Andy Gray grabbed a late winner as Burnley beat Queens Park Rangers in a game that, for long periods, neither side looked good enough to win.

The sides had barely been able to muster a decent chance between them until the goal, although Burnley's Alan Mahon was a constant threat - and it was the Republic of Ireland international who created his side's winning goal.

Both sides had started the day well clear of the Coca-Cola Championship relegation zone and with no hopes of mounting a late push for a play-off spot, and it showed with quality very thin on the ground.

The visitors were the first to threaten, with Lee Cook crossing for Marc Nygaard to force goalkeeper Brian Jensen into the save inside the first 20 seconds.

And 12 minutes later Richard Langley floated in a corner for Ian Evatt to fire an overhead kick wide of the target.

The home side then came back into it and Mahon, on loan from Barclays Premiership outfit Wigan pending a permanent move in the summer, curled in a left-footed shot that was well parried by veteran Paul Jones in the Rangers goal at the expense of a corner.

From the resulting set-piece, Jones did well to punch clear Mahon's dangerous ball in and it was cleared.

Nygaard tried his luck for the visitors with a free-kick that was always going too high, before Jones had to act smartly to punch clear a Graham Branch cross at the other end.

Jensen had to punch clear a cross from Mauro Milanese and James O'Connor hacked clear the following corner.

Mahon was again off target with a shot as the Clarets pushed but Rangers, one point and two places ahead of their rivals in the table, were proving hard to break down.

Mahon tried his luck from 35 yards at the start of the second half but Jones was up to it while, at the other end, Nygaard forced a decent parry from Jensen.

Dan Shittu had to act smartly to block a shot from Gray as the hour mark approached, while Mahon again showed he was not afraid to shoot from distance, although again it flew harmlessly wide.

With the game looking as if it was going to end in a stalemate, the home side managed to break through with just 11 minutes remaining.

Mahon provided the cross from the right and Gray drilled the ball home with his right foot from 12 yards out.

Teams

Burnley Jensen, Bardsley, Sinclair, Duff, Harley,Branch (Hyde 65), James O'Connor, McCann (McGreal 87), Mahon,Ricketts (Elliott 55), Gray.

Subs Not Used: Garreth O'Connor, Spicer.

Goals: Gray 79.

QPR Jones, Kus (Lomas 66), Shittu, Evatt, Milanese, Ainsworth,Langley, Bircham (Donnelly 86), Cook, Nygaard, Baidoo.

Subs Not Used: Cole, Furlong, Howell.

Att: 11,247

Ref: R Oliver (W Midlands).