QPR head coach Marti Cifuentes hailed an ‘important’ 2-1 win at Blackburn that bolstered his side’s chances of Sky Bet Championship survival.
Rangers came into this game with only one away win since September but deservedly put that statistic to bed with a two-goal haul in the space of three second-half minutes.
The 61st-minute opener came when Ilias Chair’s shot hit the woodwork and went in off Blackburn keeper Aynsley Pears for an own goal, but it was luck their performance merited and substitute Joe Hodge slotted a debut goal that doubled the advantage.
Sam Gallagher fired beyond Asmir Begovic to set up a grandstand finish but the Rs held on to stretch their unbeaten run to three.
They remain three points from safety but more teams – including Blackburn – will now be nervously looking over their shoulders and Cifuentes hopes this is a ‘turning point’.
He said: “Important win for us, definitely because we knew we were playing against a team that offensively they are one of the best teams.
“When they are in possession, they can create a lot of chances and I think we contained them well for first 70-75 minutes.
“In addition, a difficult place for QPR historically, it’s been a lot of years since the last victory. In this situation, where we are, every victory is so, so important with the results that happened today.
“It was not easy. I think small margins today, the goal of Ilias (Chair), a very brilliant action but today the ball rebounded and went in. Other days, unfortunately it’s been post and out.
“I’m a big believer that the small margins when you work hard, when you work in a humble way, starts to pay off. Hopefully this will be what this team will start to achieve because since my arrival, the team has been competing very well in all the games. Hopefully this can be a turning point.”
The Ewood Park atmosphere was mutinous towards the club’s owners and CEO after a sixth defeat in eight which leaves them five points off the bottom three.
Manager Jon Dahl Tomasson described the goals as ‘unnecessary’ and praised the fans for rallying behind his team.
He said: “We are disappointed to lose the game. I think actually we started really well. It was a good chance for Ben (Chrisene). Brilliant play, he should have scored that.
“I don’t think the level is the same as Monday when we really played well and in the end of the game, we scored a good goal but we created plenty of chances to score goals.
“We conceded two unnecessary goals of course where we should have done better. We knew they could be dangerous in transition where we lost balls where normally we shouldn’t lose balls.
“I think the lads and our fans showed great character. We almost got the draw. I think we had two or three good opportunities. Big chances to get the second.
“So all the credit to the players and actually also for the fans to stay behind the team but of course disappointed. We want to win games.”
Hull City 3-3 Ipswich Town: Tigers fight back three times to deny Tractor Boys
Ipswich Town missed the chance to move into an automatic promotion spot as play-off-chasing Hull City came from behind three times in a thrilling 3-3 Championship draw at The MKM Stadium.
Ipswich knew a victory would take them second after Leeds United were surprisingly beaten 4-0 by Queens Park Rangers on Friday, and they led on three separate occasions, George Hirst opening the scoring before Omari Hutchinson produced two brilliant strikes from the edge of the area.
However, buoyed by slip-ups from rivals Norwich City and West Brom earlier on Saturday, Hull dug deep to fight back on each occasion, Ozan Tufan and Liam Delap scoring their first two equalisers.
With Liam Rosenior's men 3-2 down with just four minutes to play, substitute Noah Ohio blasted his shot in off the crossbar to punish an error from Ipswich goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky.
The result keeps Ipswich behind second-placed Leeds on goal difference, though the Tractor Boys have a game in hand to come at Coventry City on Tuesday.
Hull, meanwhile, are two points adrift of the top six, with Norwich's goal difference advantage meaning their top-six spot is all but assured. The Tigers will, however, leapfrog West Brom if they beat Plymouth Argyle on the final day and Albion lose to Preston North End.
Data Debrief: Hutchinson's best not enough
Hutchinson was a man who deserved to be on the winning side on Saturday, giving Ryan Allsop no chance with two near-identical left-footed strikes from the right corner of the penalty area.
His goals came from an expected goals (xG) total of just 0.6, and he led all players on the pitch for shots (eight) and passes in the final third (21), also laying on three chances for his team-mates.
Al-Khaleej 0-1 Al-Nassr: Ronaldo misfires on return as Laporte nets winner
Cristiano Ronaldo returned from suspension but failed to find the net as Al-Nassr secured a 1-0 win over Al-Khaleej on Saturday, with Aymeric Laporte coming up with the decisive goal.
Ronaldo was in action for the first time since being sent off for an elbow in a 2-1 Saudi Super Cup loss to Al-Hilal earlier this month, with his initial two-match ban being reduced to one on appeal.
He missed three good chances as Al-Nassr threatened to fall further behind runaway Saudi Pro League leaders Al-Hilal, but former Manchester City defender Laporte spared his blushes by nodding Marcelo Brozovic's deep free-kick into the bottom-left corner with 68 minutes gone.
Al-Nassr remain nine points adrift of Al-Hilal at the summit in spite of their win, with Jorge Jesus' team unbeaten through 28 games this season as they close in on a record-extending 18th title.
Data Debrief: Ronaldo misfires on return
Ronaldo was presented with the Saudi Pro League's Player of the Month award for March ahead of kick-off, having scored four goals in three league appearances last month.
However, his sights were off on Saturday as he failed to net despite three of the visitors' four big chances, as defined by Opta, falling his way. He led all players on the pitch for expected goals (1.27 xG), shots (five), shots on target (three) and touches in the area (nine) without reward.
Huddersfield all but relegated from Championship while League Two play-off spots decided
Huddersfield Town saw their relegation from the Championship all but confirmed after a 1-1 draw with fellow strugglers Birmingham City on Saturday.
The Terriers avoided a defeat that would have seen them relegated on Saturday, but even a win on the final day over promotion hopefuls Ipswich Town will not be enough unless they overcome a huge goal difference of 15 goals with Plymouth Argyle.
Birmingham remain in the other relegation place and now must beat Norwich City to stand a chance of staying up with Sheffield Wednesday, Plymouth and Blackburn Rovers also still in danger.
At the other end of the table, the Canaries dropped points in a 2-2 draw with Swansea City, leaving the door open for Hull City, who face Ipswich Town later today.
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