QPR took a giant step towards First Division survival as a goal just three
minutes from time gave them an unlikely victory against West Brom at Loftus
Road.
With time running out and the score 1-1, it was West Brom who looked more
likely to score, but on 87 minutes Rangers grabbed their chance.
Chris Kiwomya beat his man on the left edge of the box and when he squared the
ball into the area, Gavin Peacock was on hand to thump it into the roof of the
net.
The first half had been very disappointing until injury time when the game was
lit up by two goals.
First Rangers' Andy Linighan gave away a free-kick on the edge of his own box
and Richard Sneekes touched it for Kevin Kilbane to thump the ball into the
net.
Then with the West Brom fans still celebrating, Rangers hit back. Paul Murray
swung over a free-kick and skipper Karl Ready stooped to head past Phil
Whitehead at the far post.
Before that excitement there had been few moments of interest.
Brian Quailey on his first start for West Brom might have scored after just 38
seconds when he got away from his marker only for Ludek Miklosko to storm out of
goal to save.
Then on 21 minutes he had a claim for a penalty waved away after Linighan
seemed to have brought him down.
At the other end, Peacock got off the ground and away from his marker in one
movement on 29 minutes to tee up Kevin Gallen only for the striker to miss his
kick completely, while Peacock let fly from 25 yards ten minutes later with a
shot which slipped just wide.
With the confidence booster of a goal on half-time, Rangers were expected to
come out flying in the second half, but it was West Brom who took command.
Kilbane beat Tim Breacker and fed Fabian De Freitas on 53 minutes only for
Linighan to make a vital interception, while on 67 minutes Kilbane's corner was
headed back by Shaun Murphy to Quailey who nodded inches over.
Rangers nearly gifted West Brom a goal on 72 minutes. Andrew McDermott's low
centre looked easy for Miklosko but in an almighty mix-up with Danny Maddix both
allowed the ball to trickle past them towards goal before Ready hacked it off
the line.
Three minutes later, Miklosko was in more convincing action. He saved
beautifully from Sneekes and as Quailey followed up, the keeper launched himself
again to push the ball way from a corner.
QPR boss Gerry Francis made a triple substitution with 12 minutes to go and
Rangers came back to life with Peacock testing Whitehead after Gallen's nod-down
before he combined with Kiwomya for what proved the vital winning goal.
Teams
QPR: Miklosko, Breacker, Linighan, Darlington (Baraclough 78),
Ready, Maddix, Murray (Rowland 78), Peacock, Kulcsar, Gallen (Slade 78), Kiwomya.
Booked: Kulcsar, Kiwomya, Slade.
Goals: Ready 45, Peacock 87.
West Brom: Whitehead, McDermott, Van Blerk, Murphy, Burgess,
Carbon (Potter 45), Quinn, Sneekes, De Freitas (Evans 58),
Quailey (Maresca 82), Kilbane.
Goals: Kilbane 45.
Att: 11,158
Ref: E Lomas (Manchester).
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