that one goal lead at half time when Robson could only head over right on half time after Jimmy McIlroy had mesmerised the defence with some amazing ball juggling.
QPR defender Collins found a way to deal with McIlroy ten minutes into the second half, he tripped him. The referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot and Mac himself got up to double the lead.
Two became three just past the hour when left back Ingham, trying to clear after a good save from goalkeeper Drinkwater, put through his own goal and the Clarets were just about home and dry.
With twenty minutes to go Turf Moor erupted when we got our fourth at the cricket field end. Gordon Harris headed on a McIlroy free kick to Alex Elder and the left back advanced before hitting a howitzer of a shot from the edge of the box.
It flew into the top corner and every Burnley player rushed to the left back to congratulate him, it was his first goal for the club.
QPR pulled one back through Evans but Burnley weren't finished. Connelly beat his defender to cross for Harris to make it 5-1 and then Harris got his second to cap a fine man of the match performance with a shot from the edge of the box.
QPR manager Alec Stock thought his side was unlucky but 6-1 was just about a fair reflection of the game.
Burnley lined up:
Adam Blacklaw, John Angus, Alex Elder, Jimmy Adamson, Tommy Cummings, Brian Miller, John Connelly, Jimmy McIlroy, Ray Pointer, Jimmy Robson, Gordon Harris.
Previous 20 Seasons | |||||
Season | Div | Ven | Result | Att | Scorers |
2000/01 | 1 | a | 1-0 | 11,427 | Mullin |
| . | . | h | 2-1 | 14,018 | Smith Taylor |
2004/05 | C | a | 0-3 | 15,638 | . |
. | . | h | 2-0 | 10,396 | Akinbiyi(2) |
2005/06 | C | a | 1-1 | 12,565 | McCann |
| . | . | h | 1-0 | 11,247 | Gray |
2006/07 | C | h | 2-0 | 12,190 | Jones(2) |
. | . | a | 1-3 | 10,811 | McCann |
2007/08 | C | h | 0-2 | 10,522 | . |
| . | . | a | 4-2 | 13,410 | Cole(3) Akinbiyi |
2008/09 | C | a | 2-1 | 13,226 | Blake Mahon |