Confident Bradford took a giant step towards automatic promotion to the
Premiership and at the same time sent Rangers precariously closer to the drop
zone with a 3-1 win at Loftus Road.
Rangers' defeat means they have lost four on the trot scoring just one in the
process and they rarely looked like ending that dismal run despite a lively
first quarter.
It was QPR who carved out the first real chance on 10 minutes when Ian
Baraclough's cross was headed down to Steve Slade whose fierce low drive beat
the keeper but slipped past the post.
Leon Jeanne caused problems on the right with his pace and on 24 minutes it
was his hard work which almost won a penalty. He ghosted past Wayne Jacobs
before crossing to the far post where Keith Rowland seemed to be wrestled to the
ground by Lee Sharpe, only for the ref to wave play on.
Slowly but surely Bradford began to take control. Lee Mills picked out Sharpe
with a clever cross only for the wingman to volley over the bar, but on 32
minutes they snatched the lead.
Peter Beagrie picked up the ball on the edge of the box and jinked past George
Kulcsar and Baraclough before firing into the roof of the net.
Rangers battled to get back into the game and Gavin Peacock had chances either
side of half-time.
First he forced a fine save from Gary Walsh with a 30-yard effort, then on 47
minutes he was put in the clear by Slade only to dwell on the ball until the
chance was gone.
The home side paid for these missed chances on 62 minutes when Bradford
increased their lead.
Kulcsar conceded a free kick on the edge of the box and Stuart McCall's clever
lift over the wall saw the ball first deceive Robbie Blake then Rangers keeper
Lee Harper giving Ashley Westwood the chance to tap in from a yard out.
Rangers threw Iain Dowie and Paul Murray on to bolster the forward line and
they began to create chances.
Baraclough's curling free kick was superbly saved by Walsh and then Kevin
Gallen's header was tipped over by the keeper on 78 minutes.
A minute later Rangers threw themselves a lifeline when Gallen hooked the ball
in from close range after a goal mouth scramble to force a grandstand finish.
However, Rangers frustration boiled over on 90 minutes when skipper Karl Ready
and Bradford's Westwood were both sent off for an off the ball skirmish before
City rubbed salt in the Rangers wounds two minutes into injury time when
substitute Gordon Watson turned Baraclough and fired into the corner to complete
the victory.
Teams:
QPR: Harper, Breacker, Baraclough, Kulcsar (Dowie 63), Ready,
Maddix, Rowland (Murray 63), Peacock, Jeanne (Linighan 90),
Gallen, Slade.
Sent Off: Ready (90).
Booked: Kulcsar, Maddix, Dowie.
Goals: Gallen 79.
Bradford: Walsh, Sharpe, Jacobs (O'Brien 38), McCall, Dreyer,
Westwood, Wright, Blake (Windass 72), Mills (Watson 86),
Whalley, Beagrie.
Sent Off: Westwood (90).
Booked: McCall, Dreyer.
Goals: Beagrie 32, Westwood 62, Watson 90.
Att: 11,641
Ref: R Styles (Waterlooville).
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