Dexter Blackstock’s fanatastic 20 yard strike sealed three points for QPR against Preston.
Blackstock had earlier been recalled to the starting line up in place of Paul Furlong after a goal scoring substitute appearance at the weekend. Steve Lomas also came back into the team with Idiakez suffering with a hamstring injury picked up against West Brom.
Preston started with Nugent and Ricketts in attack and could have taken the lead in the first minute when Matt Hill found Nugent unmarked in the penalty area but he side footed wide of the post.
QPR started the game nervously and Lee Camp had to be at his very best to deny Hill and Whaley who both thought they’d scored with a diving header and low shot respectively.
The home side came into the game as the half wore on though and should have taken the lead by half time as they spurned two gilt edged chances. First Gareth Ainsworth hammered a low volley towards the bottom corner from the corner of the penalty area after a mistake by Liam Chilvers. The ball looked to be flying into the net but Marc Nygaard tried to divert it in himself only to fluff it completely over the bar.
Undeterred Ainsworth pressed again but when faced with an even better chance a moment later he cut the ball back to nobody when he really should have unloaded a shot.
There was bad news for the home fans as the teams came out for the second half. Michael Mancienne and Lee Cook both remained in the dressing room and were replaced by Pat Kanyuka and Rohan Ricketts. Mancienne had taken a nasty kick to the face in the first half while Cook had looked unfit for the entire first half and picked up another blow to the knee he injured against West Brom on Saturday.
The changes didn’t upset QPR’s gathering momentum though and within five minutes they’d taken the lead. Marc Nygaard lofted a perfect 40 pass up to Blackstock who chesteed the ball between Chilvers and St Ledger with his first touch before hammering an unstoppable shot into the top corner with his second.
Marc Nygaard thrashed a similar effort over the bar ten minutes later, and then missed a good headed chance following great work by Gareth Ainsworth but once Rangers had taken the ead play increasingly switched to the Loft end of the ground as Preston hunted an equaliser.
Paul Simpson added Dichio and Agyemang to his attack and pummelled QPR with a succession of long balls to no avail. Danny Cullip and, after a nervous start, Damion Stewart played very well for the last half an hour to preserve the lead.
Michael Ricketts curled a free kick inches wide of the post and QPR were let off 15 minutes from the end when Blackstock blocked Wilson’s cut back with his forearm in the penalty area but neither linesman nor referee reacted.
For all their huff and puff it took Preston until the dying embers of the game to create another chance, when it came it was substitute Danny Dichio who almost broke his former club’s hearts. He’d been booed since his introduction but nearly silenced the crowd with a late header that Lee Camp dived across goal to keep out with a strong save.
After five minutes of agonising injury time referee Keith Stroud brought the game to a close, a decision greeted with massive relief and scenes of celebration by an exceptionally loud crowd inside Loftus Road.
Player Ratings
Lee Camp 8
Three great saves, two in the first and one right at the death, to keep that crucial clean sheet. Very solid under crosses as well.
Michael Mancienne 6
Out of sorts and off early through injury.
Danny Cullip 8
Star Man
Damion Stewart 8
Badly off form for the first 20 minutes but then settled down and played excellently in the second half.
Marcus Bignot 6
Not his best game of the season, but did his bit in a crucial win.
Gareth Ainsworth 7
Worked tirelessly all night, very unlucky not to score on at least one occasion.
Adam Bolder 8
Part of a terrific spine on the night along with Camp, Culip and Blackstock – the key to the victory. Held the midfield together well alongside…
Steve Lomas 8
His best game for some time, crucial tackles in injury time to preserve the lead.
Lee Cook 6
Same as Mancienne really, out of sorts and off injured at half time.
Dexter Blackstock 8
Superb goal and work rate.
Marc Nygaard 8
Worked very hard for the team throughout, unlucky not to score, a goal was all that was missing.
Pat Kanyuka 7
Struggled in possession but was very solid defensively.
Rohan Ricketts 7
Showed some good stuff whil he was on and it’s concerning to see him leave early through injury.
Not on long enough to earn a mark, but worked hard for ten minutes.
Manager Rating
John Gregory 8 – Had his team selection right and got them working hard for each other, real signs of improvement over the past few weeks.
Opponent Rating
Paul Simpson 5 – Needs more at this level than simply slinging big cumbersome strikers on and pumping the ball up to them.