Stockport 3 QPR 3

Tuesday 02 November 1999
Edgeley Park
ATTENDANCE:
REF: R. PEARSON

Rangers striker, Kevin Gallen, capped a remarkable second half recovery by his side with a stunning strike a minute from time to earn the R's a precious point. Gerry Francis' men had trailed Stockport County by three goals with only 25 minutes of this First Division encounter. But a Danny Maddix goal, sandwiched in between a Gallen brace sealed the amazing fightback and preserved Rangers recent fine run of results. The 3-3 draw extends the R's unbeaten run to eight matches and they kept that proud record intact in the most dramatic fashion through Gallen's 89th minute strike. It had all started so badly for Rangers when Chris Byrne opened the scoring for the home side after five minutes and immediately put the visitors on the back foot. On the stroke of half-time, County doubled their lead through striker, Ian Moore, who scored his first goal in 46 games. And 11 minutes into the second period, and Stockport looked to have wrapped up the three points when 17-year-old, Briggs, stretched the lead even further. But just as Rangers looked dead and buried came the stirring fightback with substitute, Gallen, emphatically leading the way. It was a quick-fire double that gave Francis' troops a glimmer of hope that they could salvage something from the match. On 65 minutes, Gallen fired in his first goal, and only minute later and Maddix had reduced the deficit even further. With the clock ticking away, and Rangers frantically pouring forward in search of an equaliser, it appeared that the chance of a point had slipped from their grasp. A minute from time, and Gallen struck a blistering volley from the edge of the area that scorched into the back of the net to cap the sensational comeback. Rangers boss cannot fail to be pleased with the never-say-die spirit shown by his side as they snatched a point from a game that looked to have been all over.